fbpx
Wikipedia

Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! BWV 70

November 11, 2023

Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! (Watch! Pray! Pray! Watch!)[1] is the title of two church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed a first version, BWV 70a, in Weimar for the second Sunday in Advent of 1716 and expanded it in 1723 in Leipzig to BWV 70, a cantata in two parts for the 26th Sunday after Trinity.

Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!
BWV
  • 70a
  • 70
Church cantata by J. S. Bach
Occasion
Cantata textSalomon Franck
Chorale
Performed
  • 6 December 1716 (1716-12-06): Weimar
  • 21 November 1723 (1723-11-21): Leipzig
Movements
  • 6
  • 11 in two parts
VocalSATB choir and solo
Instrumental
  • trumpet
  • oboe
  • bassoon
  • 2 violins
  • viola
  • continuo

History and words edit

On 2 March 1714 Bach was appointed concertmaster of the Weimar court capelle of the co-reigning dukes Wilhelm Ernst and Ernst August of Saxe-Weimar. As concertmaster, he assumed the principal responsibility for composing new works, specifically cantatas for the Schlosskirche (palace church), on a monthly schedule.[2] Bach originally wrote this cantata in his last year there, for the Second Sunday of Advent.[3]

The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from the Epistle to the Romans, call of the Gentiles (Romans 15:4–13), and from the Gospel of Luke, the Second Coming of Christ, also called Second Advent (Luke 21:25–36). The cantata text was provided by the court poet Salomon Franck, published in Evangelische Sonn- und Fest-Tages-Andachten in 1717. Bach wrote five movements, a chorus and four arias, and concluded with the fifth verse of the chorale "Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht" by Christian Keymann.[3][4]

Bach first performed the cantata on 6 December 1716.[3]

In Leipzig, Advent was a quiet time (tempus clausum), thus no cantata music was performed in services from Advent II to Advent IV. In order to use the music again, Bach had to dedicate it to a different liturgical event and chose the 26th Sunday after Trinity with a similar theme.[5] The prescribed readings for this Sunday were from The Second Epistle of Peter, "look for new heavens and a new earth" (2 Peter 3:3–13), and from the Gospel of Matthew, the Second Coming of Christ, also called Second Advent (Matthew 25:31–46). An unknown poet kept the existing movements and added recitatives and a chorale to end part 1 of the new cantata, the final verse of "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele" by Christoph Demantius.[3][6]

Bach performed the extended cantata first on 21 November 1723, and a second time on 18 November 1731.[3]

Scoring and structure edit

The instrumentation of the Weimar cantata is lost. The cantata in two parts of 7 and 4 movements was scored in Leipzig for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass soloists, a four-part choir, trumpet, oboe, bassoon, two violins, viola, and basso continuo. The movement numbers of cantata 70a are given in brackets.[3]

Part I
  1. Chorus: Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! (1.)
  2. Recitative (bass): Erschrecket, ihr verstockten Sünder
  3. Aria (alto): 'Wenn kömmt der Tag, an dem wir ziehen (2.)
  4. Recitative (tenor): Auch bei dem himmlischen Verlangen
  5. Aria (soprano): Laßt der Spötter Zungen schmähen (3.)
  6. Recitative (tenor): Jedoch bei dem unartigen Geschlechte
  7. Chorale: Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele
Part II
  2. Aria (tenor): Hebt euer Haupt empor (4.)
  3. Recitative (bass): Ach, soll nicht dieser große Tag
  4. Aria (bass): Seligster Erquickungstag (5.)
  5. Chorale: Nicht nach Welt, nach Himmel nicht (6.)

Music edit

Bach shaped the opening chorus in a da capo form and used a technique to embed the vocal parts in the concerto of the orchestra. A characteristic trumpet calls to wake up, initiating figurative movement in the other instruments and the voices. The choir contrasts short calls "Wachet!" and long chords "betet!".[5]

All instruments accompany the recitative, illustrating the fright of the sinners, the calmness of the chosen ones, the destruction of the world, and the fear of the ones called to be judged.

