Composed for the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which fell on July 2, 1724, Bach's Cantata No. 10 "Meine Sell erhebt den Herren" (My soul doth magnify the Lord) (BWV 10) sets not a Protestant hymn as nearly all his other cantatas do, but instead the Magnificat, a hymn drawn from Luke 1, 46-55 in the German translation by Martin Luther. The unknown writer used verses 46 through 48 for the first movement, verse 54 for the fifth movement, the doxology for the seventh movement, and adopted and paraphrased the other verses for the remaining movements. As befits a text centered on the mother of God and the implied redemption of sinful humanity by her son, the tone of the music is predominantly joyful. The cantata is scored for soprano, tenor, bass and alto soloists, chorus, and trumpet, plus a pair of oboes, strings, and basso continuo. The cantata is in shining G minor with its first, third, and sixth movements in the tonic, but with a hopeful Picardy third at the end of the outer movements, its second movement in B flat major, its fourth in F major, and its fifth in D minor. The first movement opens with a massive and muscular sinfonia for the full orchestra, with the chorus entering after 12 bars with resounding statements of the hymn's first three verses. The second movement is nearly as powerful, with the strings, oboes, and continuo providing a strong instrumental backdrop for the soaring soprano soloist. The third movement is a dark-hued recitative for tenor soloist and continuo. The fourth movement is a propulsive aria for strapping bass soloist and a brawny organ continuo. The fifth movement is a sorrowful duet for tenor and alto soloists, with the oboes and trumpet declaiming the hymn tune above the subdued accompaniment. The sixth movement is a brief, unaccompanied tenor recitative followed by an only slightly more-expansive Andante for tenor, strings, and continuo. "Meine Seel erhebt den Herren" ends with a fully scored harmonization of the last lines of the hymn for the entire chorus and orchestra. ~ James Leonard, All Music Guide
