Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister, BWV 181
Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister ("Light-minded frivolous spirits"), BWV 181, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1724 for the Sunday Sexagesima and first performed it on 13 February 1724.
History and words
Bach wrote the cantata in his first year in Leipzig for the the second Sunday before Ash Wednesday, called Sexagesima.[1] He had already composed a cantata for the occasion for the court in Eisenach, Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt, BWV 18. It seems possible that in 1724 both works were performed in the service, one before, one after the sermon. The prescribed readings for the Sunday were taken from the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, "God's power is mighty in the week" (2 Corinthians 11:19–12:9), and from the Gospel of Luke, the parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4–15).[1]
The cantata text by an unknown poet stays close to the Gospel. The obstacles to growth of the seeds, such as rock and thorns, are related to other Biblical quotations where they are mentioned. For example rock appears also when Mose gets water from a rock (Exodus 17:6) and a rock is removed from the grave of Jesus (Matthew 28:2). The cantata is not closed by a chorale but the only choral movement, a prayer that God's word may fall on fertile ground in us.[1]
Bach first performed the cantata on 13 February 1724. He performed it at least one more time and only then added parts for two woodwinds.[1]
Scoring and structure
The cantata is scored for four soloists, soprano, alto, tenor, bass, a four-part choir, trumpet, flauto traverso, oboe, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.[1]
- Aria (bass): Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister
- Recitativo (alto): O unglückselger Stand verkehrter Seelen,
- Aria (tenor): Der schädlichen Dornen unendliche Zahl
- Recitativo (soprano): Von diesen wird die Kraft erstickt
- Coro: Laß, Höchster, uns zu allen Zeiten
References
Sources
The first source is the score.
General sources are found for the Bach cantatas. Several databases provide additional information on each single cantata:
- Cantata BWV 181 Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister history, scoring, sources for text and music, translations to various languages, discography, discussion, bach-cantatas website
- BWV 181 - "Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister" English translation, discussion, Emmanuel Music
- Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister history, scoring, Bach website Template:De icon
- BWV 181 Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister English translation, University of Vermont
- BWV 181 Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister text, scoring, University of Alberta
- Chapter 37 BWV 181 Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister, A listener and student guide by Julian Mincham 2010