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  • ART::MUSIC
    • 2023-2024 Concerts >
      • The Most Famous Motet
      • The Treasury of Petrus Alamire
      • Ein Kind ist uns geboren!
      • Appear and Inspire
      • The Singing Walls
      • Two Tall Tales
      • The Most Ambitious Project
    • Learning and Exploration >
      • Brombaugh Organ Exploration
      • BachTalks
      • The Choir Loft >
        • The National Anthems by David Lang - Steve Osborn
        • Heinrich Schütz Symphoniae Sacrae I from 1629
    • Tickets
    • Donate today!
  • Who we are and What we do
    • Mission Statement
  • Our Ensembles
    • Sonoma Bach Choir
    • Circa 1600
    • Green Mountain Consort
    • Live Oak Baroque Orchestra
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Sponsor a Singer!
    • Escrip & Amazon Smile
  • Resources
    • Virtual Offerings - Archive >
      • The Choir Loft
      • Virtual BachTalk
      • Adventures in Sightsinging
      • Parliamo Italiano! Language Workshop
      • Madrigal Mondays
      • Chorale Wednesdays
      • Motet Fridays
      • Virtual Recording Projects
      • Virtual Concerts >
        • Live Oak Baroque Orchestra
        • Music for these Distracted Times - Barefoot All-Stars
        • Agave Baroque American Originals
        • Bach's Long Walk to Lübeck - Anne Laver, organ
    • Concert Programs
    • Scores & Parts
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  • Join our Mailing List!
Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme, Cantata 140 - J.S. Bach
The main setting is the seventh movement of Cantata 140: 'Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme'. This justly famous cantata is built around one of Philip Nicolai's famous hymns. (The other one is our beloved 'Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern'.) The hymn (and the cantata) is a response to the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), a cautionary tale of the importance of being ready to roll when the time comes. (Like we want to be when we can finally sing together again.)
Bach's cantata is structured symmetrically around the three chorale verses:
1) Large setting of chorale verse 1
2) Tenor recitative
3) Soprano/Bass duet (with violino piccolo solo!)
4) Trio instrumental setting with verse 2 sung by tenors (later turned into a chorale prelude)
5) Bass recitative
6) Soprano/bass duet (with oboe solo)
7) Fabulous traditional 4-part setting of verse 3
And there is a bonus this week: I'm also including score and recording for the fourth movement. The noble melody (for you to sing) is here set against a very catchy tune in violas and violins, accompanied by a walking bass. If you want to hear the chorale prelude (and perhaps sing to it, too), here's a link to Rodney Gehrke's performance on the Flentrop instrument at ​All Saints Episcopal in Palo Alto.

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Seventh Movement
Download Score
Midi Practice Track
Picture
Fourth Movement
Download Score
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