Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest, BWV 194

Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest
BWV 194
Sacred cantata by J. S. Bach
The organ at Störmthal, where the cantata was first performed
Related	based on BWV 194a
Occasion	Inauguration of church and organ
Performed	2 November 1723 (1723-11-02): Störmthal
Movements	6
Chorale	"Treuer Gott, ich muß dir klagen" by Johann Heermann "Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe" by Paul Gerhardt
Vocal	SATB choir soprano, tenor and bass soloists
Instrumental	3 oboes bassoon 2 violins viola continuo

Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest (Most highly desired festival of joy),^[1] BWV 194,^{[lower-alpha 1]} is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for dedication of the church and organ at Störmthal on 2 November 1723.

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.

History and text

The first known performance of the cantata was at Störmthal, a village near Leipzig. The church there had been rebuilt, and a new organ been built on a commission by Statz Friedrich von Fullen. The organ was an early work by Zacharias Hildebrandt. Von Fullen requested an approval of the instrument from Johann Sebastian Bach, who was then Thomaskantor in Leipzig. Bach was satisfied and composed this cantata for the dedication service for the church and the organ on 2 November 1723.^[2] The text deals with the inauguration of the church. The organ has no solo function in the cantata.^[3]

The cantata text was written by an anonymous poet, who took Solomon's prayer for the dedication of the temple as a starting point to reflect the church as the house of God. Frequent Biblical references throughout the text suggest that the author was a theologian.^[3] He included as movement 6, ending Part I, stanzas 6 and 7 of Johann Heermann's hymn "Treuer Gott, ich muß dir klagen" (1630), and as the closing chorale, stanzas 9 and 10 of Paul Gerhardt's "Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe" (1647).^[4]^[5]

Scholars such as John Eliot Gardiner assume that Bach based the cantata on a lost work (BWV 194a), probably composed at Köthen for an unknown occasion.^[6] The music of movements 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 is lost, and only instrumental parts of the other movements are extant. Bach added the chorales for the 1723 dedication service. Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest shows musical similarities also to Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn, BWV 119, written for the inauguration of the Leipzig town council a few weeks earlier.^[3]

Bach led the first performance at the dedication service in Störmthal.^[2] The printed text mentions Bach as "Hochfürstl. Anhalt-Cöthenischen Capell-Meister, auch Directore Chori musici Lipsiensis" (Kapellmeister to the Prince of Anhalt-Köthen and Director of the Choir at Leipzig), referring to his appointments in the service of Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.^[5] The organ of Störmthal is notable as one of few such instruments still mostly unaltered since Bach's time.^[2] A restorer in 1934 remarked that it was tuned about a whole tone lower than 440, which may account for the unusually high vocal ranges.^[3] Bach demanded "top Cs" from the sopranos, which is unique in his sacred cantatas.^[6] The organ part prepared for the Leipzig revival is notated a minor third lower than the other instruments.^[3]

Bach revived the cantata for performances in Leipzig for Trinity Sunday. The prescribed readings for Trinity Sunday were Romans 11:33–36, and John 3:1–15, the meeting of Jesus and Nicodemus.^[4] The general topic and even an "invocation of the Trinity" in movement 6 made for an easy transition. On 4 June 1724, Bach concluded his first cantata cycle with this work. On 16 June 1726, he presented a shortened version, with movements appearing in the order 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10. The 12-movement version was again performed on 20 May 1731.^[7]

Structure and scoring

Bach structured the cantata in two parts of six movements each. It is scored for three vocal soloists (soprano (S), tenor (T) and bass (B)), a four-part choir (SATB), and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of three oboes (Ob), bassoon (Fg), two violins (Vl), viola (Va) and basso continuo.^[8]

In the following table of the movements, the scoring follows the Neue Bach-Ausgabe. The keys and time signatures are taken from the Bach scholar Alfred Dürr, using the symbol for common time (4/4). The instruments are shown separately for winds and strings, while the continuo, playing throughout, is not shown.

