Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern ('How beautifully the morning star
shines'), BWV 1, is a church cantata for the Annunciation by Johann
Sebastian Bach. He composed his chorale cantata in 1725, based on
Philipp Nicolai's 1599 hymn, for the 25 March feast which coincided
with Palm Sunday that year. The theme of the hymn suits both occasions,
in a spirit of longing expectation of an arrival. The hymn was
paraphrased by a contemporary poet who retained its first and last
stanzas unchanged, set as a chorale fantasia and the closing chorale,
but transformed the inner stanzas into a sequence of alternating
recitatives and arias. Bach scored the work for three vocal soloists, a
four-part choir and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of two horns, two
oboes da caccia, two solo violins (part pictured), strings and continuo.
It is the last chorale cantata of his second cantata cycle, begins the
Bach-Gesellschaft's 1851 complete edition of his works and is listed as
No. 1 in the 1950 Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis.
Read more:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wie_sch%C3%B6n_leuchtet_der_Morgenstern,_BWV_1>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1655:
Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens discovered Titan, the
largest natural satellite of Saturn.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_%28moon%29>
1911:
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City killed
146 sweatshop workers, many of whom could not escape because the doors
to the stairwells and exits had been locked.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire>
1934:
Enrico Fermi published his discovery of neutron-induced
radioactivity, for which he was later awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
in 1938.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Fermi>
1975:
King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was shot and killed by his nephew
Faisal bin Musaid.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faisal_bin_Musaid_Al_Saud>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
adytum:
1. (Ancient Greece, religion) The innermost sanctuary or shrine in an
ancient temple, from where oracles were given.
2. (by extension) A private chamber; a sanctum.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/adytum>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine represents a
fundamental challenge to the values and norms that have brought security
and prosperity to all on the European continent. President Putin’s
choice to attack Ukraine is a strategic mistake, with grave consequences
also for Russia and the Russian people. We remain united and resolute in
our determination to oppose Russia’s aggression, aid the government
and the people of Ukraine, and defend the security of all Allies.
--NATO
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/NATO>