''Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten'' (Dissipate, you troublesome shadows), BWV202, is a secular cantata by

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

. It was likely composed for a wedding, but scholars disagree on the dating which could be as early as Bach's tenure in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...

, around 1714, while it has traditionally been connected to his wedding to

Anna Magdalena ''Anna Magdalena'' () is a 1998 Hong Kong romantic fantasy comedy film starring Aaron Kwok, Kelly Chen and Takeshi Kaneshiro. It was the directorial debut of production designer Yee Chung-Man. Title The title refers to the keyboard piece ...

on 3 December 1721 in

Köthen Köthen () is a town in Germany. It is the capital of the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, about north of Halle. Köthen is the location of the main campus and the administrative centre of the regional university, Anhalt Univers ...

. It is one of Bach's frequently recorded cantatas. The

aria In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...

"Sich üben im Lieben" ("To practice sweet courtship, to joyously cuddle" or "To cultivate love") is often performed as a concert piece.

History and text

The cantata music survives only in a copy from the 1730s, which features a surprising style used by Bach only until around 1714. The

librettist A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major ...

is not known with certainty, but Harald Streck suspects Salomon Franck, the

court poet. Joshua Rifkin also argues for a Weimar date, rather than the more commonly assigned

period, based on stylistic elements such as the short recitatives ending

arioso In classical music, arioso (; also aria parlante ) is a category of Solo (music), solo vocal piece, usually occurring in an opera or oratorio, falling somewhere between recitative and aria in style. Literally, arioso means ''airy''. The term arose ...

, the slow–fast-slow

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...

of the first aria, which Bach used only rarely after 1714, and the specific relation of voice and obbligato oboe in the seventh movement, which rarely occurs after 1715. More traditionally, the composition was linked to Bach's time in Köthen from 1718, and the occasion a wedding, possibly his own to

in December 1721. The text relates beginning love to the arrival of spring after winter, mentioning shooting flowers in the first two

movements Movement may refer to: Generic uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Movement (sign language), a hand movement when signing * Motion, commonly referred to as movement * Movement (music), a division of a larger c ...

, the sun climbing higher in the third movement,

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid ( , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the god of war Mars. He is also known as Amor (Latin: ...

searching for "prey" in the following two movements, finally a bridal couple and good wishes for them. The tone is humorous and jesting, which suggests a civil wedding. The

"Sich üben im Lieben" ("To practice sweet courtship, to joyously cuddle" or "To cultivate love") is frequently performed as a concert piece. The cantata was published in 1862 as in volume 11 of the

Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe Joh. Seb. Bach's Werke () is the Bach Gesellschaft's collected edition of Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions, published in 61 volumes in the second half of the 19th century. The series is also known as Bach-Gesellschaft edition (; BGA), or as ''B ...

(BGA), edited by

Wilhelm Rust Wilhelm Rust (15 August 1822 – 2 May 1892) was a German musicologist and composer. He is most noted today for his substantial contributions to the Bach Gesellschaft edition of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Born in Dessau, Rust studied pia ...

. The

New Bach Edition The New Bach Edition (NBE) (; NBA), is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): New Edition of the Complete Works (''Johann Sebastian ...

(Neue Bach-Ausgabe, NBA) published the score in 1969, edited by Werner Neumann, in volume 40, ''Hochzeitskantaten und Weltliche Kantaten verschiedener Bestimmung'' (wedding cantatas and secular cantatas for different occasions).

Scoring and structure

Bach structured the work in 9

, alternating

s with varied texture and

recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name recitativo () is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines ...

. He scored it for a solo

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

voice (S), and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, ...

(Ob),

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

s (Vl),

viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...

(Va), and

basso continuo Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bassline and a chord progression. The phrase is often shortened to continuo, and the instrumentalists playing th ...

(Bc). In the following table of the movements, the scoring follows the

Neue Bach-Ausgabe The New Bach Edition (NBE) (; NBA), is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): New Edition of the Complete Works (''Johann Sebastian ...

. The

keys Key, Keys, The Key or The Keys may refer to: Common uses * Key (cryptography), a piece of information needed to encode or decode a message * Key (instrument), a component of a musical instrument * Key (lock), a device used to operate a lock * ...

and

time signature A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates th ...

s are taken from

Alfred Dürr Alfred Dürr (3 March 1918 – 7 April 2011) was a German musicologist. He was a principal editor of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe, the second edition of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Professional career Dürr studied musicology and Clas ...

, using the symbol for common time (4/4). The continuo, playing throughout, is not shown.

Music

The first aria, "Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten" (Dissipate, you troublesome shadows), is accompanied by all instruments. The strings play a repetitious motif illustrating the vanishing of winter, while the oboe leads with an expanded melody to the entry of the voice, then playing in duet with it. The opening section is marked ''Adagio'', while the middle section, about Flora's pleasures, of a da capo form is marked ''Andante''. It has been described as painting "a sensuous picture of spring's lazy pleasures as the singer invites the depressing shades of winter to depart", a change "from shadow to sunlight, from winter's cold to spring's bursting flowers". A recitative, "Die Welt wird wieder neu" (The world becomes new again), leads to the second aria, "Phoebus eilt mit schnellen Pferden" (Phoebus hastes with rapid horses) which is accompanied only by the continuo. The trotting of the horse mentioned in the text is illustrated in the continuo. The movement has been described as a "vividly melismatic depiction of warm breezes hurrying through the reborn world". The aria shows similarity to the last movement of Bach's Violin Sonata in G major, BWV 1019. A recitative, "Drum sucht auch Amor sein Vergnügen" (Therefore Love himself seeks his pleasure), leads to the third aria, "Wenn die Frühlingslüfte streichen" (When the springtime breezes caress), with a solo violin, in an elegiac mood. The recitative "Und dieses ist das Glücke" (And this is good fortune) prepares the aria "Sich üben im Lieben, in Scherzen sich herzen" (To cultivate love, to cuddle in playful tenderness) with an obbligato oboe. The melody of the dance-like music in a

