Concert Program
Large Ensemble Concert Series
NIU Chamber Choir
Bach, BWV 21 Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis
Eric Johnson, director,
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
7 p.m.
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
Program
| Nature’s Wonders | |
| Frühzeitiger Frühling (from 6 Lieder, Op. 59: No. 2) | Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) |
| Aftonen | Hugo Alfvén (1872-1960) |
| Butterfly | Mia Makaroff (b.1970) |
| Harpsichord Dedication | |
| Sarabande and Chaconne in D minor |
Louis Couperin (1626-1661) |
| Prelude and Fugue in C minor BWV 871 | J.S. Bach (1685-1750) |
|
Hyunah Lee, harpsichord |
|
| J.S. Bach BWV Cantata BWV 21 Ich hatte viel Bekümmenris |
| 1. Sinfonia |
| 2. Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (Chorus) |
| 3. Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, Not (Aria) |
| Kayla Lockhart, Soprano |
| 4. Wie hast du dich, mein Gott (Recitative) |
| 5. Bäche von gesalznen Zähren (Aria) |
| Joseph Quaynor, Tenor |
| 6. Was betrübst du dich, meine Seele (Chorus) |
| 7. Nach der Predigt (Recitative Dialogue) |
| 8. Komm mein Jesu, (Aria Duet) |
| Kayla Lockhart, Soprano Daniel Chukwunyem, Bass |
| 9. Sei nun wieder zufrieden (Chorus) |
| 10. Erfreue dich Seele, erfreue dich Herze (Aria) |
| Joseph Quaynor, Tenor |
| 11. Das Lamm, das erwürget ist (Chorus) |
Chamber Choir Roster
Soprano
Kayla Lockhart
Kayti Miller
Maia Orlovsky
Alto
Maggie Garner
Jessica Holtz
Isabella Froh
Annalee Kalbfleisch
Tenor
Matthew Ellis
EmVi Legaspi
Joseph Quaynor
Segun Owele
Serge Dulong
Bass
Daniel Chukwunyem
Eli Clark
Lucas Smardo
Erik Vazques
| Bach BWV 21 Instrumentalists | |
| Yuxi Qui, Harpsichord | Carly Jackson, Oboe |
| Athina Vrettou, Violin | Charles Shilhavy, Bassoon |
| Jordan Weiss, Violin | Matthew Harvey, Trumpet |
| Trevor Bitner, Viola | Christian Barraza, Trumpet |
| Renee Edson, Cello | Julian Suarez, Trumpet |
| Connor Butler, Timpani |
Translations
Frühzeitiger Frühling, Felix Mendelssohn
Days of joy,
Have you come so soon?
To give me the sun,
Hill and Forest?
Amply flow
the brooklets again,
Are those meadows?
Is this a valley?
Under the greenery’s
Blooming, thriving effort
The little bees dine,
Humming, on nectar.
Colorful plumage
Rustles in the grove,
Heavenly songs
Resound therein!
Powerfully stirs
a breath of air,
Yet it loses
itself in a bush.
But to the bosom
It turns back,
Help [me], o Muses,
To bear [this] happiness!
Gentle movements
shake in the fresh air,
the lovely stirring
Of sleepy fragrance.
Tell me how, since yesterday,
it happened to me,
lovely sisters –
My sweetheart is there!
BWV 21, Bach
2. Chorus (SATB)
Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis in meinem Herzen;
I had much affliction in my heart,
aber deine Tröstungen erquicken meine Seele.
but your consolations restore my soul.
3. Aria (Soprano)
Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, Not,
Sighs, tears, grief, distress
Ängstlichs Sehnen, Furcht und Tod
anxious longing, fear and death
Nagen mein beklemmtes Herz,
gnaw at/prey upon my oppressed heart
Ich empfinde Jammer, Schmerz.
I feel misery, pain.
4. Recitative (Tenor)
Wie hast du dich, mein Gott,
Why have you, my God,
In meiner Not,
in my distress
In meiner Furcht und Zagen
in my fear and trepidation
Denn ganz von mir gewandt?
quite turned away from me?
Ach! kennst du nicht dein Kind?
Ah! do you not know your child?
