List of secular cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach


Apart from his hundreds of church cantatas, Johann Sebastian Bach wrote secular cantatas in Weimar, Köthen and Leipzig, for instance for members of the Royal-Polish and Prince-electoral Saxonian family, or other public or private occasions. The text of these cantatas was occasionally in dialect or in Italian. Many of the secular cantatas went lost, but for some of these the text and the occasion are known, for instance when Picander later published their libretto. Some of the secular cantatas had a plot carried by mythological figures of Greek antiquity, others were almost miniature buffo operas.
Extant secular cantatas are published in the New Bach Edition, Series I, volumes 35 to 40, with the two Italian cantatas included in volume 41. The Bach Digital website lists 50 secular cantatas by Bach. Less than half of Bach's known secular cantatas survive with music. For most of the others at least the libretto survives. Some of the secular cantatas are based on music Bach had composed at an earlier date, and Bach quite often parodied secular cantatas into church music: for instance his Christmas Oratorio opens with music originally written for a secular cantata.
In the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis the range of Nos. 201 to 216a contains mostly extant secular cantatas. Other secular cantatas are in the range of the church cantatas, most of them with an "a", "b" or "c" index added to the number of a church cantata while the cantatas share the same music. The same applies for the secular cantata precursors of the Easter Oratorio. Other secular cantatas are listed in BWV Anh. I, that is the appendix of the lost works. Even for these cantatas the music can sometimes be reconstructed, based on the church cantatas that were derived from them.

History

are church cantatas, although his early Wedding Quodlibet is sometimes grouped with the secular cantatas. The oldest extant secular cantata is from his Weimar period where he composed the Hunting Cantata for the birthday of Christian, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels on 23 February 1713. The libretto was written by Salomon Franck. A few years later, the cantata was performed again, in a modified version, for his employer Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
In his Köthen period, Bach wrote congratulatory cantatas for his new employer, Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, usually on the Prince's birthday, or for New Year. BWV 66a, 134a, Anh. 6, Anh. 7, 184a, 173a and Anh. 8 are examples of such cantatas, the oldest of which were composed on a libretto by Christian Friedrich Hunold. Up to this point Bach's secular cantatas are generally in the Serenata format, lighthearted music with allegorical characters conversing about the excellence of the employer, and expressing their best wishes.
A secular wedding cantata, BWV 202, an Italian cantata, and the secular model for the Störmthal cantata BWV 194 probably originated around the same period. From 1723 until his death in 1750 Bach was employed as Thomaskantor in Leipzig: the bulk of his around 20 extant secular cantatas originated in this period. Bach's earliest known secular cantata on a libretto by Picander dates from 1725. Bach wrote or re-staged at least 36 secular cantatas in the last 25 years of his life, and around half of these were on librettos by Picander.
Occasions for Bach's secular cantatas written in Leipzig included Birthdays and name days for successive prince-electors of Saxony and other rulers, and their relatives, of principalities and duchies in Saxony, and similar occasions for academics of the university of Leipzig. Bach wrote sacred cantatas for funerals and weddings: he also wrote a few secular works for such occasions. In his Leipzig period part of Bach's secular cantata production is no longer in the Serenata format, but rather dramma per musica, implying a dramatic plot beyond mythological figures congratulating or paying homage to the person in whose honour the cantata was written.

Numerical and alphabetical

The BWV numbers assigned to the secular cantatas are random with regard to chronology and occasion. In the Bach Compendium, the secular cantatas are part of series G. That series also includes two cantatas known from very scant sources, insufficient to determine whether they were intended as sacred or secular.