Movements of *Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest*, BWV 194
No.	Title	Text	Type	Vocal	Winds	Strings	Key	Time
1	Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest	anon.	Chorus	SATB	3Ob Fg	2Vl Va	B-flat major	3/4
2	Unendlich großer Gott, ach wende dich	anon.	Recitative	B
3	Was des Höchsten Glanz erfüllt	anon.	Aria	B	Ob	2Vl Va	B-flat major	12/8
4	Wie könnte dir, du höchstes Angesicht	anon.	Recitative	S
5	Hilf, Gott, dass es uns gelingt	anon.	Aria	S		2Vl Va	E-flat major
6	Heilger Geist ins Himmels Throne	Heermann	Chorale	SATB	3Ob	2Vl Va	B-flat major
7	Ihr Heiligen, erfreuet euch	anon.	Recitative	T
8	Des Höchsten Gegenwart allein	anon.	Aria	T			G minor
9	Kann wohl ein Mensch zu Gott im Himmel steigen	anon.	Recitative (Duetto)	S B
10	O wie wohl ist uns geschehn	anon.	Aria (Duetto)	S B	2Ob		F major	3/4
11	Wohlan demnach, du heilige Gemeine	anon.	Recitative	B
12	Sprich Ja zu meinen Taten	Paul Gerhardt	Chorale	SATB	3Ob	2Vl Va	B-flat major	3/4

Music

The music has an often dance-like character. All recitatives, the majority of the solo movements, are secco, accompanied only by the continuo.^[3] Most of them are followed by an aria performed by the same voice type.

Part I begins with a chorus in the style of a French overture with a solemn opening and a fast fugal central section.^[3] The bass sings a recitative and an aria, accompanied by solo oboe and strings. The soprano sings a modulating recitative and an aria in the style of a gavotte. A four-part harmonization of the chorale ends the first part.^[9]

Part II begins with the tenor singing a recitative and a da capo aria in a minor mode, characterized by its extensive use of dotted rhythms. A dialogue recitative for bass and soprano leads to a duet aria with oboes and continuo. After a declamatory bass recitative, the work ends with another four-part chorale setting.^[9]

Recordings

The recordings are provided by Aryeh Oron on the Bach-Cantatas website.^[4] The type of choir and orchestra is roughly shown as a large group by red background, and as an ensemble with period instruments in historically informed performance by green background.

Recordings of *Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest*, BWV 194
Title	Conductor / Choir / Orchestra	Soloists	Label	Year	Choir type	Orch. type
Die Bach Kantate Vol. 65	Rilling, HelmuthHelmuth Rilling Gächinger Kantorei Bach-Collegium Stuttgart	Judith Beckmann Adalbert Kraus Walter Heldwein	Hänssler	1977 (1977)
J. S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk (Complete Cantatas). Folge / Vol. 44 - BWV 192, 194-195	Harnoncourt, Nikolaus Nikolaus Harnoncourt Tölzer Knabenchor Concentus Musicus Wien	Hans Stricker, Stefan Gienger (of the Tölzer Knabenchor) Kurt Equiluz Thomas Hampson	Teldec	1997 (1997)	Boys	Period
J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 9	Koopman, TonTon Koopman Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir	Sibylla Rubens Christoph Prégardien Klaus Mertens	Erato	1998 (1998)		Period
Bach Edition Vol. 15 – Cantatas Vol. 8	Leusink, Pieter JanPieter Jan Leusink Holland Boys Choir Netherlands Bach Collegium	Ruth Holton Nico van der Meel Knut Schoch Bas Ramselaar	Brilliant Classics	2000 (2000)	Boys	Period
Bach Cantatas Vol. 27: Blythburgh/Kirkwall / For Whit Tuesday / For Trinity Sunday	Gardiner, John EliotJohn Eliot Gardiner Monteverdi Choir English Baroque Soloists	Ruth Holton Paul Agnew Peter Harvey	Soli Deo Gloria	2000 (2000)		Period
J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 16 - Cantatas from Leipzig 1723 - BWV 119, 194	Suzuki, MasaakiMasaaki Suzuki Bach Collegium Japan	Yukari Nonoshita Makoto Sakurada Jochen Kupfer	BIS	2000 (2000)		Period

Notes

↑ "BWV" is Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works.