Ach! hörst du nicht das Klagen
Ah! do you not hear the lamentation
Von denen, die dir sind
of those who are to you
Mit Bund und Treu verwandt?
related by covenant and faith?
Du warest meine Lust
You were my joy
Und bist mir grausam worden;
and have become cruel to me
Ich suche dich an allen Orten,
I look for you in all places
Ich ruf und schrei dir nach,
I call and cry out to you,
Allein mein Weh und Ach!
only my ‘woe and alas!’
Scheint itzt, als sei es dir ganz unbewußt.
seem now to be quite unnoticed by you.
5. Aria (Tenor)
Bäche von gesalznen Zähren,
Streams of salty tears,
Fluten rauschen stets einher.
floods rush always along.
Sturm und Wellen mich versehren,
Storm and waves harm me
Und dies trübsalsvolle Meer
and this sea full of sorrows
Will mir Geist und Leben schwächen,
wants to weaken my spirit and life.
Mast und Anker wollen brechen,
Mast and anchor are about to break,
Hier versink ich in den Grund,
Here I sink into the ground,
Dort seh ins der Hölle Schlund.
there I look into the abyss of Hell.
6. Chorus (SATB)
Was betrübst du dich, meine Seele,
Why are you distressed, my soul,
und bist so unruhig in mir?
and are so restless in me?
Harre auf Gott; denn ich werde ihm noch danken,
Wait on God; for I shall yet thank him
daß er meines Angesichtes Hilfe und mein Gott ist.
that I shall see him as my help and my God.
7. Recitative Dialogue
Soprano (Soul):
Ach Jesu, meine Ruh,
Ah Jesus, my inner peace,
Mein Licht, wo bleibest du?
my light, where do you stay?
Bass (Jesus):
O Seele sieh! Ich bin bei dir.
Oh soul, see! I am with you.
Soprano (Soul):
Bei mir?
With me ?
Hier ist ja lauter Nacht.
Here is only night
Bass (Jesus):
Ich bin dein treuer Freund,
I am your faithful friend
Der auch im Dunkeln wacht,
who watches also in darkness
Wo lauter Schalken seind.
where only rogues are.
Soprano (Soul):
Brich doch mit deinem Glanz und Licht des Trostes ein.
Break through then with your splendor and light of comfort.
Bass (Jesus):
Die Stunde kömmet schon,
The hour comes already,
Da deines Kampfes Kron’
since the crown of your struggle
Dir wird ein süßes Labsal sein.
will be a sweet refreshment for you.
| 8.Aria Duet | |
| Soprano (Soul) Komm, mein Jesu, und erquicke, Come, my Jesus, and restore Und erfreu mit deinem Blicke. And rejoice with your look Diese Seele, This Soul Die soll sterben, That must die Und nicht leben And not live Und in ihrer Unglückshöle And in its den of misfortune Ganz verderben. Wholly perish. Ich muss stets in Kummer schweben, I must always hover in misery Ja, ach ja, ich bin verloren! Yes, oh yes, I am lost! Nein, ach nein, du hassest mich! No, oh no, you hate me! Ach, Jesu, durchsüsse mir Seele und Herze, Jesus, sweeten my soul and heart Komm mein Jesu, und erquicke Come, Jesus, and restore Mit deine, Gnadenblicke! With your look of grace. |
Bass (Jesus) Ja, ich komme und erquicke Yes, I come and restore Dich mit meinem Gnadenblicker, you with my look of grace, Deine Seele, Your soul Die soll leben, that must live Und nicht sterben and not die Hier aus dieser wunden Höhle here from this den of wounds Sollst du erben You shall be given Heil! durch diesen Saft der Reben Salvation! Through this juice of the grape Nein, ach nein, du bist erkoren! No, oh no, you are chosen! Ja, ach ja, ich liebe dich! Yes, oh yes, I love you! Entweichet, ihr Sorgen, verschwinde, Give way, worries, vanish, pain! Ja, ich komme und erquicke Yes, I come and restore Dich mit meinem Gnadenblicke You with my look of grace. |
9. Chorus
Sei nun wieder zufrieden, meine Seele, denn der Herr tut dir Guts
Be satisfied again now, my soul, for the Lord does good to you.