triple metre Triple metre (or Am. triple meter, also known as triple time) is a musical metre characterized by a ''primary'' division of 3 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 3 (simple) or 9 ( compound) in the upper figure of the time signature, with , a ...

alludes to folk music. A recitative, "So sei das Band der keuschen Liebe" (So may the bond of chaste love) leads to the final aria, marked as a

Gavotte The gavotte (also gavot, gavote, or gavotta) is a French dance, taking its name from a folk dance of the Gavot, the people of the Gap, Hautes-Alpes, Pays de Gap region of Dauphiné in the southeast of France, where the dance originated, accordin ...

, again with all instruments, "Sehet in Zufriedenheit tausend helle Wohlfahrtstage" (May you see in contentment a thousand bright happy days). The cantata develops from highly artificial composition to popular dance writing.

Recordings

The cantata is one of Bach's most recorded cantatas. * Agnes Giebel, RIAS Kammerorchester,

Karl Ristenpart Karl Ristenpart (26 January 1900 – 24 December 1967) was a German conductor. Career Born in Kiel, Germany, he studied at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin and in Vienna. He was heavily involved in creating three orchestras in his lifeti ...

. ''The RIAS Bach Cantatas Project''. Audite, 1951. *

Anny Felbermayer Anny Felbermayer (21 July 1924 – 5 September 2014) was an Austrian soprano in opera and concert. The lyric soprano was a long-term member of the Vienna State Opera. She appeared in many operas by Richard Strauss, including the premiere of his ...

. Orchestra of the Bach Guild, Felix Prohaska. ''J. S. Bach: Cantata No. 202; Cantata No. 161''. Vanguard Classics, 1952. * Maria Stader, Münchener Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter. ''J.S. Bach: Kantaten BWV 51 & BWV 202''. Archiv Produktion, 1959. * Elly Ameling, Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam,

Eugen Jochum Eugen Jochum (; 1 November 1902 – 26 March 1987) was a German conducting, conductor, best known for his interpretations of the music of Anton Bruckner, Carl Orff, and Johannes Brahms, among others. Biography Jochum was born to a Roman Catholic ...

. ''Centenaire Eugen Jochum 3''. Tahra, 1973. * Barbara Hendricks, Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach,

Peter Schreier Peter Schreier (29 July 1935 – 25 December 2019) was a German tenor in opera, concert and lied, and a conductor. He was regarded as one of the leading lyric tenors of the 20th century. Schreier was a member of the Dresdner Kreuzchor conduct ...

. ''Bach Kantaten''. EMI Classics, 1989. * Elly Ameling, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields,

Neville Marriner Sir Neville Marriner, (15 April 1924 – 2 October 2016) was an English conductor and violinist. Described as "one of the world's greatest conductors", Gramophone lists Marriner as one of the 50 greatest conductors and another compilation ra ...

. ''Bach Cantatas''. EMI, 1973. * Emma Kirkby,

Academy of Ancient Music The Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) is a British period-instrument orchestra based in Cambridge, England. Founded by harpsichordist Christopher Hogwood in 1973, it was named after an 18th-century organisation of the same name (originally the A ...

Christopher Hogwood Christopher Jarvis Haley Hogwood (10 September 194124 September 2014) was an English Conducting, conductor, harpsichordist, and Musicology, musicologist. Founder of the early music ensemble the Academy of Ancient Music, he was an authority on h ...

. ''Wedding Cantatas''. Decca, 1996. *

Dorothee Mields Dorothee Mields (born 15 April 1971) is a German soprano concert singer of Baroque and contemporary music. Career Mields was born in Gelsenkirchen. She studied at the University of the Arts Bremen with Elke Holzmann, Harry van der Kamp and Ga ...

, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra,

Ton Koopman Antonius Gerhardus Michael "Ton" Koopman (; born 2 October 1944) is a Dutch conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and musicologist, primarily known for being the founder and director of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir. He is a professor ...

. '' J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 5''. Erato, 1996.

Notes

References

External links

Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, BWV 202
performance by the

Netherlands Bach Society The Netherlands Bach Society () is the oldest ensemble for Baroque music in the Netherlands, and possibly in the world. The ensemble was founded in 1921 in Naarden to perform Bach's ''St Matthew Passion'' on Good Friday and has performed the work ...

(video and background information) *
BWV 202 Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten
English translation,

University of Vermont The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, commonly referred to as the University of Vermont (UVM), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Foun ...

BWV 202 Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten
text, scoring,

University of Alberta The University of Alberta (also known as U of A or UAlberta, ) is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, t ...

* , Danielle de Niese {{DEFAULTSORT:Weichet Nur Betrubte Schatten BWV 202 Secular cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach 1718 compositions Wedding music by Johann Sebastian Bach