J.S. Bach: Schauet doch und sehet ob irgendein Schmerz sei, BWV 46 - The Church Cantatas, Vol. 124

BWV46 was written for 1 August 1723. The beautiful opening chorus (later used in the Mass in B Minor) uses a text from Lamentations well known from Handels Messiah: `Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.’ The structure of the chorus is that of a prelude and fugue. Words of sorrow like Schmerz and Jammer are highlighted by chromatic lines. A tenor recitative follows in which the recurring recorder figure could be seen either to illustrate the water-billows of which the text speaks, or the weeping over Jerusalem. That judgement is not reserved for Jerusalem alone is made clear by the furious bass aria in which the breaking of a thunderstorm is vividly painted. After a warning sung by the alto, one of Bach’s most remarkable arias follows, in which two oboes da caccia in combination with the recorders create a unique and lovely sound illustrating the mother chicken gathering her Küchlein. The final chorale is enhanced by the sonorous recorders soaring above the chorale melody lik