By text incipit

Most of the secular cantatas are named after the first words of the libretto :
  • Amore traditore, BWV 203
  • Angenehmes Wiederau, BWV 30a
  • Auf, schmetternde Töne der muntern Trompeten, BWV 207a
  • Auf, süß-entzückende Gewalt, BWV Anh. 196
  • Blast Lärmen, ihr Feinde, BWV 205a
  • Der Himmel dacht auf Anhalts Ruhm und Glück, BWV 66a
  • Dich loben die lieblichen Strahlen der Sonne, BWV Anh. 6
  • Die Freude reget sich, BWV 36b
  • Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht, BWV 134a
  • Durchlauchtster Leopold, BWV 173a
  • Entfernet euch, ihr heitern Sterne, BWV Anh. 9
  • Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen, BWV 249a
  • Erwählte Pleißenstadt, BWV 216a
  • Es lebe der König, der Vater im Lande, BWV Anh. 11
  • Froher Tag, verlangte Stunden, BWV Anh. 18
  • Frohes Volk, vergnügte Sachsen, BWV Anh. 12
  • Geschwinde, ihr wirbelnden Winde, BWV 201
  • Heut ist gewiss ein guter Tag, BWV Anh. 7
  • Ich bin in mir vergnügt, BWV 204
  • Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter, BWV 193a
  • Laß, Fürstin, laß noch einen Strahl, BWV 198
  • Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213
  • Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet, BWV 212
  • Murmelt nur, ihr heitern Bäche, BWV Anh. 195
  • Non sa che sia dolore, BWV 209
  • O angenehme Melodei, BWV 210a
  • O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit, BWV 210
  • Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen, BWV 215
  • Schleicht, spielende Wellen, BWV 206
  • Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211
  • Schwingt freudig euch empor, BWV 36c
  • So kämpfet nur, ihr muntern Töne, BWV Anh. 10
  • Steigt freudig in die Luft, BWV 36a
  • Thomana saß annoch betrübt, BWV Anh. 19
  • Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214
  • Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten, BWV 207
  • Vergnügte Pleißenstadt, BWV 216
  • Verjaget, zerstreuet, zerrüttet, ihr Sterne, BWV 249b
  • Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208 and 208a
  • Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, BWV 202
  • Willkommen! Ihr herrschenden Götter der Erden, BWV Anh. 13
  • Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft, BWV 205

    Other titles

  • Aeolus Placated, The Placating of Aeolus → Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft, BWV 205
  • Apollo and Mercurius → Erwählte Pleißenstadt, BWV 216a
  • Coffee Cantata → Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211
  • The Celebration of Genius → Verjaget, zerstreuet, zerrüttet, ihr Sterne, BWV 249b
  • The Dispute between Phoebus and Pan ; Phoebus and Pan → Geschwinde, ihr wirbelnden Winde, BWV 201
  • Flow Gently, Fair Rivers!
  • Hercules at the Crossroads ; The Choice of Hercules → Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213
  • Hunting Cantata, also Hunt Cantata → Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208–208a
  • A Merry Contest of the Gods → Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208–208a
  • Mourning Ode, also Funeral Ode, Ode of Mourning → Laß, Fürstin, laß noch einen Strahl, BWV 198
  • On Contentedness → Ich bin in mir vergnügt, BWV 204
  • Peal, Shattering Fanfares!
  • Peasant Cantata, also Burlesque Cantata → Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet, BWV 212
  • Pleasant Fields of Wiederau
  • Praise thy Good Fortune!
  • "Sheep may safely graze", 9th movement of the Hunting Cantata → Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208
  • Shepherds' Cantata → Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen, BWV 249a
  • Sweet Voices Harmonious
  • Thunder, ye Drum-Rolls!
  • We've got a new squire

    No title extant

  • BWV 184a: secular cantata for New Year
  • BWV 194a: secular cantata model for BWV 194
  • BWV Anh. 8: congratulation cantata for New Year
  • BWV Anh. 20: Latin ode
  • BWV deest: Serenade

