High the song of triumph

Well, here we are, more than halfway through Advent and no Bach. How did that happen? Gotta go to DEFCON 3, so we’ll have a cantata. Specifically, “Nun komm der Heiden Heiland”. (Literal translation: “Now the savior of the heathens comes”.)

“Nun komm” was written by our pal Martin Luther; when it comes to hymnody, Marty was right up there with the Wesley boys. Luther based it on an older plainsong, “Veni, redemptor gentium”—"O come, redeemer of the world”. The English version is a staple of the Lutheran hymnal as “Savior of the Nations, Come”.

Frankly, it’s not one of my favorites, because it’s so mournful-sounding. I mean—give me “Comfort, Comfort Ye, My People” or “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” (both translated by Catherine Winkworth) any day. But “Savior of the Nations, Come”? Meh.

Now, Bach’s cantata is a different matter altogether. So here we have a performance by the J.S. Bach Stifftung in a time-appropriate setting.

(Check out Mr. Big Seal-Clapper at around 17:20.)