BWV070_2.flv

THE AMSTERDAM BAROQUE ORCHESTRA & CHOIR - TON KOOPMAN

The cantata "Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!" BWV 70 for the 26th Sunday after Trinity was first performed in this version on 21 November 1723. The original version of the work, a cantata for the second Sunday in Advent, was first performed on 6 December 1716. The original text by Weimar court poet Salomo Franck was expanded by an unknown author into a two-part cantata and adapted to suit the gospel reading for the day, Matthew 25:31-46 (the Day of Judgment). Each part ends with a chorale: the first ends with the tenth verse of the chorale "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele" (1620), and the second with the fifth verse of the hymn "Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht" by C. Keymann (1658).
Bach added the chorale melody "Es ist gewißlich an der Zeit", played on the trumpet, to the bass recitative in the ninth movement. It can be seen from the mixed performance material that the Weimar parts (movements 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 11) were incorporated virtually unchanged. The work is scored for four-part choir, trumpet, oboe, strings and continuo.

Aria (Tenor): "Hebt euer Haupt empor"
Recitative (Bass) and Chorale: "Ach, soll nicht dieser große Tag"
Aria (Bass): "Seligster Erquickungstag"
Chorale: "Nicht nach Welt, nach Himmel nicht"