rssCantata BWV 31
JS Bach Cantata BWV 31: Der Himmel lacht! die Erde jubilieret
(Heaven laughs! The earth rejoices)
Easter April 21 1715
Weimar Cantatas
Scoring: Trumpets I,II,III, timpani; oboes I,II,III, taille (english horn), bassoon; violin I,II, viola I,II, violoncello (2); Continuo
Soprano I,II, Alto, Tenor, Bass
Bärenreiter vol 4; p 67
Words: Salomo Franck
Bach Bibliography
The recordings
Discussion
The literature
Whittaker vol 1, p 121
C.S. Terry vol 2, p 203
Boyd p 136
Green p 75
Dürr p 266
Although it has nine parts, this is a short cantata, only about twenty minutes. It is simpler than many we have listened to up to now, though it is for the Easter feast, when I would have expected more.
Green classifies this cantata, both the choir and the orchestra, as difficult. The first trumpet is 'exceptionally' high, the sopranos are entwined and must be capable of independence, with the first soprano consistently high. He also states that: The string writing is practical but its difficulty is compounded by the number of independent parts. Clarity of articulation and line will be a concern in rehearsal for all of the orchestral-tutti sections.
1 Sonata
A movement along the lines of a Brandenburg concerto movement. There are fifteen lines of music for this instruments only section.
2 Der Himmel lacht! die Erde jubilieret: Chorus
The chorus adds a five part vocal ensemble, for a total of twenty lines of music.
3 Erwünschter Tag! sei, Seele, wieder froh!: bass recitative
Bass with continuo.
4 Fürst des Lebens, starker Streiter: bass aria
Bass with continuo again.
5 So stehe dann, du gottergebne Seele: tenor recitative
Tenor with continuo.
6 Adam muß in uns verwesen: tenor aria
Two violins, two violas, two celli and tenor in this aria.
7 Weil dann das Haupt sein Glied: soprano recitative
Soprano and continuo.
8 Letzte Stunde, brich herein: soprano aria
Truly lovely aria with oboe playing a walking eighth note obbligato, measure 23 start chorale in strings
9 So fahr ich hin zu Jesu Christ: chorale
The chorale melody on Bach-cantatas.com
The chorale melody in a PDF excerpt by C.S. Terry
Straight four part chorale with independent melody for first trumpet and first violin in unison.
The music
Ton Koopman BWV 31.1, 2 and 3
BWV 31.4, 5, 6, 7
BWV 31.8 and 9
Instruments and voices for each part
| Section | Instruments, voices |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sonata: Trumpets I,II,III, timpani, oboes I,II,III, taille (english horn), bassoon, violin I,II, viola I,II, violoncello and continuo |
| 2 | Chorus: SSATB, trumpets I,II,III, timpani, oboes I,II,III, taille (english horn), bassoon, violin I,II, viola I,II, violoncello, continuo |
| 3 | Bass recitative, continuo |
| 4 | Bass aria, continuo |
| 5 | Tenor recitative, continuo |
| 6 | Tenor aria, violin I,II, viola I,II, violoncello and continuo |
| 7 | Soprano recitative, continuo |
| 8 | Soprano aria, oboe obbligato, violin I,II, viola I,II, and continuo |
| 9 | SSATB chorale, trumpet I, violin I, and continuo with woodwinds and other strings |
References
Emmanuel Translation BWV 31.
Discussion by Dr. Carol Traupman-Carr, for the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
Discussion from Bach Cantatas Website.
Recordingsfrom Bach Cantatas Website.
John Eliot Gardiner Cantatas Recording.
Classical.net discussion, Simon Crouch.
London Bach Society Database entry BWV 31
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Previous entry: Cantata BWV 54
