to start my week with
osanna in excelsis
leads me to worry …
Readers of this blog know that I listen to Classic FM, an online radio station from London.
I tell folks I like it as it is five hours ahead in London so I know that somewhere in the world, someone has indeed made it through the next five hours.
This morning, I got all plugged in and turned on my speakers to hear the Osanna from Bach’s Mass in B minor. A 3 minute chorus where the lyric is nothing but the combination of the words Osanna in excelsis.
According to Wikipedia, The composition was completed in 1749, the year before Bach’s death, and was to a large extent based on earlier work, such as a Sanctus Bach had composed in 1724. Sections that were specifically composed to complete the Mass in the late 1740s include the “Et incarnatus est” part of the Credo. It is structured in four major sections and scored for five soloists, a choir that is five-part in many sections and divided in the “Osanna”, and a Baroque ensemble including brass and wind instruments.
Imagine my shock when I found that Mr. Bach had used this music is something titled, Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen (Praise your good fortune, blessed Saxony) that was first performed in 1734 with a lot more words …
Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen,
Praise your good fortune, blessed Saxony,
Weil Gott den Thron deines Königs erhält.
since God upholds the throne of your king.
Fröhliches Land,
Joyful land
Danke dem Himmel und küsse die Hand,
thank heaven and kiss the hand
Die deine Wohlfahrt noch täglich lässt wachsen
which from day to day makes your prosperity increase
Und deine Bürger in Sicherheit stellt.
and establishes your citizens in safety.
BE THAT AS IT MAY … the music was a great way to start my work week,
BUT THAT BEING SAID, in my ear a warning that the old saying goes A Bad Beginning Makes a Good Ending.
I don’t know what it means when your week has a good beginning, does that make for a bad ending?
It leads me to worry.
Maybe I don’t want to stick around to find out.
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