    Chronological and by occasion

The New Bach Edition groups the secular cantatas in the last seven volumes of Series I.
DatePlaceBWVTitleLibrettistOccasionBDW
1713-02-27Weißenfels208.1Hunting CantataFranckBirthday
1713-10-30Weimar1127Strophic ariaMyliusBirthday
1716?Weimar208.2Hunting CantataFranckCongratulation
1718-12-10Köthen66.1Der Himmel dacht...MenantesBirthday
1718–1719Köthen203Amore traditore?Concert with bass Riemschneider?
1719-01-01Köthen134.1Die Zeit, die Tag und...MenantesNew Year's wishes for Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen
1720-01-01Köthen1151Dich loben die...MenantesNew Year's wishes for Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen
1717–1723?Köthen?202Weichet nur,...?Wedding?
1720-12-10Köthen1153Heut ist gewiss...MenantesBirthday
1721–1722Köthen1150Ihr wallenden Wolken?New Year's wishes for Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen
1717–1723Köthen184.1??Likely congratulation of Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen
1717–1723Köthen194.1??Likely congratulation of Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen
1722-12-10Köthen173.1Durchlauchtster...?Birthday
1723-01-01Köthen1152Congratulation cantata?New Year's wishes for Leopold of A-K and his wife
1723-06-09LeipzigAnh. 195Murmelt nur,...?Academic celebration
1723-08-09Leipzig1155Latin ode?Academic session, speech for Frederick II of S-G-A
1725-02-23Weißenfels249.1Shepherd CantataPicanderBirthday
1725-04–05Leipzig36.1Schwingt freudig...Picander?Birthday of an academic
1725-08-03Leipzig205.1Aeolus PlacatedPicanderName day of an academic
1725-11-27Leipzig1163Auf, süß-entzückendeGottschedWedding
1726-08-25Leipzig249.2Celebration of GeniusPicanderBirthday
1726-11-30Köthen36.2Steigt freudig...PicanderBirthday
1726-12-11Leipzig207.1Vereinigte Zwietracht?Tenure start of an academic
1726–1727Leipzig204On ContentednessMenantesHausmusik?
1727-05-12Leipzig1156Entfernet euch,...HauptBirthday
1727-08-03Leipzig193.1Ihr Häuser des...PicanderName day
1727-10-17Leipzig198Mourning OdeGottschedMemorial
1728-02-05Leipzig216.1Vergnügte PleißenstadtPicanderWedding
1729-01-12Leipzig210.1O angenehme Melodei?Homage
Fall 1729Leipzig201Phoebus and PanPicanderConcert by Collegium Musicum
Leipzig216.2Apollo and MercuriusPicander, ?Homage
1731-04-09?Leipzig36.1Schwingt freudig...Picander?Birthday of an academic
1731-08-25Leipzig1160So kämpfet nur,...PicanderBirthday
1732-06-05Leipzig1162Froher Tag,...WincklerInauguration of renovated Thomasschule
1732-08-03Leipzig1157Es lebe der KönigPicanderName day
1733-08-03Leipzig1158Frohes Volk,...PicanderName day
1733-09-05Leipzig213The Choice of HerculesPicanderBirthday
1733-12-08Leipzig214Tönet, ihr Pauken!?Birthday
1734-02-19Leipzig205.2Blast Lärmen,...Picander?Coronation
Mid-1734Leipzig211Coffee CantataPicanderConcert in Café Zimmermann?
1734-10-05Leipzig215Preise dein GlückeClauderElected as king
1734-11-21LeipzigThomana saß...Landvoigt?Tenure start
1735-08-03Leipzig207.2Auf, schmetternde...?Name day
1736-10-07Leipzig206.1Schleicht, spielende...?Birthday
1737-09-28Wiederau30.1Angenehmes WiederauPicanderCongratulation on acquiring a manor
1737–1738Leipzig36.3Die Freude reget sich?Birthday of an academic
1738-04-28Leipzig1161Willkommen! Ihr...GottschedHomage
1739-10-07Leipzig1159Serenade?Birthday
1740-08-03Leipzig206.2Schleicht, spielende...?Name day
1741-09-19Berlin210.2O holder Tag?Wedding
1742-08-03Leipzig208.3Hunting CantataFranck, ?Name day
1742-08-30Kleinzschocher212Peasant CantataPicanderCongratulation on acquiring a manor
Early 1747?Leipzig209Non sa che sia doloreMetastasio, ?Leave-taking of an academic

