In the course of the concerts associated with these recordings (made in the mid to late 1990s), Helmut Rilling presented, in German, a series of lectures analyzing the cantatas.  Haenssler recorded these lectures, complete with musical examples, and included them in the CD set.  The following text is an English paraphrase of his presentation for Cantata 56.  It's reprinted for WKSU listeners by kind permission of the publisher.

This is one of the few solo cantatas by Bach.  [That is, there is only one vocal soloist. -Ed.]

No. 1, aria: The main theme draws its importance from the words.  The third interval in the ascending passage is dissonant, because a cross stands before the fourth, the target note.   A sequence of sighs ensues, symbolizing the pain of bearing the cross.  Again and again, the cross motif rises up.  When the words speak of the cross coming from "Gottes lieber Hand" ("God’s dear hand") and leading "mich ... in das gelobte Land" ("me ... into the Promised Land"), the voice is also given a rising motif, and the sighing figures in the instruments could now also signify "Sehnsucht" ("yearning").   In the third section, finally, Bach puts the voice into a swaying triple meter, which may stand for a visionary aspect above the lamentation.  

No. 2, recitative: The key word in this recitative is "Schiffahrt" ("navigation "), and the cello accordingly plays a wavelike figure.  Above this image of a wave, words such as "Betrübnis" ("sorrow"), "Kreuz" ("cross"), "Not" ("hardship") and "Tod" ("death") are expressed in sorrowful harmonies.  Later, at the word "Wellen" ("waves"), the voice takes over the wave motif.  When the "wütenvolle Schäumen" ("furious foaming") ends, the cello motif also comes to an end – and a description of one who has reached the eternal home after many sorrows develops over long-held notes.  

From this visionary idea there comes a playful, music-loving aria led by the oboe (No. 3, aria).   Finally, however, the yoke is shaken off, as the bass joyfully emphasizes in a canon with the oboe.   In the middle section, where the words speak of the longing for death, the oboe follows instead the singer’s cries of "Oh!".  

No. 4, recitative: The singer is "fertig und bereit" ("finished and ready"), to the accompaniment of the strings.  "Wie wohl wird mir geschehen" ("how shall I be likely to fare") transforms the setting to harmonically enraptured spheres following the conclusion in G minor, and Bach takes up the triple meter of the introductory movement once again.  

The final chorale, No. 5, throbs insistently on the word "Komm!" ("come!").   The last four measures summarize the whole idea of the cantata: through dissonance runs the way to brightness and ease, as manifested in the final chord.

Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen,
Er kömmt von Gottes lieber Hand,
Der führet mich nach meinen Plagen
Zu Gott in das gelobte Land.
Da leg ich den Kummer
auf einmal ins Grab,
Da wischt mir die Tränen
mein Heiland selbst ab.

2. Recitativo

Mein Wandel auf der Welt
Ist einer Schiffahrt gleich:
Betrübnis, Kreuz und Not
Sind Wellen, welche mich bedecken
Und auf den Tod
Mich täglich schrecken;
Mein Anker aber, der mich hält,
Ist die Barmherzigkeit,
Womit mein Gott mich oft erfreut.
Der rufet so zu mir:
Ich bin bei dir,
Ich will dich nicht verlassen noch versäumen!
Und wenn das wütenvolle Schäumen
Sein Ende hat,
So tret ich aus dem Schiff in meine Stadt,
Die ist das Himmelreich,
Wohin ich mit den Frommen
Aus vielem Trübsal werde kommen.

3. Aria

Endlich, endlich wird mein Joch
Wieder von mir weichen müssen.
Da krieg ich in dem Herren Kraft,
Da hab ich des Adlers Eigenschaft,
Da fahr ich auf von dieser Erden
Und laufe sonder matt zu werden.
O gescheh es heute noch!

4. Recitativo ed Arioso

Ich stehe fertig und bereit,
Das Erbe meiner Seligkeit
Mit Sehnen und Verlangen
Von Jesus’ Händen zu empfangen.
Wie wohl wird mir geschehn,
Wenn ich den Port der Ruhe werde sehn.
Da leg ich den Kummer
auf einmal ins Grab,
Da wischt mir die Tränen
mein Heiland selbst ab.

5. Choral

Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder,
Komm und führe mich nur fort;
Löse meines Schiffleins Ruder,
Bringe mich an sichern Port!
Es mag, wer da will, dich scheuen,
Du kannst mich vielmehr erfreuen;
Denn durch dich komm ich herein
Zu dem schönsten Jesulein.

I will the cross-staff gladly carry,
It comes from God’s dear hand,
It leads me away from my troubles
To God in the promised land.
There, all at once
I lay my suffering in the grave;
There, my saviour himself
wipes away my tears.

2. Recitative

My way of life in the world
Is just like a sea voyage:
Trouble, affliction and need
Are waves, which engulf me
And every day,
Frighten me to death;
But my anchor which holds me
Is the mercy
with which my God often gives me joy.
He calls to me so:
I am with you,
I will neither leave nor neglect you.
And when the furious [ocean] foaming
Reaches an end,
I will step off the ship in my city,
Which is the kingdom of heaven,
Where I, with all the pious,
Will be delivered from deep suffering.

3. Aria

Finally, finally my yoke
Must again be lifted from me.
Then I shall battle in the Lord's power,
Then I shall be like an eagle,
Then I shall ascend from this earth,
And soar inexhaustible.
Oh, may it happen yet today!

4. Recitative and Arioso

I stand finished and ready [fully prepared]
To capture the legacy of my holiness
With yearning and desire
From Jesus' hands.
How well it will go for me
When I shall see the port of rest.
There, all at once
I lay my suffering in the grave;
There, my saviour himself
wipes away my tears.

5. Chorale

Come, oh death, brother of sleep,
Come and lead me on alone;
Loosen my boat's rudder,
Bring me to a safe port!
Those who will are glad to avoid you,
On the contrary, you can give me joy;
Because, through you, I come in
To the most beautiful child Jesus.