So closely do I, an organist, associate the first Schübler Chorale (BWV 645) with Advent, that I always find myself surprised to remember – even though I know I have known it for a long time – that the cantata on which it is based (BWV 140) was written not for Advent Sunday, but for the week before, the 27^th Sunday after Trinity, 25 November 1731.

The three verses of Philipp Nicolai’s hymn Wachet Auf are used, the three verses each with different accompaniments; it is the middle verse which forms movement 4 of the cantata that is the basis of the arguably more famous transcription for organ. The scriptural inspiration for both the original hymn and the cantata is the parable of the five foolish and five wise virgins in Matthew 25; those who are ready are summoned by the arrival of the Bridegroom, whose call in the night is likened to the heralds of the eschaton calling to the Church (hence the Advent resonances even in anticipation) positioned by the chorale as Zion, the city of God.

Additional text in the other cantata movements draws on imagery from the Song of Songs to describe the bridegroom at his arrival (movement 2) and his chosen bride (movement 5) and to populate two duets (movements 3 and 6) between Christ and the Christian soul. The second of these duets in particular reflects something of the immediacy of union between the soul in the Church and the Lord; this eschatology is realised as well as future. It is also intimate and joyful, not distant and terrifying, despite the judgement that theologians have argued is integral to the end of the age.

So then, are we, the people of God in an age in which distraction tends to be mischaracterised as restful, awake to the sound of this watchman? Are our lamps well-tended and supplied? Will we need to be woken, or will we be watching and waiting? Are we, perhaps, disunited and fractious as Churches seem nowadays to be, knocking one another’s lamps and deliberately spilling that oil? (Not that I see much evidence from ecclesiastical history that former Churches have been much better; it is, after all, to the eschatological church that we must look for fulfilment). Maybe we need our own miracle of oil to burn for long enough: the oil itself supplied by the bridegroom.

Movements 1 and 4 use the already-familiar chorale melody accompanying it with instrumental motifs which provide some commentary: in the first movement dotted rhythms and uneven accents call to wake up the sleepers; in the fourth the now-famous surging of the strings are perhaps the persistent urgings of the ever-moving Spirit, supporting the Church as she sings the melody intermittently but persistently. Are we, each individually, joining our voices to that hopeful strain?