Music for feasts at the courts of Weimar, Weißenfels and Köthen

NBA Volume 35 – Festmusiken für die Fürstenhäuser von Weimar, Weißenfels und Köthen:
  • Congratulation cantatas included in the volume:
  • * BWV 208: Was mir behagt ist nur die muntre Jagd
  • * BWV 134a: Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht
  • * BWV 173a: Durchlauchtster Leopold
  • Music lost, only described:
  • * BWV 249a: Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen
  • * BWV 66a: Der Himmel dacht auf Anhalts Ruhm und Glück
  • * BWV Anh. 6: Dich loben die lieblichen Strahlen der Sonne
  • * BWV Anh. 7: Heut ist gewiß ein guter Tag
  • * BWV Anh. 8: congratulation cantata for New Year 1723
  • * BWV 184a: congratulation cantata?
  • * BWV 194a: congratulation cantata?
  • * BWV 36a: Steigt freudig in die Luft

    Music celebrating the Saxonian prince-electoral family

NBA Volume 36 – Festmusiken für das Kurfürstlich-Sächsische Haus I:
  • Congratulation cantatas included in the volume:
  • * BWV 213: Lasst uns sorgen, uns wachen
  • * BWV 214: Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten
  • * BWV 206: Schleicht, spielende Wellen, und murmelt gelinde
  • Music lost, only described:
  • * BWV Anh. 9: Entfernet euch, ihr heitern Sterne
  • * BWV 193a: Ihr Häuser des Himmels, ihr scheinenden Lichter
  • * BWV Anh. 11: Es lebe der König, der Vater im Lande
  • * BWV Anh. 12: Frohes Volk, vergnügte Sachsen
NBA Volume 37 – Festmusiken für das Kurfürstlich-Sächsische Haus II:
  • Cantatas included in the volume:
  • * BWV 207a: Auf, schmetternde Töne der muntern Trompeten
  • * BWV 215: Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen
  • Only described:
  • * BWV 205a: Blast Lärmen, ihr Feinde! Verstärket die Macht
  • * BWV 208a: Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd
  • * BWV Anh. 13: Willkommen, ihr herrschenden Götter der Erden

    Music for celebrations at the Leipzig University

NBA Volume 38 – Festmusiken zu Leipziger Universitätsfeiern:
  • Cantatas included in the volume:
  • * BWV 205: Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft
  • * BWV 207: Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten
  • * BWV 198: Lass, Fürstin, lass noch einen Strahl
  • * BWV 36b: Die Freude reget sich
  • Only described:
  • * BWV Anh. 20: Lateinische Ode

    For Leipzig's city council and school; Celebrations of noblemen and civilians

NBA Volume 39 – Festmusiken für Leipziger Rats- und Schulfeiern / Huldigungsmusiken für Adelige und Bürger:
  • Cantatas included in the volume:
  • * BWV 36c: Schwingt freudig euch empor
  • * BWV 30a: Angenehmes Wiederau, freue dich in deinen Auen
  • * BWV 210a: O angenehme Melodei
  • * BWV 212: Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet
  • Only described:
  • * BWV 216a: Erwählte Pleißenstadt
  • * BWV Anh. 18: Froher Tag, verlangte Stunden
  • * BWV Anh. 19: Thomana saß annoch betrübt

    For weddings and diverse occasions

NBA Volume 40 – Hochzeitskantaten und Weltliche Kantaten verschiedener Bestimmung:
  • Cantatas included in the volume:
  • * BWV 202: Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten
  • * BWV 216: Vergnügte Pleißenstadt
  • * BWV 210: O holder Tag, erwünschte Zeit
  • * BWV 204: Ich bin in mir vergnügt
  • * BWV 201: Geschwinde, ihr wirbelnden Winde
  • * BWV 211: Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht
  • Music lost, only described:
  • * BWV Anh. 196: Auf, süß-entzückende Gewalt

    Italian cantatas

NBA Volume 41, Varia: Kantaten, Quodlibet, Einzelsätze, Bearbeitungen, contains, apart from various pieces of sacred vocal music and the incomplete Quodlibet, Bach's two Italian cantatas:
  • BWV 203: Amore traditore
  • BWV 209: Non sa che sia dolore

    Extant versions, reconstructions and recordings

Complete recordings of the secular cantatas include those by Peter Schreier and Helmuth Rilling. Also Masaaki Suzuki devoted a series of recordings to the secular cantatas.