| Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme | |
|---|---|
BWV 140 | |
| Chorale cantata byJ. S. Bach | |
 Autograph manuscript of the obbligato piccolo violino part of the first soprano-bass aria, one of the few surviving instrumental parts written by Bach, from the archives of theThomaskirche | |
| Other name | Sleepers Awake |
| Occasion | 27th Sunday afterTrinity |
| Chorale | "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" byPhilipp Nicolai |
| Performed | 25 November 1731 (1731-11-25):Leipzig |
| Movements | 7 |
| Vocal |
|
| Instrumental |
|
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme ('Awake, calls the voice to us'),[1]BWV 140, also known asSleepers Awake, is achurch cantata byJohann Sebastian Bach, regarded as one of his most mature and popular sacred cantatas. He composed thechorale cantata inLeipzig for the 27th Sunday afterTrinity and first performed it on 25 November 1731.
Bach composed this cantata to complete hissecond annual cycle of chorale cantatas, begun in 1724. The cantata is based on thehymn in threestanzas "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (1599) byPhilipp Nicolai, which covers the prescribed reading for the Sunday, theparable of the Ten Virgins. The text and tune of the three stanzas of the hymn appears unchanged in three of sevenmovements (1, 4 and 7). An unknown author supplied additional poetry for the inner movements as sequences ofrecitative andduet, based on the love poetry of theSong of Songs. Bach structured the cantata in seven movements, setting the first stanza as achorale fantasia, the second stanza in the central movement in the style of achorale prelude, and the third stanza as a four-partchorale. He set the new texts as dramatic recitatives and love-duets, similar to contemporary opera. Bach scored the work for three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor and bass), afour-part choir and aBaroque instrumental ensemble consisting of a horn (to reinforce the soprano), two oboes, taille, violino piccolo, strings and basso continuo including bassoon.
Bach used the central movement of the cantata as the basis for the first of hisSchübler Chorales, BWV 645. Bach scholarAlfred Dürr notes that the cantata is an expression ofChristian mysticism in art, whileWilliam G. Whittaker calls it "a cantata without weaknesses, without a dull bar, technically, emotionally and spiritually of the highest order, its sheer perfection and its boundless imagination rouse one's wonder time and time again".[2][3]
Bach composed the cantata inLeipzig for the27th Sunday after Trinity.[4] This Sunday occurs only whenEaster is early.[5] The prescribed readings for the Sunday were from theFirst Epistle to the Thessalonians, be prepared for the day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1–11), and from theGospel of Matthew, theparable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1–13).[6]
Bach composed this cantata to complete hissecond annual cycle of cantatas of 1724/25, a cycle planned to be ofchorale cantatas.[5][7] It is based onPhilipp Nicolai'sLutheran hymn in three stanzas, "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme",[4] which is based on the Gospel.[5] Published in Nicolai'sFrewdenSpiegel deß ewigen Lebens (Mirror of Joy of the Life Everlasting) in 1599, its text was introduced: "Ein anders von der Stimm zu Mitternacht / vnd von den klugen Jungfrauwen / die jhrem himmlischen Bräutigam begegnen / Matth. 25. / D. Philippus Nicolai." (Another [call] of the voice at midnight and of the wise maidens who meet their celestial Bridegroom / Matthew 25 /D. Philippus Nicolai).[8]
The text of the three stanzas appears unchanged and with the melody in the outer movements and the central movements (1, 4 and 7), while an unknown author supplied poetry for the other movements, twice a sequence ofrecitative andduet.[9] He refers to the love poetry of theSong of Songs, showing Jesus as the bridegroom of the Soul.[7] According to the Bach scholarChristoph Wolff, the text was already available when Bach composed his cycle of chorale cantatas.[10]
Bach performed the cantata in Leipzig's main churchNikolaikirche on 25 November 1731.[4][7] According to 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.[5] Bach used the central movement as the basis for the first of hisSchübler Chorales, BWV 645.[4][10]The cantata was revived by theThomanerchor around 1755 under the joint directorship of Barth andPenzel. Both men were born after the premiere of the work.[11]
As the text and itseschatological themes are also associated withAdvent, the cantata is commonly performed during that season.
The cantata was published in 1881 as part of the first complete edition of the composer's work, theBach Gesamtausgabe.
