J.S. Bach: Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, BWV 6 - The Church Cantatas, Vol. 140

BWV6, a cantata written for Easter Monday 1725, refers to the story of two disciples, on their way to Emmaus after Christ’s resurrection, being met by Christ himself (unbeknown) and asking him to stay with them. Their call ‘Bleib bei uns’ runs through the opening chorus, both in the choir and, high up, in the violin and oboe. The word bleib (stay) gets a long, `staying’ note, once again both in choir and orchestra. The atmosphere of a falling night is evoked beautifully. An alto aria follows in dark colours, the word `darkness’ illustrated in semitones. The bass recitative picks up the idea of darkness, the voice sinking to its lowest point for Dunkelheit. In between, the chorale `Ach bleib bei uns’ is sung in a lovely and moving setting (wellknown as one of the Schübler organ chorale preludes). In the following tenor aria the prayer to be kept from sin (illustrated by a striking dissonant on Sünden and the heavy steps of the weary traveller on the Sündenwegen) combines with lov