Tenor:
Was helfen uns die schweren Sorgen,
What help to us are heavy sorrows
Was hilft uns unser Weh und Ach?
What help to us are our ‘woe’ and ‘alas’?
Was hilft es, daß wir alle Morgen
What does it help, that we every morning
Beseufzen unser Ungemach?
sigh over our troubles?
Wir machen unser Kreuz und Leid
We make our cross and suffering
Nur größer durch die Traurigkeit.
only greater through sadness.
Soprano:
Denk nicht in deiner Drangsalshitze,
Do not think in the heat of your distress
Daß du von Gott verlassen seist,
that you have been abandoned by God
Und daß Gott der im Schoße sitze,
and that that man sits in God’s bosom
Der sich mit stetem Glücke speist.
who always feeds on good fortune.
Die folgend Zeit verändert viel
The course of time changes many things
Und setzet jeglichem sein Ziel.
and appoints his end to everything.
10. Aria (Tenor)
Erfreue dich, Seele, erfreue dich, Herze,
Rejoice, my soul, rejoice, my heart,
Entweiche nun, Kummer, verschwinde, du Schmerze!
Give way, cares, vanish, pain!
Verwandle dich, Weinen, in lauteren Wein,
Change, weeping and whining, into pure wine
Es wird nun mein Ächzen ein Jauchzen mir sein!
Now my lamentation will become exaltation!
Es brennet und sammet die reineste Kerze
Now there burns and flames the purest candle
Der Liebe, des Trostes in Seele und Brust,
of love and consolation in my soul and breast
Weil Jesus mich tröstet mit himmlischer Lust.
since Jesus consoles me with heavenly joy.
11. Chorus (SATB)
Das Lamm, das erwürget ist, ist würdig zu nehmen
The lamb that was slain is worthy to receive
Kraft und Reichtum und Weisheit und Stärke und Ehre und Preis und Lob.
power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and praise and glory.
Lob und Ehre und Preis und Gewalt sei unserm Gott von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit. Amen, Alleluja!
Glory and honor and praise and power be to our God for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluia!
Bio
Eric A. Johnson, D.M.A. is the Director of Choral Activities at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and founding Artistic Director of Cor Cantiamo (2009-2025). As a National Endowment for the Arts Artworks grant recipient, he has been recognized for his artistic leadership, whose ensembles represent “choral artistry at its finest.” (Lauridsen). He is a committed champion of contemporary choral music and dedicated to addressing social justice issues through interdisciplinary concert events.
Ensembles under his direction have performed at multiple national and division conventions for the National Collegiate Choral Organization, American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educators National Conference. He has served as a guest conductor at Avery Fisher Hall and the David Geffen Hall; Lincoln Center, New York.
Johnson is the 2020 the Harold Decker Award recipient, awarded by the Illinois American Choral Director Association. This honor is given “in recognition of the significant contribution made to the lives of innumerable choral singers, conductors, and audiences who have been privileged to experience the finest in choral music as presented under his direction” (IL-ACDA).
Internationally, Johnson was the Artistic Director of Festival of Three, an international choral festival presented in Latvia, Estonia and Finland, and featured a world premiere commission by Estonian composer Pärt Uusberg. Johnson has served as a guest conductor of the Clare College Chapel Choir (Cambridge, England) and the Asian Pacific Activities Conference Choral Festival (Guangzhou, China); taught at Makumira University (Arusha, Tanzania); the Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (Natal, Brazil); and directed guest choral residencies at Canterbury, Exeter, and Worcester Cathedrals. As the Artistic Director of Cor Cantiamo, Johnson has recorded commercial CDs released on Centaur Records and the Divine Arts record labels. He has collaborated with many leading composers of our time including Dominick DiOrio, Stacey Gibbs, Libby Larsen, Morten Lauridsen, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Timothy C. Takach, Sir John Tavener, Pärt Uusberg, and James Whitbourn. Johnson has published music with Santa Barbara Music Publishing, served as a music editor for Earthsongs Publications and has published articles in the Choral Journal. He is active nationally as a clinician and guest conductor for high school and collegiate honor choirs and regularly conducts choral/orchestral masterworks works with both collegiate and professional ensembles.