The cantata text was written by an anonymous poet, including two stanzas of Johann Heermann's hymn "Treuer Gott, ich muß dir klagen" (1630) and two stanzas of Paul Gerhardt's "Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe" (1647). Bach used an earlier secular cantata as a base for a structure in two parts of six movements each, beginning with an extended choral movement and concluding both parts with chorale stanzas. The inner movements are alternating recitatives and arias. The chorales are the only movements which were certainly newly composed for the occasion. Bach scored the work for three vocal soloists, a four-part choir and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of three oboes, bassoon, strings and continuo. After the first performance in Störmthal, Bach performed the cantata again in Leipzig for Trinity Sunday, first on 4 June 1724, a shortened version in 1726, and the complete version in 1731.
Date of composition | 1723 |
Premiered | 1723, November 2nd |
Dedicated to | Dedication of the Church and the Organ at Störmthal |
Type | Sacred Cantata |
Tonality | B-flat Major |
Catalogue | BWV 194 |
Spoken language | German |
Arrangement of | Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantata [for the consecration of the organ at Störmthal], BWV 194a "Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest" |
Instruments |
3x
Voice
Chorus/Choir Orchestra |
Links | |
Autotranslations beta |
Jean-Sébastien Bach: Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest en si bémol majeur, BWV 194 Johann Sebastian Bach: Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest in si bemolle maggiore, BWV 194 Johann Sebastian Bach: Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest B-dur, BWV 194 |