christ jordan christ jordan christ lord came jordan church composed leipzig baptist led performance june bach composed cycle second cycle started appointed based seven hymn christ jordan baptism stanza outer movements unknown inner hymn text movements movement followed succession alternating leading closing scored vocal alto tenor bass choir solo violins strings history words bach composed day june leipzig second annual cycle cycle begun weeks earlier sunday trinity cycle devoted lutheran hymns typically rendered keeping text stanza contemporary poet inner prescribed readings feast birth john baptist book voice preacher desert gospel luke birth john baptist luke hymn christ jordan jordan came lord christ associated feast topic differing readings baptism treated based biblical accounts starting christ baptism john baptist river jordan hymn tune bach text stanza hymn movement melody sung final movement setting seventh stanza hymn tune choral movements settings text hymn scoring structure seven movements scored vocal alto tenor bass choir solo violins second introduced later performance violins viola music seven movement begins ends sequence alternating closing setting bach increased number accompanying instruments second movement solo violins central movement strings sixth movement opening chorus christ jordan christ lord came jordan tenor melody voices sing free cycle bach given tune soprano second alto opening chorus resembles italian violin solo violin persistent rocking wave like idea waves jordan river compares vocal sections solo violin solo sections violin opposed sections orchestra interprets movement french baroque gestures suggest entrance jesus powerful flooding notes movement combines old style writing new type solo observes main violin solo episodes linked choral entries gradually assume larger proportions greater independence movement progresses aria und mark hear humans accompanied observes characteristic fast motif notes repeated cello flows downward bach usually motifs concludes represents pouring waters following given tenor dies hat mit god clearly provided words biblical command central aria sung tenor accompanied violins marked solo later performance des father voice heard notes music describes pair soaring violins flight holy spirit dove notes character movement appearances number symbol trinity trio voice violins triple time markedly time signature divided form solo sections variants single model presented opening concluding concludes sequence creates different forms musical substance evidently understood symbol bass voice christ jesus jesus passion speaks jesus passion resurrection accompanied strings similar words jesus bach matthew passion aria sung alto rich accompaniment people believe grace double violin human beings requested accept grace god pit hell closing final stanza hymn instruments playing das das eye sees water summary teaching baptism editions century got number published volume bach new bach edition included series volume published performance scores score translates title lord christ old jordan came selected recordings list recordings provided bach website type choir orchestra roughly shown large group red background ensemble period instruments historically informed performance green background
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7