Bach: Easter Cantata 'Rejoice, You Hearts' | Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir

How did Bach transform secular music into sacred cantatas? A perfect example of this would be the Easter cantata "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" (Rejoice, You Hearts), BWV 66.3. It is one of Bach's most beautiful cantatas from his first year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig. Performed by the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir under the direction of Dutch conductor and organist Ton Koopman. A live recording by Bachfest and Deutsche Welle on 12 June 2023 from the Thomaskirche Leipzig.

(00:04) Chorus: Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen
(09:54) Recitativo (Bass): Es bricht das Grab und damit unsre Not
(10:27) Aria (Bass): Lasset dem Höchsten ein Danklied erschallen
(17:41) Recitativo (Altus, Tenor): Bei Jesu Leben freudig sein
(21:54) Aria (Altus, Tenor): Ich fürchte zwar/nicht des Grabes Finsternisse
(29:08) Chorale: Alleluja! alleluja! alleluja!

Performers:
Elisabeth Breuer | SOPRANO
Maarten Engeltjes | ALTUS
Tilman Lichdi | TENOR
Klaus Mertens | BASS
AMSTERDAM BAROQUE ORCHESTRA & CHOIR
Ton Koopman | CONDUCTOR & ORGANIST

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) was highly motivated as he took up his post as Thomaskantor in Leipzig in May 1723. In his first year, the Baroque composer had his hands full. For the Sunday services alone, he composed cantatas weekly in the church year 1723/24, 63 in all. Today, these complex cantatas from Bach's "First Cantata Year in Leipzig" are among his most beautiful and are sung around the world. The 2023 Bach Festival in Leipzig marked the 300th anniversary of these cantatas with a special tribute. Renowned Bach specialists were invited to conduct their favorite cantatas. Among them was Ton Koopman and his Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir.

Johann Sebastian Bach not only composed and rehearsed cantatas with the choir of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. He also wrote passions, oratorios and motets to mark festive occasions. To lighten his workload, he often returned to earlier compositions, which he modified and newly orchestrated, a process known as parody. The cantata "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" BWV 66.3, which Bach had originally composed as a secular New Year's cantata for a prince in his time as Kapellmeister in Köthen, was created in this way. In 1724, he turned it into a suitable Easter cantata in the form of a parody. In other words, he had a text about the resurrection of Christ adapted to the cantata and also changed some of the music and the instrumentation.

Bach later revised this version once again, making the opening chorus with the solo trumpet more festive, among other things. In this recording, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir performs this last, more joyful version from 1735. No easy task for the ensemble, as the members have to sing and play the highest notes, especially the violins and trumpets. This spectacular Easter cantata about the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of Bach enthusiast Ton Koopman's favorite cantatas.

Ton Koopman, Dutch conductor, organist, harpsichordist and university lecturer, is one of the leading interpreters of early music, specializing in historically informed performances. He founded his ensemble, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, in 1979 and the choir in 1992. The ensemble consists of internationally renowned specialists in early music. The instruments played by the musicians are either originals or replicas, so that their interpretations of Baroque music sound as true to the period as possible. Koopman and his ensemble have recorded the complete works of Dietrich Buxtehude as well as all of Bach's cantatas.

© 2023Deutsche Welle/Bachfest Leipzig

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