Part I is closed by the final verse of "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele" in a four-part setting.[7]

The recitative in movement 9 opens with a Furioso depicting the "unerhörten letzten Schlag" (the unheard-of last stroke),[1] while the trumpet quotes the hymn "Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit" (Indeed, the time is here).[1] This chorale had been used as kind of a Dies irae during the Thirty Years' War.[8] The recitative ends on a long melisma on the words "Wohlan, so ende ich mit Freuden meinen Lauf" (Therefore, I will end my course with joy).[1] The following bass aria begins immediately, without the usual ritornello, molt' adagio. After this intimate reflection of the thought "Jesus führet mich zur Stille, an den Ort, da Lust die Fülle." (Jesus leads me to quiet, to the place where pleasure is complete)[1] the closing chorale is set richly for seven parts, independent parts for the upper three strings forming a "halo" for the voices.[3][9][10]

Recordings edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Dellal, Pamela (2021). "BWV 70 – Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!". pameladellal.com. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  2. ^ Koster, Jan. "Weimar 1708–1717". let.rug.nl. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Dürr, Alfred (1981). Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach (in German). Vol. 1 (4 ed.). Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag. pp. 103, 527–531. ISBN 3-423-04080-7.
  4. ^ "Meinen Jesum laß' ich nicht / Text and Translation of Chorale". Bach Cantatas Website. 2005. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
  5. ^ a b Gardiner, John Eliot (2009). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) / Cantatas Nos 36, 61, 62, 70, 132 & 147 (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele / Text and Translation of Chorale". Bach Cantatas Website. 2005. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
  7. ^ "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele". Bach Cantatas Website. 2005. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  8. ^ "Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), Kantate "Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!" BWV 70" (in German). altstadtherbst.de. 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  9. ^ Mincham, Julian (2010). "Chapter 28 Bwv 70 – The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach". jsbachcantatas.com. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht". Bach Cantatas Website. 2005. Retrieved 28 November 2010.

Sources edit

  • Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! BWV 70: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  • Wachet! Betet! Betet! Wachet! BWV 70a; BC (A 4) / Sacred cantata (2nd Sunday of Advent) Bach Digital
  • Wachet! Betet! Betet! Wachet! BWV 70; BC A 165 / Sacred cantata (26th Sunday after Trinity) Bach Digital
  • Cantata BWV 70a Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, Bach Cantatas Website
  • Cantata BWV 70 Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, Bach Cantatas Website
  • BWV 70 Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! English translation, University of Vermont
  • BWV 70a Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! text, scoring, University of Alberta
  • BWV 70 Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! text, scoring, University of Alberta
  • Luke Dahn: BWV 70.7, BWV 70.11 bach-chorales.com

