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Christ is Risen!


He is risen indeed.  Happy Easter to all of you.

Two days ago I linked to the greatest of all Lenten hymns, O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden.  So today I ought to give you the greatest of all Easter hymns, Luther's Christ lag in Todesbanden ("Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands").  Here are two versions of Bach's great cantata on the hymn, both from YouTube.  I like the first better, because the second is a bit too slow, and this needs to be a little more upbeat.  But the second version has English subtitles.  If you listen to nothing else, get through the first six minutes, so that you hear not only the orchestral introduction but--especially--the choral version of the first verse.  It ends with a rousing, and lengthy, chorus of alleluias.


And the second:


Now that is music for Easter.
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