References

↑ Dellal, Pamela. "BWV 194 – Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
1 2 3 "Recording sessions at the / Hildebrandt organ of Störmthal, Germany (1723)". gothic-catalog.com. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hofmann, Klaus (2001). "Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest. BWV 194" (PDF). Bach-Cantatas. pp. 5–6, 9. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
1 2 3 Oron, Aryeh. "Cantata BWV 194 Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest". Bach-Cantatas. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
1 2 Wolff, Christoph (2001). "The first annual cycle (1723–1724) of Bach's church cantatas (IV)" (PDF). Bach-Cantatas. pp. 9–10. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
1 2 Gardiner, John Eliot (2008). "Cantatas for Trinity Sunday / St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall" (PDF). Bach-Cantatas. pp. 7–9. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
↑ Dürr, Alfred (2006). The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text. Translated by Richard D. P. Jones. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-929776-4.
↑ Bischof, Walter F. "BWV 194 Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest". University of Alberta. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
1 2 Mincham, Julian. "Chapter 61 BWV 194 Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest / Greatly desired feast of joy.". jsbachcantatas. Retrieved 5 June 2013.

Sources

Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach

Before Leipzig	Early: BWV 4 131 71 106 196 150 143 Weimar: BWV 61 70a 186a 132 174a 63 152 155 18 54 80a 182 31 12 172 165 21 185 199 161 162 163 Köthen: BWV Anh. 5

First cycle (1723–24)	Between Trinity and Advent: BWV 75 76 24 167 147 186 136 105 46 179 69a 77 25 138 95 148 48 109 89 60 90 70 From Advent to Trinity: BWV 40 64 190 153 65 154 73 81 83 144 181 22 23 66 134 67 104 166 86 37 44 59 184

Second cycle (& chorale cantatas)	Chorale cantatas between Trinity and Easter: BWV 20 2 7 135 10 93 107 178 94 101 113 33 78 99 8 130 114 96 5 180 38 115 139 26 116 62 91 121 133 122 41 123 124 3 111 92 125 126 127 1 Continuation of the second cycle: BWV 6 42 85 103 108 87 128 183 74 68 175 176 Later additions to the chorale cantata cycle: BWV 80 137 129 58 112 140 177 9 14 Other late chorale cantatas: BWV 117 192 100 97

Third cycle	After Trinity 1725: BWV 168 164 79 Liturgical year 1725–26: BWV 110 57 151 28 16 32 13 72 146 43 39 88 170 187 45 102 35 17 19 27 47 169 56 49 98 55 52 1727: BWV 82 84 34 173

Later and other	Picander cycle: BWV 149 188 197a 171 156 159 145 174 Late parodies: BWV 36 30 191 200 1083 Council election: BWV 119 193 Anh. 3 29 120 69 Wedding: BWV 34a 195 120a 197 Funeral: 157 244a Other: 194 190a 120b 51 158 50 248/VIa Doubtful: 53 142 189 217 220 221 223 224

Bach cantata List of Bach cantatas Discography: Monteverdi Choir/Koopman/Teldec

Cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach by BWV number

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (oratorio) 12 13 14 15^** 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 30a 31 32 33 34 34a 35 36 36a 36b 36c 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 (53)^* 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 66a 67 68 69 69a 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 80a 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 (motet) 119 120 120a 120b 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 (131a)^* 132 133 134 134a 135 136 137 138 139 140 ~~141~~^** (142)^* 143 144 145 146 147 147a 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 ~~160~~^** 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 173a 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 (189)^* 190 190a 191 192 193 193a 194 195 196 197 197a 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 205a 206 207 207a 208 208a 209 210 210a 211 212 213 214 215 216 216a (217)^* ~~218~~^ ~~219~~^ (220)^* (221)^* ~~222~~^** 223 224 244a 248a 249a 249b 1040 1045 1083 1127 Anh. 3 Anh. 5 Anh. 9 Anh. 11 Anh. 18 — ^(Doubtful) ^*~~Spurious~~

Lists: Compositions Cantatas ; Church cantatas: Chorale cantatas Early Weimar 1st cycle 2nd cycle 3rd cycle Picander cycle Late ; Secular cantatas

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 183884682 LCCN: n82162156 GND: 300009011 BNF: cb139276613 (data)

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