The links between J.S. Bach and those offices that
required from him the production of church music --
sacred cantatas, organ music, etc. -- were, if not
broken altogether, very much weakened during his years
as Kapellmeister at Cöthen (1718-23) (where the Prince
loved chamber music and was bored by sacred music); not
surprisingly, Bach produced very little such music
during those years. There is, however, a body of
secular cantatas from Cöthen which shows that,
although separated from liturgi...(+)
The links between J.S. Bach and those offices that
required from him the production of church music --
sacred cantatas, organ music, etc. -- were, if not
broken altogether, very much weakened during his years
as Kapellmeister at Cöthen (1718-23) (where the Prince
loved chamber music and was bored by sacred music); not
surprisingly, Bach produced very little such music
during those years. There is, however, a body of
secular cantatas from Cöthen which shows that,
although separated from liturgical necessity, the
composer still cultivated an interest in the musical
genre that would later characterize his religious
works. One of these, Cantata No. 202, Weichet nur,
betrübte Schatten, BWV 202 (the Wedding Cantata),
showcases the occasional, dramatic quality of these
works.
BWV 202 is actually one of three secular cantatas
designed for use at wedding celebrations (the others
are Cantatas Nos. 210 and 216, the latter of which has
only partially survived); but its fame is such that it
alone has earned the popular name Wedding Cantata. The
author of the cantata's text remains unknown; it might
have been Salomon Franck, or possibly C.F. Hunold. The
nine musical numbers -- four arias (all but one of
which are da capo arias), three recitatives, one
recitativo and arioso, and a final, happy Gavotte --
are scored for solo soprano, oboe, strings, and basso
continuo, and celebrate the dawning of both spring and
love.
It is principally the text that distinguishes this
cantata from Bach's sacred cantatas for solo voice;
formally, the arias and secco recitatives are
structured identically to their liturgical fellows.
The first aria, "Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten" (Give
way now, dismal shadows) opens with a series of
diminished harmonies; these paint a sensuous picture of
spring's lazy pleasures as the singer invites the
depressing shades of winter to depart. The contrast
between the upward arpeggios of the A section and the
bustling, lively B section underscores the textual
change from shadow to sunlight, from winter's cold to
spring's bursting flowers. Although originally written
for Soprano & Strings, I created this arrangement for
Flute, Oboe & Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
