Bach Cantata #140 and Vivaldi’s Magnificat

We will be performing the beautiful Bach Cantata #140 and Vivaldi’s Magnificat in our Winter concert in December.  We thought you would like to know more about these selections.

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, calls the voice to us), BWV 140, also known as Sleepers Wake, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the chorale cantata in Leipzig for the 27th Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 25 November 1731. It is based on the hymn “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” (1599) by Philipp Nicolai. Movement 4 of the cantata is the base for the first of Bach’s Schübler Chorales, BWV 645. The cantata is a late addition to Bach’s cycle of chorale cantatas, featuring additional poetry for two duets of Jesus and the Soul which expand the theme of the hymn.

History

Bach composed the cantata in Leipzig for the 27th Sunday after Trinity.  The chorale cantata is based on the Lutheran hymn in three stanzas, “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” of Philipp Nicolai, which is based on the Gospel.  Bach composed the cantata to complete his cycle of chorale cantatas which he had begun in 1724.  The text of the three stanzas appears unchanged in movements 1, 4 and 7, while an unknown author supplied poetry for movements 2 and 3, 5 and 6, both a sequence of recitative and duet.  He refers to the love poetry of the Song of Songs, showing Jesus as the bridegroom of the Soul.  According to Christoph Wolff, the text was already available when Bach composed his cycle of chorale cantatas.

Bach performed the cantata only once, in Leipzig’s main church Nikolaikirche on 25 November 1731.  According to Christoph Wolff, Bach performed it only this one time, although the 27th Sunday after Trinity occurred one more time during his tenure in Leipzig, in 1742. He used movement 4 of the cantata as the base for the first of his Schübler Chorales, BWV 645.  The text and its eschatological themes are also commonly associated with the early Sundays of the season of Advent, and so the cantata is commonly performed during that season.

The cantata is scored for three soloists, soprano, tenor and bass, a four-part choir, horn, two oboes, taille, violino piccolo, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.

1. Chorale: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Wake up, the voice calls to us)
2. Recitative (tenor): Er kommt (He comes)
3. Aria (soprano, bass): Wann kommst du, mein Heil? (When will you come, my salvation?)
4. Chorale (tenor): Zion hört die Wächter singen (Zion hears the watchmen singing)
5. Recitative: So geh herein zu mir (So come in with me)
6. Aria (soprano, bass): Mein Freund ist mein! (My friend is mine!)
7. Chorale: Gloria sei dir gesungen (May Gloria be sung to you)

Antonio Vivaldi composed several settings of the Magnificat hymn. The original setting for single choir, RV 610, is generally indicated when Vivaldi’s Magnificat is performed and discussed.  RV 610 was composed either before 1717 or in 1719.  Set in G minor, it is scored for 2 soprano soloists, alto and tenor soloists, SATB choir, violin I and II, viola, and basso continuo (cello and organ).

The work is divided into nine movements.  All movements are scored for four-part chorus, strings and continuo, unless indicated otherwise.

1. “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” Adagio, G minor
2. “Et exultavit spiritus meus” Allegro, B-flat major; soprano solo
   1. “Quia respexit humilitatem…” alto solo, with choral interjection
   2. “Quia fecit mihi magna…” tenor solo
3. “Et misericordia ejus” Andante molto, C minor
4. “Fecit potentiam” Presto, G minor
5. “Deposuit potentes” Presto, G minor
6. “Esurientes” Allegro, B-flat major; soprano duet
7. “Suscepit Israel” Largo, D minor
   1. —”Recordatus misericordiae suae” Allegro
8. “Sicut locutus est” Allegro ma non poco, F major; SAB chorus
9. “Gloria Patri…” Largo, G minor
   1. —”Sicut erat in principio…” Andante
   2. —”Et in saecula saeculorum…” Allegro

From Wikipedia