Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter, BWV 193a
Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter (Ye houses of heaven, ye radiant lights),
History and text
This cantata was composed for the
The opening chorus is about a council of the gods. It was the custom for congratulatory works such as this to feature allegorical characters; in this case they are: Providentia (Providence), Fama (Fame), Salus (Well-being) and Pietas (Piety).
The title page bears the dedication:
Bey der / Hohen Nahmens-Feyer / Ihro / Koenigl. Maj. in Pohlen / und Churfl. Durchl. zu Sachsen etc. / bezeigte / In einer geringen MUSIC / Seinen allerunterthaenligsten Glueckwunsch / Christian Friedrich Henrici / Leipzig den 3. Aug. 1727[3]
In English it may be rendered as:
At the / high feast of the name / of your Serene Highness / King of Poland / and Elector in Saxony / showed / in a little MUSIC / his most subordinate congratulation / Christian Friedrich Henrici / Leipzig the 3rd of Aug. 1727.
The cantata is counted among the works for celebrations of the Leipzig University, Festmusiken zu Leipziger Universitätsfeiern.[4]
Structure
The work has eleven movements:[3]
- Chorus: Ihr Haeuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter
- Recitative (Providentia): Preißwuerdigster August
- Aria (Providentia): Nenne deinen August: Gott!
- Recitative (Fama): O! schoener Tag, o! schoene Blicke
- Aria (Fama, Providentia): {Ich will/Du solt} ruehmen, {ich will/du solt} sagen
- Recitative (Providentia, Fama, Salus): So AUGUSTUS nicht an Ruhm und Thatten Seines gleichen
- Aria (Salus): Herr! so gross als Dein Erhoehen
- Recitative (Pietas): Wie bin ich doch ergoetzt
- Aria (Pietas): Sachsen, komm zum Opffer-Heerd
- Recitative (Pietas): Doch worzu wollen wir viel Tempel bauen?
- Aria (Pietas, chorus): Himmel, erhoere das bethende Land
There has been speculation that the fifth movement, a duet (not found in Cantata BWV 193) between Providentia and Fama, may have influenced the duet "Domine Deus", the central movement of the Gloria in Bach's Mass in B Minor.
References
- ^ Work 00235 at Bach Digital website.
- ^ "Cantata BWV 193a". bach-cantatas. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ a b "BWV 193a". University of Vermont. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ Timm, David (2009). Festmusiken zu Leipziger Universitätsfeiern (in German). Leipziger Universitätschor. pp. 8f. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
Sources
- Cantata BWV 193a Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, Bach Cantatas Website
- Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter history, scoring, Bach website (in German)