Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft, BWV 205

Secular cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

BWV 205.1
BWV 205

Dramma per musica
Secular cantata

by Johann Sebastian Bach

Aeolus, a Greek god of the wind

Other nameDer zufriedengestellte AeolusTextby PicanderPerformed3 August 1725 (1725-08-03): Leipzig

Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft (Destroy, burst, shatter the tomb) or Der zufriedengestellte Aeolus (The contented Aeolus), BWV 205.1, BWV 205, is a secular cantata or dramma per musica by Johann Sebastian Bach.^[1] It was written for the name day of August Friedrich Müller, and was first performed on 3 August 1725. The libretto by Picander is based on Greek mythology.

History and text

The cantata was commissioned by the students of Leipzig University for the popular professor August Friedrich Müller and premiered on his name day on 3 August 1725 as a dramma per musica under the title Der zufriedengestellte Aeolus (The contented Aeolus).

Its libretto was written by Christian Friedrich Henrici and begins with Pallas Athene (sung by a soprano) setting up a celebration in honour of Müller. However, she fears that Aeolus (bass) could ruin the celebrations with heavy storms in August. With the help of Zephyrus (tenor), the god of mild winds, and Pomona, the goddess of fruitfulness (alto), Pallas manages to appease Aeolus, and those present grant a vivat in unison for the professor.

Bach wrote other works for university occasions: the cantata is one of twelve surviving Festmusiken zu Leipziger Universitätsfeiern (Music for festivities of the Leipzig University).^[2]

He used music from the work for an aria of his cantata Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm, BWV 171, composed for New Year's Day 1729.^[3]

Scoring and structure

The cantata is scored for four solo voices – Pallas as soprano, Pomona as alto, Zephyrus as tenor, and Aeolus as bass – a four-part choir, three trumpets, timpani, two horns, two flutes, two oboes, oboe d'amore, two violins, viola, viola d'amore, viola da gamba, and basso continuo.^[4]

The piece has fifteen movements:

Chorus: Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft
Recitative (bass): Ja! ja! Die Stunden sind nunmehro nah
Aria (bass): Wie will ich lustig lachen
Recitative (tenor): Gefürcht'ter Aeolus
Aria (tenor): Frische Schatten, meine Freude
Recitative (bass): Beinahe wirst du mich bewegen
Aria (alto): Können nicht die roten Wangen
Duet recitative (alto and soprano): So willst du, grimmger Aeolus
Aria (soprano): Angenehmer Zephyrus
Duet recitative (soprano and bass): Mein Aeolus
Aria (bass): Zurücke, zurücke, geflügelten Winde
Trio recitative (soprano, alto, tenor): Was Lust!
Duet aria (alto and tenor): Zweig und Äste
Recitative (soprano): Ja, ja! ich lad euch selbst zu dieser Feier ein
Chorus: Vivat August

Recordings

Figuralchor der Gedächtniskirche Stuttgart / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling. J. S. Bach: Der zufriedengestellte Äolus BWV 205 · Cembalokonzert Nr. 3. MHS, 1967.
Concentus Musicus Wien & Arnold Schönberg Choir, Nicolaus Harnoncourt. J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 7. Teldec, 1988.
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ton Koopman. J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 5. Erato, 1996.
Gächinger Kantorei / Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling. Edition Bachakademie Vol. 63. Hänssler, 1999.
I Barocchisti / Coro della Radio Svizzera, Diego Fasolis. J. S. Bach: Der zufriedengestellte Aeolus BWV 205 / Cantata BWV 110. ARTS, 2007.
Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki. J. S. Bach: Secular Cantatas Vol. 4. BIS, 2014.

References

^ Work 00255 at Bach Digital website.
^ Timm, David (2009). Festmusiken zu Leipziger Universitätsfeiern (in German). Leipziger Universitätschor. pp. 8f. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
^ Dürr, Alfred; Jones, Richard D. P. (2006). The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text. Oxford University Press. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-19-929776-4.
^ "The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text". University of Alberta. Retrieved 5 June 2013.

External links

Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft, BWV 205: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
"Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft (Dramma per musica) BWV 205; BC G 36 / Secular cantata (unknown purpose)". Bach Digital. 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
Cantata BWV 205 Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, Bach Cantatas Website
BWV 205 Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft / Der Zufriedengestellte Aeolus English translation, University of Vermont

Cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach by BWV number

1^[d]
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3
4^[d]
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 (oratorio)
12
13
14
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52
(53)^*
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110
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112
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114
115
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117
118 (motet)
119
120
120a
120b
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
(131a)^*
132
133
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134a
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(189)^*
190
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197a
198
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203
204
205
205a
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214
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216
216a
(217)^*
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(220)^*
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223
224
244a
248 I
248 II
248 III
248 IV
248 V
248 VI
249a
249b
1040
1045
1083
1127
1138.1–1139.1
1140–1141
Anh. 5
Anh. 9
Anh. 11
Anh. 18 — ^[d]discography; ^*(doubtful); ^**~~spurious~~

Lists: Compositions
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v t e Secular cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach
BWV 30a: Angenehmes Wiederau BWV 36a: Steigt freudig in die Luft BWV 36b: Die Freude reget sich BWV 36c: Schwingt freudig euch empor BWV 66a: Der Himmel dacht auf Anhalts Ruhm und Glück BWV 134a: Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht BWV 173a: Durchlauchtster Leopold BWV 193a: Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter BWV 198: Mourning Ode BWV 201: The Contest between Phoebus and Pan BWV 202: Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten BWV 203: Amore traditore BWV 204: On Contentedness BWV 205: Aeolus Placated BWV 205a: Blast Lärmen, ihr Feinde BWV 206: Schleicht, spielende Wellen BWV 207: Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten BWV 207a: Auf, schmetternde Töne der muntern Trompeten BWV 208: Hunting Cantata BWV 208a: Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd BWV 209: Non sa che sia dolore BWV 210: O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit BWV 210a: O angenehme Melodei BWV 211: Coffee Cantata BWV 212: Peasant Cantata BWV 213: Hercules at the Crossroads BWV 214: Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 215: Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen BWV 216: Vergnügte Pleißenstadt BWV 216a: Apollo and Mercurius BWV 249a: Shepherd Cantata BWV 249b: The Celebration of Genius BWV Anh. 9: Entfernet euch, ihr heitern Sterne BWV Anh. 11: Es lebe der König, der Vater im Lande BWV Anh. 18: Froher Tag, verlangte Stunden
Bach cantata List of Bach cantatas

Secular cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach