Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen (Rejoice, you hearts), BWV 66,
is a church cantata for Easter by Johann Sebastian
Bach. The cantata is Bach's first composition for
Easter in Leipzig. The day before, on Easter Sunday of
1724, he had performed Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV
4. He derived the cantata for the Second Day of Easter
("den zweiten Osterfesttag") from his earlier secular
work, the Serenata Der Himmel dacht auf Anhalts Ruhm
und Glück composed in Köthen. On the Third Day of
Easter of 1724 he p...(+)
Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen (Rejoice, you hearts), BWV 66,
is a church cantata for Easter by Johann Sebastian
Bach. The cantata is Bach's first composition for
Easter in Leipzig. The day before, on Easter Sunday of
1724, he had performed Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV
4. He derived the cantata for the Second Day of Easter
("den zweiten Osterfesttag") from his earlier secular
work, the Serenata Der Himmel dacht auf Anhalts Ruhm
und Glück composed in Köthen. On the Third Day of
Easter of 1724 he performed Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum
lebend weiß, BWV 134, which he derived in a similar
way from Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht, BWV 134a, a
cantata to celebrate the New Year's Day of 1719 in
Köthen.
Bach performed the cantata again in Leipzig on 26 March
1731 and probably on 11 April 1735.
This, the exuberant first movement, was derived from
the final movement of the secular cantata. It opens
with a virtuoso orchestral introduction of 24 measures,
depicting vital joy. First the alto shouts: "Erfreut,
ihr Herzen" (Rejoice, you hearts), the tenor continues
"Entweichet, ihr Schmerzen" (fade away, you sorrows),
all voices proclaim in homophony: "Es lebet der Heiland
und herrschet in euch" (the Savior lives and rules
within you). The middle section is given mostly to alto
and tenor, who illustrate mourning and fear in a
sorrowful "series of poignant descending chromatic
passages and suspensions", although the words speak of
the chasing away these moods: "Ihr könnet verjagen das
Trauren, das Fürchten, das ängstliche Zagen" (You can
drive away mourning, fear, anxious despair). The
continuo plays repeated "trembling" notes, a
"heartbeat" as Bach used later in the tenor recitative
of his St Matthew Passion, "O Schmerz! Hier zittert das
gequälte Herz" (O pain! Here trembleth the tormented
heart). Finally the choir enters, one voice after the
other building a chord, gently adding words of
consolation: "Der Heiland erquicket sein geistliches
Reich" (the Savior revives his spiritual kingdom). The
instruments throw in motifs of the introduction,
leading to the recapitulation of the first section. The
movement has been termed "one of the longest and most
exhilarating of Bach’s early works".
The cantata in six movements is festively scored for
alto, tenor, and bass soloists, a four-part choir,
trumpet, two oboes, two violins, viola and basso
continuo including bassoon.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erfreut_euch,_ihr_Herzen
,_BWV_66).
I created this arrangement for Winds (Flute, Oboe,
English Horn, French Horn & Bassoon) & Strings (3
Violins, 2 Violas & 2 Cellos).
PARTITION