Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen, BWV 48
Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata (Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me), 48, in Leipzig for the 19th Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 3 October 1723. History and words. Bach wrote the cantata in 1723 for the 19th Sunday after Trinity as part of his first cantata cycle. The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, "put on the new man, which after God is created" (), and from the Gospel of Matthew, Healing the paralytic at Capernaum (). The  first movement is written on words from Romans 7:24, stressing the need of the sinner for redemption. The unknown poet saw the soul more in need of rescue than the body, affirmed by a chorale as movement 3, verse 4 of the hymn "" (1604) attributed to, amongst others, Johann Major and . After contemplating ideas based on and , he concludes the cantata in hope, expressed in the closing chorale "" (Lord Jesus Christ, only comfort), verse 12 of "" (Freiburg 1620). Bach first performed the cantata on 3 October 1723. Scoring and structure. The cantata is structured in seven movements, and scored for  alto and tenor soloists, a four-part choir, and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of trumpet, two oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo. Music. An instrumental chorale melody is present in the opening chorus. It may refer to the words "", but also creates a connection to the closing chorale, which was sung on the same tune, and therefore may also quote its first verse. This chorale is played by the trumpet in canon with the oboes. The strings present themes in the instrumental introduction which are later used as a countersubject to the lamentative theme of the voices. A recitative  of the alto, accompanied by the strings, leads to a chorale, concluding the ideas of the first section in expressive harmonization. A different mood prevails in the following aria, the voice and the oboe being equal partners in the request to spare the soul. In the last aria the tenor is accompanied by the strings with oboe, music dominated by a lilting rhythm changing between time and time.