Composed in 1724, BWV 144 “Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin” (Take what is thine and go away) is inspired by the well-known parable of the workers in the vineyard. As in BWV 14, the opening movement is set as a motet, yet Bach could have hardly interpreted the formal concept of a vocal setting strictly accompanied by instrumental voices more differently than in these two works! Whereas “Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit” (Were God not with us all this time, BWV 14) portrays the gritty affect of a threatening situation, the introductory chorus of BWV 144 draws on the Bible dictum’s descriptive impulses to act, which are portrayed here as a gesture of offering-deeds. Indeed, already in 18th century publications, commentators lauded the skill with which Bach worked with contrasting motives to convey the inherent acceleration between the statuary opening “Nimm, was dein ist” (take what is yours) and the vivid imperative “Gehe hin, gehe hin, gehe hin” (go away, go away, go away).
After the opening movement (whose laconic efficiency is reminiscent of some turba choruses from Bach’s Passions), the restrained aura and reflective rhythm of the following alto aria introduce a sense of calm, despite the muted E minor key and recurring tremololike figures in the string parts. And in fact, the setting presents an admonishment not to “murren” (murmur) but to renounce selfish desires and bear one’s share, or cross, with patience. In this aria, both the length and the somewhat resigned tone bear witness to the difficulty in persuading old Adam to give up his destructive egotism in a spirit of insightful gratitude.
In this situation, the following chorale verse “Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan” (What God doth, that is rightly done) comes across as a deliberate intervention stemming from the crisis-tested voice of experience that, with a clear shift to the bright key of G major, fosters a sense of community and goodwill for new beginnings.
The tenor recitative then sings the praises of a well-understood “Genügsamkeit” (moderation), which is celebrated by a standard, regular cadence and contrasted with the harmonically aggrieved tones of discontent arising from harbouring excessive demands. Here, the manner in which Bach and his librettist evoke the opening motive of the preceding hymn verse “Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan” as a kind of lost melodic paradise gives potent expression to a powerful allusion.
Set in a moderate andante tempo and the key of B minor (a tonality otherwise reserved for expressing ardent striving for salvation), the soprano aria lauds that form of higher contentment that could also be interpreted as the fruit of truly knowing God and nothing short of a wise rule to live by. That an oboe d’amore sings its spectral song here is fitting with the aura of a setting that affirms this inspired restraint through its modest use of compositional means.
The closing chorale “Was mein Gott will, das g‘scheh allzeit” (What my God will, let be alway) reinforces this tendency to move beyond the self in a powerful cantional setting that transforms Albrecht von Brandenburg’s early hymn of consolation into a hopeful confession of faith for Bach’s era – and indeed all time.