Bach structured the cantata in seven movements. The text and tune of the hymn are kept in the outer choral movements and the central movement, set as twochorale fantasias and a four-part closing chorale, which frame two sequences ofrecitative andaria.[6] Bach scored the work for three vocal soloists (soprano (S),tenor (T),bass (B)), afour-part choir, (SATB) and aBaroque instrumental ensemble ofhorn (Co), twooboes (Ob),taille (Ot),violino piccolo (Vp), twoviolins (Vl),viola (Va), andbasso continuo includingbassoon.[4][12] The heading of the original parts reads: "Dominica 27. post Trinit. / Wachet auf, rufft uns die Stime / â / 4. Voc. / 1. Violino picolo. / 2. Hautbois. / Taille. / Basson. / 2 Violini. / Viola. / e / Continuo. / di Signore / J.S.Bach."[13] The duration is given as 31 minutes.[6]
In the following table of the movements, the scoring follows theNeue Bach-Ausgabe.[12] Thekeys andtime signatures are taken from the book on all cantatas by the Bach scholarAlfred Dürr, using the symbol for common time (4/4).[6] The continuo, playing throughout, is not shown.
| No. | Title | Text | Type | Vocal | Winds | Strings | Key | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme | Nicolai | Chorale fantasia | SATB | Co 2Ob Ot | Vp 2Vl Va | E-flat major | 3/4 |
| 2 | Er kommt | anon. | Recitative | T | C minor |  | ||
| 3 | Wann kommst du, mein Heil? | anon. | Duet | S B | Vp | C minor | 6/8 | |
| 4 | Zion hört die Wächter singen | Nicolai | Chorale | T | 2Vl Va (unis.) | E-flat major | | |
| 5 | So geh herein zu mir | anon | Recitative | B | Vp 2Vl Va | | ||
| 6 | Mein Freund ist mein! | anon. | Duet | S B | Ob | B-flat major | | |
| 7 | Gloria sei dir gesungen | Nicolai | Chorale | SATB | Co 2Ob Ot | Vp 2Vl Va | E-flat major | |
The first movement, "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" ("Awake", we are called by the voice [of the watchmen]),[6] is achorale fantasia based on the first verse of the hymn, a common feature of Bach's earlier chorale cantatas.[14] Thecantus firmus is sung by the soprano. The orchestra plays independent material mainly based on twomotifs: a dotted rhythm and an ascending scale "with syncopated accent shifts".[7] The lower voices add in unusually freepolyphonic music images such as the frequent calls "wach auf!" (wake up!) and "wo, wo?" (where, where?),[7] and longmelismas in afugato on "Halleluja".[14]
John Eliot Gardiner, who conducted theBach Cantata Pilgrimage in 2000, notes two instrumental choirs, the strings and the double-reeds (two oboes, taille and bassoon), playing in the style of aFrench overture double-dottedmotifs in triple rhythm. He writes:
From this a rising syncopated figure emerges, taken up later on by the altos as they lead off with their funky 'alleluia' figure and adopted by all the other singers. If anyone in the posh world of classical music ever doubted that JS Bach could also be considered the father of jazz, here is the proof.[3]
"Er kommt" (He comes),[6] is arecitative for tenor as a narrator[14] who calls the "Töchter Zions" (daughters of Zion).[7]
In the following duet, "Wann kommst du, mein Heil?" (When are You coming, my Salvation?),[6] withobbligato violino piccolo, the soprano represents the Soul and the bass is thevox Christi (voice of Jesus). In a slowsiciliano, the violino piccolo illustrates "the flickering of lamps 'lit with burning oil'" in arabesques.[3] Gardiner comments: "A rich tradition of similarly sensual musical allegories, including fine examples by Bach's own cousin,Johann Christoph, stands behind this ravishing number."[3]
The fourth movement, "Zion hört die Wächter singen" (Zion hears the watchmen singing),[6] is based on the second verse of the hymn. It is written in the style of a chorale prelude, with the phrases of the chorale, sung as a cantus firmus by the tenors (or by the tenor soloist), entering intermittently against a famously lyrical melody played in unison by the violins (without the violino piccolo) and the viola, accompanied by the basso continuo.
