Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (BWV 199): middle aria "Tief gebückt"

A Moment of Bach

Vivid and subtle, this cantata follows the spiritual journey of the soprano soloist who carries the weight of sin on her shoulders. The journey is one from darkness into light, and our moment, sent in by listener Dave, comes at the cathartic middle movement, where hope is found in patience.

Soprano Julia Doyle delivers a heartfelt rendition of this stirring cantata, one of Bach's most openly emotional. We discuss how Bach's choice to make this a solo cantata is a masterstroke in itself, and we talk about how thrilling it is when Bach (and other artists/creators, even video game developers!) allow their works to be driven by the story and characters of the text, rather than trying to force the work into a predetermined structure. The music is subservient to the emotional journey that is the heart of the text. This, we think, is what gives Bach's cantatas and passions their magic.

Aria "Tief gebückt" from this cantata, Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (BWV 199), as performed by Julia Doyle and the Netherlands Bach Society

Companion video by the Netherlands Bach Society: interview with soprano Julia Doyle