Cantata 140 "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (FULL SCORE) - J.S. Bach
198,563
Published 2020-03-30
The monumental piece was composed in Leipzig and premiered in 1731.
The first movement, a Chorale fantasia, utilizes two distinct motifs, a dotted rhythm motif, and an ascending scale motif which Bach expands with the power of his free polyphony. The fantasia concludes with a beautiful melismatic fugato on the word "Hallelujah."
Of this movement, John Eliot Garden 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."
After a recitative for tenor, calling the Daughters of Zion, a beautiful aria duet ensues with a solo violin accompanying. The soprano voice represents the Soul and the bass is representative of the voice of Jesus. The violin illustrates the flickering oil lamps with its rolling cascades of semidemiquavers.
The fourth movement is the most popular: "Zion hört die Wächter singen" (Zion hears the watchmen singing). It is in the style of a choral prelude with phrases of the chorale sung as a cantus firmus by the tenor(s), which works beautiful against the famous sweeping violin melody which echoes nothing but sweetness and majesty.
After a recitative for Bass, another, this time lighter, duet ensues between the Bass and Soprano titled "Mein Freund ist mein!" (My Friend is mine!). With a beautiful oboe accompanying this time, the. soprano is once again symbolic of the soul and the bass is symbolic of Jesus Christ. Bach's setting of an operatic love-duet with its flourishing thirds and sixths to depict this symbol gives the text an added feeling of unified joy showing a relaxed mood that is yet still filled with emotional intensity.
The Cantata ends with a four voice Chorale titled: "Gloria sei dir gesungen" (Let Gloria be sung to You). It is one of Bach's most famous chorales ever written and its harmonic setting is still widely used for various hymns in Christian churches throughout the world to this day.
The Bach scholar Klaus Hofmann sees the cantata as one of the composer's "most beautiful, most mature and, at the same time, most popular sacred cantatas". Dürr notes that the cantata, especially the duets in a unity of "earthly happiness in love and heavenly bliss", are an expression of Christian mysticism in art. William G. Whittaker calls it "a cantata without weakness, without a dull bar, technically, emotionally and spiritually of the highest order"
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This is one of my first attempts at a score video. Please subscribe and like to support my channel and let me know what other pieces you would like to see the scores to or anything else to help create future content!
Wishing Bach the best 335th birthday.
All Comments (21)
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Timecodes: I. Chorus - "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (0:11) II. Recitativ - "Er kommt" (7:50) III. Aria - "Wann kommst du, mein Heil?" (8:51) IV. Choral - "Zion hört die Wächter singen" (15:06) V. Recitativ - (19:26) VI. Aria - "Mein Freund ist mein!" (20:51) VII. Chorale - "Gloria sei dir gesungen" (26:19)
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Bach ist ein Geschenk Gottes an die Menschheit ❤❤❤
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Ich wundere mich täglich, das ein einziger Mensch so etwas wunderschönes schreiben und mich zum weinen kriegen kann und gleichzeitig gibt es einen Mensch, der die Welt in Choas und Krieg versetzt. Hier die wunderschöne Musik und hier Mord, Vergewaltigung und Totschlag. Was für eine Welt 😢
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I've sung this cantata 140 and it's my favorite of Bach's cantatas
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4th movement is always the best. I don't know why but that's always hit me the most.
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I'm always moved to tears at the end of this. Those last few lines are so emotive. To think that another human being wrote this is incredibly inspiring. That someone could create something so beautiful is testament to mankind's exceptional ingenuity. Life is made worthwhile simply by the art that we share with one another.
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That moment where the bass takes a break in the first chorus (from the cantus firmus entry at around 3:04) is straight up sublime.
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So powerful. It's more than music, it's spiritual fire.
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Just a pedantic note: this cantata was composed for the 27th Sunday after Trinity. This is in contrast to the widely held belief that it is a cantata for the Advent season. Practically speaking, it is appropriate for Advent, but in a strictly formal sense, it is not a cantata for Advent.
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Hermosa cantata , creo que también se sostiene de forma magnífica sin voces humanas. gracias.
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Bach never misses! If I had to pick my favorite movements they’d be I, III, and IV. They’re all masterpieces though!
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Э́та музыка дарует жизнь
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Благослови Вас Б-г. Щебетание ангельского хора..
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Bach lives! Regards from Bahia, Brazil. I've sung some Cantatas in a church choir, but we have never performed that. It is my dream.
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Qué bonita alabanza al Señor nuestro Dios!
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magnifique version
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Belíssima composição e interpretação !!!!
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Love this, touches at my hearts strings ♥
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Nothing in the world is weirder than the top comment on a piece by Bach.
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The 4th movement is so beautiful