Bach later transcribed this movement for organ (BWV 645), and it was subsequently published along with five other transcriptions Bach made of his cantata movements as theSchübler Chorales.[6]
The fifth movement, "So geh herein zu mir" (Then come in to me),[6] is a recitative for bass, accompanied by the strings. It pictures the unity of the bridegroom and the "chosen bride".[6]
The sixth movement, "Mein Freund ist mein!" (My Friend is mine!),[1] is another duet for soprano and bass with obbligato oboe. This duet, like the third movement, is a love duet between the soprano Soul and the bass Jesus.[15] Gardiner notes that Bach uses the means of "contemporary operatic love-duets in his use of chains of suspensions and parallel thirds and sixths".[3] Dürr describes it as giving "expression to the joy of the united pair", showing a "relaxed mood" in "artistic intensity".[6]
The closing chorale, "Gloria sei dir gesungen" (Let Gloria be sung to You),[1] is a four-part setting of the third verse of the hymn. The high pitch of the melody is doubled by a violino piccolo an octave higher, representing the bliss of the "heavenly Jerusalem".[6]
The Bach scholarKlaus Hofmann sees the cantata as one of the composer's "most beautiful, most mature and, at the same time, most popular sacred cantatas".[7] Dürr notes that the cantata, especially the duets in a unity of "earthly happiness in love and heavenly bliss", are an expression ofChristian mysticism in art.[6]William G. Whittaker wrote: "It is a cantata without weaknesses, without a dull bar, technically, emotionally and spiritually of the highest order, its sheer perfection and its boundless imagination rouse one's wonder time and time again."[2][3]
The listing is taken from the selection on the Bach Cantatas Website.[16] Choirs singing OVPP (one voice per part) and instrumental groups playing period instruments inhistorically informed performances are marked by green background.
| Title | Conductor / Choir / Orchestra | Soloists | Label | Year | Choir type | Instr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les Grandes Cantates de J. S. Bach Vol. 4 | Fritz WernerHeinrich-Schütz-Chor HeilbronnPforzheim Chamber Orchestra | Erato | 1959 (1959) | |||
| Bach Made in Germany Vol. 2 – Cantatas IV | Kurt ThomasThomanerchorGewandhausorchester | Eterna | 1960 (1960) | |||
| J. S. Bach: Cantata No. 140, Cantata No. 57 | Karl RistenpartChorus of the Conservatory of SarrebruckChamber Orchestra of the Saar | Accord | 1962 (1962) | |||
| J. S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 140 & BWV 148 | Wolfgang GönnenweinSüddeutscher MadrigalchorConsortium Musicum | EMI | 1967 (1967) | |||
| Les Grandes Cantates de J.S. Bach Vol. 24 | Fritz WernerHeinrich-Schütz-Chor HeilbronnPforzheim Chamber Orchestra | Erato | 1970 (1970) | |||
| Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. BWV 140. Magnificat BMV 243 | Karl RichterMünchener Bach-ChorMünchener Bach-Orchester | Deutsche Grammophon | 1979 (1979) | |||
| Die Bach Kantate Vol. 6 | Helmuth RillingGächinger KantoreiWürttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn | Hänssler | 1984 (1984) | |||
| J. S. Bach:Das Kantatenwerk • Complete Cantatas • Les Cantates, Folge / Vol. 35 – BWV 140, 143–146 | Nikolaus HarnoncourtTölzer KnabenchorConcentus Musicus Wien |
| Teldec | 1984 (1984) | Period | |
| J. S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 140 & BWV 51 | Joshua RifkinThe Bach Ensemble |
| L'Oiseau-Lyre | 1986 (1986) | OVPP | Period |
| J. S. Bach: Cantatas (27th Sunday after Trinity) | John Eliot GardinerMonteverdi ChoirEnglish Baroque Soloists | Archiv Produktion | 1990 (1990) | Period | ||
| J. Ch. F. Bach / J. S. Bach: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme | Heinz HennigKnabenchor HannoverBarockorchester L'Arco | Thorofon | 1995 (1995) | OVPP | Period | |
| Bach Edition Vol. 15 – Cantatas Vol. 8 | Pieter Jan LeusinkHolland Boys ChoirNetherlands Bach Collegium | Brilliant Classics | 2000 (2000) | Period | ||
| J. S. Bach:Complete Cantatas Vol. 21 | Ton KoopmanAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir | Antoine Marchand | 2003 (2003) | Period | ||
| Bach: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern – Cantata BWV 1, 48, 78 & 140 | Karl-Friedrich BeringerWindsbacher KnabenchorDeutsche Kammer-Virtuosen Berlin | Sony Music | 2011 (2011) | |||
| J.S. Bach: Kantate BWV 140 "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (Bachkantaten N°6) | Rudolf LutzOrchestra of the J.S. Bach Foundation |
| J.S. Bach-Stiftung St. Gallen | 2008 (2008) | Period | |
| J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 52 – Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, Cantatas · 29 · 112 · 140 | Masaaki SuzukiBach Collegium Japan | BIS | 2011 (2011) | Period |
