Schwingt freudig euch empor, BWV 36c
Schwingt freudig euch empor (Soar joyfully aloft), BWV 36c,[lower-alpha 1] is a secular cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig, most likely in 1725; there is evidence of a performance of this cantata taking place in April or May 1725. He used it as a base for two other secular cantatas and a church cantata for the first Sunday in Advent, Schwingt freudig euch empor, BWV 36.
Contents
History and text
The cantata was probably a homage to one of Bach's academic colleagues, but it is not known which; Johann Matthias Gesner (at the time based in Weimar),[1] and Johann Heinrich Ernesti (the septuagenarian rector of the Thomasschule) have been suggested as possible recipients. Bach reworked this cantata in both secular and sacred versions:
- Steigt freudig in die Luft, BWV 36a, secular
- Schwingt freudig euch empor, BWV 36, sacred
- Die Freude reget sich, BWV 36b, secular
The text is likely by Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander), who in 1727 published another version (Steigt freudig in die Luft), a birthday cantata for the duchess of Anhalt-Köthen. The duchess's birthday cantata was also set by Bach (probably in 1726), but the music is lost.[2][3]
Scoring and structure
The cantata is scored for three soloists—soprano, tenor and bass—a four-part choir, two oboes d'amore, two violins, viola, viola d'amore and basso continuo.[4]
- Coro: Schwingt freudig euch empor
- Recitative (tenor): Ein Herz, in zärtlichem Empfinden
- Aria (tenor): Die Liebe führt mit sanften Schritten
- Recitative (bass): Du bist es ja
- Aria (bass): Der Tag, der dich vordem gebar
- Recitative (soprano): Nur dieses Einz'ge sorgen wir
- Aria (soprano): Auch mit gedämpften, schwachen Stimmen
- Recitative (tenor): Bei solchen freudenvollen Stunden
- Chorus & Recitatives (soprano, tenor, bass): Wie die Jahre sich verneuen
Music
The opening chorus is a "jolly" gavotte form, highlighting the oboe d'amore (which is also important in introducing the third movement).[5][6] The recitatives are all secco and fairly short, with the tenor recitative being only six measures long.[6]
Recordings
- Bach made in Germany Vol. VII – Secular Cantatas I, Peter Schreier, Berliner Solisten, Kammerorchester Berlin, Edith Mathis, Peter Schreier, Siegfried Lorenz, Eterna
- Edition Bachakademie Vol. 139 – Congratulatory and Hommage Cantatas, Helmuth Rilling, Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Eva Oltiványi, Marcus Ullmann, Andreas Schmidt, Hänssler
- J.S. Bach: Kantate Nr. 36c, Kurt Thomas, Thomanerchor, Gewandhausorchester, Adele Stolte, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch, Theo Adam, Eterna
- J.S. Bach: Weltliche Kantaten · Secular Cantatas · Cantates Profanes, Reinhard Goebel, Ex Tempore, Musica Antiqua Köln, Dorothea Röschmann, Axel Köhler, Christoph Genz, Hans-Georg Wimmer. Archiv Produktion
- J.S. Bach: Secular Cantatas Vol. 3, Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, Joanne Lunn, Hiroya Aoki, Makoto Sakurada, Roderick Williams, BIS 2013
Notes
- ↑ "BWV" is Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. doi:10.1093/jrma/44.1.71
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Cantatas, BWV 31-40: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Cantata BWV 36c Schwingt freudig euch empor history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, Bach Cantatas Website
- Schwingt freudig euch empor history, scoring, Bach website (German)
- BWV 36c Schwingt freudig euch empor English translation, University of Vermont
- BWV 36c Schwingt freudig euch empor text, scoring, University of Alberta (German)
