Christ lag in Todes Banden (Christ lay in death's bonds), BWV 4, is a chorale cantata for Easter by Johann Sebastian Bach, one of his earliest church cantatas. It is agreed to be an early work, partly for stylistic reasons and partly because there is evidence that it was probably written for a performance in 1707. Text and music are based on Luther's hymn of the same name, derived from medieval models. In each of seven vocal movements, Bach used the unchanged words of a stanza of the chorale and its tune as a cantus firmus. Although all movements are in E minor, Bach intensified the meaning of the text through a variety of musical forms and techniques. He performed the cantata again as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, beginning in 1724 for his first Easter there. Only this second version survived, scored for four vocal parts (soprano part pictured) and a Baroque instrumental ensemble with strings and a choir of cornetto and three trombones. John Eliot Gardiner described the cantata as Bach's "first-known attempt at painting narrative in music" and "a bold, innovative piece of musical drama".

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_lag_in_Todes_Banden,_BWV_4

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1721:

Robert Walpole (portrait shown) took office as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons, becoming the first de facto prime minister of Great Britain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Walpole

1859:

Bryant's Minstrels premiered the minstrel song "Dixie" in New York City as part of their blackface show. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_%28song%29

1975:

Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft

2002:

The Angolan government and UNITA rebels signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to observe the 1994 Lusaka Protocol and ending the 26-year-long Angolan Civil War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angolan_Civil_War

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

sensical: That makes sense; showing internal logic; rational, sensible. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sensical

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Your God still walks in Eden, between the ancient trees, Where Youth and Love go wading through pools of primroses. And this is the sign we bring you, before the darkness fall, That Spring is risen, is risen again, That Life is risen, is risen again, That Love is risen, is risen again, and Love is Lord of all.   --Alfred Noyes https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alfred_Noyes