November 11, 2023
wachet, betet, betet, wachet, wachet, betet, betet, wachet, watch, pray, pray, watch, title, church, cantatas, johann, sebastian, bach, composed, first, version, weimar, second, sunday, advent, 1716, expanded, 1723, leipzig, cantata, parts, 26th, sunday, after. Wachet betet betet wachet Watch Pray Pray Watch 1 is the title of two church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach He composed a first version BWV 70a in Weimar for the second Sunday in Advent of 1716 and expanded it in 1723 in Leipzig to BWV 70 a cantata in two parts for the 26th Sunday after Trinity Wachet betet betet wachet BWV 70a70Church cantata by J S BachThe Schlosskirche in WeimarOccasionSecond Sunday in Advent 70a 26th Sunday after Trinity 70 Cantata textSalomon FranckChoraleby Christoph Demantius Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht by Christian KeymannPerformed6 December 1716 1716 12 06 Weimar 21 November 1723 1723 11 21 LeipzigMovements6 11 in two partsVocalSATB choir and soloInstrumentaltrumpetoboebassoon2 violinsviolacontinuo Contents 1 History and words 2 Scoring and structure 3 Music 4 Recordings 5 References 6 SourcesHistory and words editOn 2 March 1714 Bach was appointed concertmaster of the Weimar court capelle of the co reigning dukes Wilhelm Ernst and Ernst August of Saxe Weimar As concertmaster he assumed the principal responsibility for composing new works specifically cantatas for the Schlosskirche palace church on a monthly schedule 2 Bach originally wrote this cantata in his last year there for the Second Sunday of Advent 3 The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from the Epistle to the Romans call of the Gentiles Romans 15 4 13 and from the Gospel of Luke the Second Coming of Christ also called Second Advent Luke 21 25 36 The cantata text was provided by the court poet Salomon Franck published in Evangelische Sonn und Fest Tages Andachten in 1717 Bach wrote five movements a chorus and four arias and concluded with the fifth verse of the chorale Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht by Christian Keymann 3 4 Bach first performed the cantata on 6 December 1716 3 In Leipzig Advent was a quiet time tempus clausum thus no cantata music was performed in services from Advent II to Advent IV In order to use the music again Bach had to dedicate it to a different liturgical event and chose the 26th Sunday after Trinity with a similar theme 5 The prescribed readings for this Sunday were from The Second Epistle of Peter look for new heavens and a new earth 2 Peter 3 3 13 and from the Gospel of Matthew the Second Coming of Christ also called Second Advent Matthew 25 31 46 An unknown poet kept the existing movements and added recitatives and a chorale to end part 1 of the new cantata the final verse of Freu dich sehr o meine Seele by Christoph Demantius 3 6 Bach performed the extended cantata first on 21 November 1723 and a second time on 18 November 1731 3 Scoring and structure editThe instrumentation of the Weimar cantata is lost The cantata in two parts of 7 and 4 movements was scored in Leipzig for soprano alto tenor and bass soloists a four part choir trumpet oboe bassoon two violins viola and basso continuo The movement numbers of cantata 70a are given in brackets 3 Part I dd Chorus Wachet betet betet wachet 1 Recitative bass Erschrecket ihr verstockten Sunder Aria alto Wenn kommt der Tag an dem wir ziehen 2 Recitative tenor Auch bei dem himmlischen Verlangen Aria soprano Lasst der Spotter Zungen schmahen 3 Recitative tenor Jedoch bei dem unartigen Geschlechte Chorale Freu dich sehr o meine SeelePart II dd Aria tenor Hebt euer Haupt empor 4 Recitative bass Ach soll nicht dieser grosse Tag Aria bass Seligster Erquickungstag 5 Chorale Nicht nach Welt nach Himmel nicht 6 Music editBach shaped the opening chorus in a da capo form and used a technique to embed the vocal parts in the concerto of the orchestra A characteristic trumpet calls to wake up initiating figurative movement in the other instruments and the voices The choir contrasts short calls Wachet and long chords betet 5 All instruments accompany the recitative illustrating the fright of the sinners the calmness of the chosen ones the destruction of the world and the fear of the ones called to be judged Part I is closed by the final verse of Freu dich sehr o meine Seele in a four part setting 7 The recitative in movement 9 opens with a Furioso depicting the unerhorten letzten Schlag the unheard of last stroke 1 while the trumpet quotes the