Luogo e data di registrazione		Amsterdam (Holland) - Maggio 1977
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Producer		Wolf Erichson
	Prima Edizione LP		Telefunken "Das Alte Werk" | SKW 20/1-2 | 2 LPs - durata 46' 35" - 36' 57" | (p) 1978 | ANA
	Edizione CD		Teldec Classics | LC 6706 | 8.35362 ZL | 2 CDs - durata 46' 35" - 36' 57" | (c) 1989 | ADD
	Cover		Johann Sebastian Nach, einige Jahre vor seiner Ernennung zum Kantor in Leipzig. Gemälde con JJ. Ihle (1720) Bach Museum Eisenach.
	Note		In questo volume sono presenti anche La Cantate BWV 76 e BWV 78 a cura del Concentus Musicus Wien diretto da Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

INTRODUCTION by Ludwig Finscher »Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben« (BWV 77), was written for the 13th Sunday after Trinity (22nd August) 1723, and thus is also from Bach’s first Leipzig annual cantata set. In diametric opposition to BWV 76, it is one of the shortest and extremely modest Bach cantatas. At the same time, however, because of its opening chorus it is one of the extreme exemples of the profound, theological symbolic compositional manner which so thoroughly sets Bach apart from all his composing contemporaries. The quotation from the Gospel according to St. Luke, which forms the text of the choir, is compositionally set in accordance with a parallel passage from Matthew 22, 34-40, where the love of God and of ones neighbours is described as the foundation »of all the law«. For this reason the motet-like imitative choral movement is encompassed by a canon (= law) of the outer voices, trumpet and bass (= allencompassing law) above the chorale »Dies sind die heil’gen zehn Gebot« (all ten commandments are included in the command to love). In this connection, the bass performs the melody in enlarged note values ( = the fundamental law) and the trumpet has ten cues (= ten commandments) and at the end once more renders the entire chorale, so that it appears to be omnipresent. Finally the motif of the singing voices hints at the chorale, clearly at least in the first motif (retrograde inversion of the first chorale line). Perhaps the most wonderful feature of the movement, however, is that the construction and symbolism have superimposed upon them a powerful, solemn moving trait which culminates in the subsequent rendering of the entire choral melody in the trumpet above the tonic pedal point, while the singing parts intone the second half of the text - »und deinen Nächsten als dich selbst«. Inevitably, compared with this mighty piece of theological musical text exegesis, the other movements of the cantata fade somewhat; the unusual simplicity of the two arias and their individual tone - as it were the answer of the individual christian to the choir’s promulgation of the law - show that this contrast was fully intended. The soprano aria announces the proximity of the loving Christian to God, emotionally in the gentle suspended melody, symbolically in the parallel leading of the oboes. The contralto aria is, despite its da capo form, less an aria than an intimate sacted song with simultaneous emotion-laden and almost gallant, compass-point line melody. In marked contrast to this, as well as to the muted tenor of the text, is the use of the trumpet as the solo instrument. The concluding chorus, a relatively simple cantata movement, has come down to us without text. Judging from the contents of the cantata and the line and verse scheme given for the choral melody (Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh darein), it most likely of all relates to »Herrn, durch den Glauben wohn in mir« from David Denicke’s hymn »O Gottes Sohn, Herr Jesu Christ«. »Gott, der Herr, ist Sonn und Schild« (BWV 79) was probably written for Reformation Day (31st October) 1725. Similarly to BWV 77 and 78 it is concentrated almost entirely on the opening chorus, but from the point of view of content is uninterruptedly dominated by gratitude and joy, and accordingly is an extrovert work. This is already apparent from the orchestral scoring, with horns and kettledrums, oboes, strings and continuo, to which flutes were added in subsequent performances. Already in the orchestral prelude the chorus develops all the splendour appropriate for this particular day: a festive horn theme, then a lively fugato, and then both themes combined. The first choral sections are accompanied by the fugal theme and punctuated by the horn theme, and then a choral fugue develops from the instrumental fugal theme. Finally the first choral section, freely repeated, is built into a repetition of the beginning and conclusion of the instrumental introduction. The contralto aria which follows turns the jubilating note into the intimate and individual aspect, although the text continues to speak of the congregation. The chorale once again takes up the horn theme of the first chorus and thus rounds off the three first parts of the work into a unit. Perhaps originally the sermon followed at this point. The movements which then follow are at any rate lightweight compared with the powerful first section of the cantata, and are of a markedly simple construction. In the concluding chorus horns and kettledrums once more establish a relationship with the festive splendour of the first half of the cantata, as accords with the text of the chorale.