In the course of the concerts associated with these recordings (made in the mid to late 1990s), Helmut Rilling presented, in German, a series of lectures analyzing the cantatas.   Haenssler recorded these lectures, complete with musical examples, and included them in the CD set.   The following text is an English paraphrase of his presentation for Cantata 4.   It's reprinted for WKSU listeners by kind permission of the publisher.

This is one of the earliest of Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantatas.  It was written for Easter of the year 1707 or 1708.  Bach takes the words from the seven-verse Easter song by Martin Luther.  The composition is not marked by the joy typical of Easter, however, but makes instead a rather reserved impression.  Apparently, Bach was already thinking back to Good Friday in the introductory Sinfonia.

In Verse No. 1, a choral movement, the melody is borne by the soprano in long-held notes.   Violas and cellos give support to the setting, while the violins add lively figurations.  Not until the words "des wir sollen fröhlich sein" ("thus we should be joyful") does the excitement appropriate to Easter make its appearance, also illustrating the vocal halleluiah.

In Verse No. 2, Bach finds musical gestures to match the imagery of Luther’s words: ascending and descending scales ("Menschenkinder" and "Tod," that is, "mankind" and "death"), where the low notes - "den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt [konnte]" ("death could capture no one") - keep the upper hand.  

In Verse No. 3, the name of Jesus turns up for the first time.   The Son of God takes steps against death, as illustrated energetically in the violins.  The words "Recht" ("rule") and "Gewalt" ("power") set off powerful chords.   "Nichts" ("nothing") is the signal for a general rest, while "Tods Gestalt" ("death's empty shell") calls up a pale, feeble atmosphere.

In Verse No. 4 we again have a choral movement, this time only accompanied by the continuo.  The text is the focus of attention here: "Ein wunderlicher Krieg" ("wondrous struggle") "Tod und Leben ringen" ("death and life battled"), and "wie ein Tod den andern fraß" ("how one death ate the other") are all represented by having the voices enter in quick succession.  

A chromatic, descending "lamento" bass, once again a reminder of the suffering on Good Friday, characterizes Verse No. 5.  The low range of the voice and the dissonant figures in the orchestra once again depict death’s terrors, from which the rapidly ascending figures in the violins give rise to a vision of the Resurrection.  

Now, in Verse No. 6, the soprano and the alto strike up the joy of Easter in festive rhythms.   Not until the Verse No. 7 do the words refer to the Gospel of the day, "Christus will die Koste sein" ("Christ will be the sustenance"), in a setting whose simplicity underscores its impact.   Bach, who was a mere 22 years old at the time and had but little experience of putting words to music, did not ignore death, but presented it as contrasted with the hope of resurrection, and does so in the word "halleluiah" which comes at the end of each movement.

2. Coro [Versus I]

Christ lag in Todes Banden
Für unsre Sünd gegeben,
Er ist wieder erstanden
Und hat uns bracht das Leben;
Des wir sollen fröhlich sein,
Gott loben und ihm dankbar sein
Und singen halleluja,
Halleluja.

3. Duetto [Versus II]

Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt
Bei allen Menschenkindern,
Das macht alles unsre Sünd,
Kein Unschuld war zu finden.
Davon kam der Tod so bald
Und nahm über uns Gewalt,
Hielt uns in seinem Reich gefangen.
Halleluja.

4. Aria [Versus III]

Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn,
An unser Statt ist kommen
Und hat die Sünde weggetan,
Damit dem Tod genommen
All sein Recht und sein Gewalt;
Da bleibet nichts denn Tods Gestalt,
Den Stachel hat er verloren,
Halleluja.

5. Coro [Versus IV]

Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg,
Da Tod und Leben rungen,
Das Leben behielt den Sieg,
Es hat den Tod verschlungen.
Die Schrift hat verkündigt das,
Wie ein Tod den andern fraß,
Ein Spott aus dem Tod ist worden.
Halleluja.

6. Aria [Versus V]

Hie ist das rechte Osterlamm,
Davon Gott hat geboten,
Das ist hoch an des Kreuzes Stamm
In heißer Lieb gebraten,
Das Blut zeichnet unser Tür,
Das hält der Glaub dem Tode für,
Der Würger kann uns nicht mehr schaden.
Halleluja.

7. Aria (Duetto) [Versus VI]

So feiren wir das hohe Fest
Mit Herzensfreud und Wonne,
Das uns der Herr erscheinen läßt,
Er ist selber die Sonne,
Der durch seiner Gnaden Glanz
Erleuchtet unsre Herzen ganz,
Der Sünden Nacht ist verschwunden.
Halleluja.

8. Choral [Versus VII]

Wir essen und leben wohl
In rechten Osterfladen,
Der alte Sauerteig nicht soll
Sein bei dem Wort der Gnaden,
Christus will die Koste sein
Und speisen die Seel allein,
Der Glaub will keins andern leben.
Halleluja.

2. Chorus [Verse 1]

Christ lay in the bonds of death,
For our sin was given;
He is risen again
And has brought us life;
Thus we should be joyful,
Praise God and be thankful to him
And sing hallelujah,
Hallelujah.

3. Duet [Verse 2]

Death could capture no one
Among all mankind;
[But] As a result of our sin,
There was no innocence to be found.
Thereby death quickly came,
And seized power over us,
Held us captive in his kingdom.
Hallelujah.

4. Aria [Verse 3]

Jesus Christ, God’s own Son,
Has come to our abode
And has cleared away the sins,
Thereby from death is taken
All his rule and all his power;
Here nothing remains but death's shell,
He has lost his sting.
Hallelujah.

5. Chorus [Verse 4]

It was a wondrous struggle,
When death and life battled;
Life seized the victory,
It has devoured death.
The Scripture has proclaimed,
How one death ate another;
Death has been made a mockery.
Hallelujah.

6. Aria [Verse 5]

Here is the true Easter lamb,
Of which God has commanded;
It is high on the cross's trunk
Burning in ardent love;
The blood makes a sign on our door,
That the faith regards as death,
The murderer can no longer harm us.
Hallelujah.

7. Aria (Duet) [Verse 6]

So let us celebrate the high feast
With heartfelt joy and pleasure,
Which the Lord places before us;
He is himself the sun,
And through His graceful brilliance,
He fully illuminates our hearts;
The sin-filled night has vanished.
Hallelujah.

8. Chorale [Verse 7]

We eat and thrive
On this true Easter wafer;
The old leavening shall not
Remain in the grace of the Word;
Christ will be the sustenance
And feed the soul alone,
Faith will live on nothing else.
Hallelujah.