Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister, BWV 181

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Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister
BWV 181
Church cantata by J. S. Bach
Parable of the Sower, topic of the cantata, etching by Jan Luyken
OccasionSexagesima
Performed13 February 1724 (1724-02-13): Leipzig
Movements5
VocalSATB solo and choir
Instrumental
  • trumpet
  • flauto traverso
  • oboe
  • 2 violins
  • viola
  • continuo

Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister (Light-minded frivolous spirits),[1] BWV 181, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for Sexagesima and first performed it on 13 February 1724.

History and words

Bach composed the cantata in his first year in Leipzig for the second Sunday before Lent, called Sexagesima.[2] He had already composed a cantata for the occasion for the court in Eisenach, Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt, BWV 18. It seems possible that in 1724 both works were performed in the service, one before, one after the sermon.[3] The prescribed readings for the Sunday were taken from the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, "God's power is mighty in the weak" (2 Corinthians 11:19–12:9), and from the Gospel of Luke, the parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4–15).[2]

The cantata text by an unknown poet stays close to the Gospel. The obstacles to growth of the seeds, such as rock and thorns, are related to other Biblical quotations where they are mentioned. For example, rock appears also when Moses gets water from a rock (Exodus 17:6) and a rock is removed from the grave of Jesus (Matthew 28:2). The cantata is not closed by a chorale but the only choral movement, a prayer that God's word may fall on fertile ground in us.[2] The original anonymous libretto is extant.[4]

Bach first performed the cantata on 13 February 1724. He performed it at least one more time between 1743 and 1746, only then he added parts for two woodwinds.[5]

Scoring and structure

The cantata in five movements is scored for four vocal soloists (

flauto traverso, oboe, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.[2]

  1. Aria (bass): Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister
  2. Recitative (alto): O unglückselger Stand verkehrter Seelen
  3. Aria (tenor): Der schädlichen Dornen unendliche Zahl
  4. Recitative (soprano): Von diesen wird die Kraft erstickt
  5. Chorus: Laß, Höchster, uns zu allen Zeiten

Music

The cantata consists of five movements: two aria/ recitative pairs, concluding with a choral movement. This resembles the typical format for secular cantatas.

Cöthen.[5] Its middle section is a duet of soprano and alto. John Eliot Gardiner notes the movement's "madrigalian lightness and delicacy perfectly appropriate to the joyous message of the parable".[4]

Recordings

References

  1. ^ a b Dellal, Pamela. "BWV 181 – Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  2. ^
    ISBN 3-423-04080-7
    .
  3. ^ a b c Mincham, Julian (2010). "Chapter 42 BWV 181 Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister". jsbachcantatas.com. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e Gardiner, John Eliot (2009). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 18, 84, 92, 126, 144 & 181 (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. ^ a b Wolff, Christoph (1998). On the first annual cycle of Bach's cantatas for the Leipzig liturgy (1723–24) (II) (PDF). bach-cantatas.com. p. 18. Retrieved 7 February 2012.

Sources

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