Erwünschtes Freudenlicht (Desired light of joy), BWV
184, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He
composed it in Leipzig for the third day of Pentecost
and first performed it on 30 May 1724. Bach composed
this cantata for Whit Tuesday, the third day of
Pentecost. It was likely based on an earlier secular
cantata that is no longer extant. BWV 184 was first
performed on 30 May 1724 in Leipzig, and was performed
again on 3 June 1727 and 15 May 1731.
The opening recitative is acc...(+)
Erwünschtes Freudenlicht (Desired light of joy), BWV
184, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He
composed it in Leipzig for the third day of Pentecost
and first performed it on 30 May 1724. Bach composed
this cantata for Whit Tuesday, the third day of
Pentecost. It was likely based on an earlier secular
cantata that is no longer extant. BWV 184 was first
performed on 30 May 1724 in Leipzig, and was performed
again on 3 June 1727 and 15 May 1731.
The opening recitative is accompanied by the "ethereal
piping" of flutes and continuo. It concludes with an
arioso section. The duet aria is "dynamically subtle"
and in triple time, "retaining a little more of the
spirit of the rustic dance". Formally, it is a da capo
aria with a long ritornello. The third movement is a
secco tenor recitative. It too has a closing arioso,
ending the movement on D rather than the C major in
which it began. The tenor aria is formally a trio
sonata for voice, violin, and continuo, in adapted
ternary form. It is in B minor, the only movement not
in a major key. The penultimate movement is, unusually,
a four-part setting of the chorale tune. The closing
chorus is similar to a gavotte in style. Its middle
section is a soprano and bass duet.
Although originally scored for three solo voices
(soprano, alto, and tenor), a four-part choir, two
flutes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo, I
created this arrangement for Oboe, French Horn & Cello.