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Cantata BWV 140 was composed during Bach’s Leipzig period (1723-1750) where his position of employment was that of Cantor and Musical Director at St Thomas’s Church in Leipzig1. During this time, Bach primarily wrote for the needs of this position and it was his role to assume responsibility for the music at the church, 2 (and others churches in Leipzig) often composing for specific religious occasion s and everyday services. As a result Bach produced many of his cantatas and church music during this time. Cantata BWV 140 was written specifically for the twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity3 to compliment the Gospel reading at the church service. During Bach’s time, the work would not have been performed as a whole in the church but rather, broken into separate entities with readings and prayer in between. ... 5
Bach draws on text written by the poet and hymnist Phillip Nicolai which is based on the same parable.6 Both the text and chorale melody Bach uses is derived from the hymn Wachet Auf composed earlier by Nicolai. ...
First Movement
“of the watchman high up in the tower”
Bach uses the Soprano line to emphasize the height of the tower, with the climax of the phrase (high G) pitched as the Soprano sings the word “high”. ... ”(Bar127)
In both these bars, Bach uses an ascending line that starts in the bases and works it way through the voices. ... Alleluia is to praise God, so perhaps Bach made use of the more elaborate motive as a means of demonstrating the text’s praise for God.
Approximate Word count = 1293
Approximate Pages = 5.2
(250 words per page double spaced)
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