hymn Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit Indeed the time is here 1 This chorale had been used as kind of a Dies irae during the Thirty Years War 8 The recitative ends on a long melisma on the words Wohlan so ende ich mit Freuden meinen Lauf Therefore I will end my course with joy 1 The following bass aria begins immediately without the usual ritornello molt adagio After this intimate reflection of the thought Jesus fuhret mich zur Stille an den Ort da Lust die Fulle Jesus leads me to quiet to the place where pleasure is complete 1 the closing chorale is set richly for seven parts independent parts for the upper three strings forming a halo for the voices 3 9 10 Recordings editJ S Bach Cantatas BWV 68 amp BWV 70 Kurt Thomas Kantorei der Dreikonigskirche Frankfurt Collegium Musicum Ingeborg Reichelt Sibylla Plate Helmut Kretschmar Erich Wenk L Oiseau Lyre 1952 Cantata BWV 70 Karl Richter Munchener Bach Chor Chamber orchestra of the Bayerisches Staatsorchester Lotte Schadle Hertha Topper Helmut Kretschmar Kieth Engen Andromeda 1957 Les Grandes Cantates de J S Bach Vol 23 Fritz Werner Heinrich Schutz Chor Heilbronn Wurttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn Hedy Graf Barbara Scherler Kurt Huber Jakob Stampfli Erato 1970 Die Bach Kantate Vol 15 Helmuth Rilling Gachinger Kantorei Bach Collegium Stuttgart Arleen Auger Verena Gohl Lutz Michael Harder Siegmund Nimsgern Hanssler 1970 1982 J S Bach Das Kantatenwerk Sacred Cantatas Vol 4 Nikolaus Harnoncourt Tolzer Knabenchor Concentus Musicus Wien soloist of the Tolzer Knabenchor Paul Esswood Kurt Equiluz Ruud van der Meer Teldec 1977 J S Bach Complete Cantatas Vol 9 Ton Koopman Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra amp Choir Sibylla Rubens Bernhard Landauer Christoph Pregardien Klaus Mertens Antoine Marchand 1998 J S Bach Cantatas Vol 15 Cantatas from Leipzig 1723 Masaaki Suzuki Bach Collegium Japan Yukari Nonoshita Robin Blaze Gerd Turk Peter Kooy BIS 2000 Bach Cantatas Vol 13 Koln Luneburg John Eliot Gardiner Monteverdi Choir English Baroque Soloists Brigitte Geller Michael Chance Jan Kobow Dietrich Henschel Soli Deo Gloria 2000References edit a b c d e Dellal Pamela 2021 BWV 70 Wachet betet betet wachet pameladellal com Retrieved 23 December 2021 Koster Jan Weimar 1708 1717 let rug nl Retrieved 16 December 2011 a b c d e f g Durr Alfred 1981 Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach in German Vol 1 4 ed Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag pp 103 527 531 ISBN 3 423 04080 7 Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht Text and Translation of Chorale Bach Cantatas Website 2005 Retrieved 27 November 2010 a b Gardiner John Eliot 2009 Johann Sebastian Bach 1685 1750 Cantatas Nos 36 61 62 70 132 amp 147 Media notes Soli Deo Gloria at Hyperion Records website Retrieved 17 November 2018 Freu dich sehr o meine Seele Text and Translation of Chorale Bach Cantatas Website 2005 Retrieved 27 November 2010 Chorale Melodies used in Bach s Vocal Works Freu dich sehr o meine Seele Bach Cantatas Website 2005 Retrieved 28 November 2010 Johann Sebastian Bach 1685 1750 Kantate Wachet betet betet wachet BWV 70 in German altstadtherbst de 2006 Retrieved 28 November 2010 Mincham Julian 2010 Chapter 28 Bwv 70 The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach jsbachcantatas com Retrieved 22 August 2022 Chorale Melodies used in Bach s Vocal Works Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht Bach Cantatas Website 2005 Retrieved 28 November 2010 Sources editWachet betet betet wachet BWV 70 Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Wachet Betet Betet Wachet BWV 70a BC A 4 Sacred cantata 2nd Sunday of Advent Bach Digital Wachet Betet Betet Wachet BWV 70 BC A 165 Sacred cantata 26th Sunday after Trinity Bach Digital Cantata BWV 70a Wachet betet betet wachet history scoring sources for text and music translations to various languages discography discussion Bach Cantatas Website Cantata BWV 70 Wachet betet betet wachet history scoring sources for text and music translations to various languages discography discussion Bach Cantatas Website BWV 70 Wachet betet betet wachet English translation University of Vermont BWV 70a Wachet betet betet wachet text scoring University of Alberta BWV 70 Wachet betet betet wachet text scoring University of Alberta Luke Dahn BWV 70 7 BWV 70 11 bach chorales com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wachet betet betet wachet BWV 70 amp oldid 1105863188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.