Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn, BWV 132 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn |
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| Church cantata | |
The Schlosskirche in Weimar
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| Occasion | Fourth Sunday in Advent |
| Performed | 22 December 1715: Weimar |
| Movements | 6 |
| Vocal | SATB choir and solo |
| Instrumental |
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Imagine a special musical story told with voices and instruments! That's what a church cantata is. This one, called Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn (which means "Prepare the paths, prepare the road"), was written by the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It's known as BWV 132 in the list of his works.
Bach created this cantata in Weimar, Germany, in 1715. He wrote it for a special church day called the Fourth Sunday of Advent. He even led the very first performance of it on December 22, 1715.
A year before, Bach had become the concertmaster (a top musician) at the Weimar court. This meant he had to write a new cantata every month. These were performed in the Schlosskirche, which was the church inside the Duke's palace. Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn was his first cantata for the Fourth Sunday in Advent.
The words for this cantata were written by a poet named Salomon Franck. His words were inspired by the Bible story of John the Baptist. Franck's poem talks about how baptism helps Christians get ready for Jesus.
Bach designed the music with six different parts, called movements. These parts switch between solo songs (arias) and spoken-like sections (recitatives). He used a small group of musicians: four singers, an oboe, string instruments (violins, viola, cello), and a continuo (like a cello and keyboard playing the bass line). All the voices sing together only in the very last part, which is a hymn. The music for this final hymn was lost, but musicians can use a similar hymn from another one of Bach's cantatas.
A Look at Its History
In 1714, Bach got a new job as the concertmaster for the dukes of Saxe-Weimar. This meant he was in charge of writing new music, especially cantatas, for the palace church. He had to write one every month! Bach himself wrote the date on this cantata, showing it was for the Fourth Sunday in Advent.
The Bible readings for that Sunday were about "Rejoice in the Lord" from the Epistle to the Philippians. They also included the story of John the Baptist from the Gospel of John.
The words for the cantata were written by the court poet Salomon Franck. He published them in a collection called Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer in 1715. Franck included a verse from an old hymn by Elisabeth Cruciger called "Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn".
In the first song (aria), Franck's words are based on a passage from the Book of Isaiah: "Bereitet dem Herrn den Weg" (Prepare the path for the Lord). This same Bible verse is also used at the beginning of George Frideric Handel's famous work, Messiah. Franck's poem also talks about baptism as a way to get ready. It speaks to each Christian as a part of Christ.
Bach first performed this cantata on December 22, 1715, in the Duke's church. He couldn't perform it again in Leipzig later because there was a special rule called tempus clausum during Advent. This rule meant that certain types of music were not allowed to be performed during that time. The cantata was first published in 1881.
How the Music is Built
Bach organized this cantata into six movements. These parts switch between solo songs (arias) and spoken-like sections (recitatives). The cantata ends with a hymn (chorale).
It's written for four solo singers: a soprano (high female voice), an alto (lower female voice), a tenor (high male voice), and a bass (low male voice). The instruments include an oboe, two violins, a viola, a cello, and a basso continuo. The continuo usually includes a cello and a keyboard instrument like a harpsichord or organ. A full choir is only needed for the final hymn, if at all.
The original music for the final hymn is missing. It might have been written on a separate piece of paper. For performances today, musicians often use the same hymn from another one of Bach's cantatas, Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennet, BWV 164, by changing its key.
Here's a simple look at the different parts of the cantata:
| No. | Title | Text | Type | Vocal | Winds | Strings | Key | Time |
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| 1 | Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn (Prepare the paths, prepare the road!) | Franck | Aria (solo song) | Soprano | Oboe | 2 Violins, Viola | A major | 6/8 |
| 2 | Willst du dich Gottes Kind und Christi Bruder nennen (If you wish to be called God's child and Christ's brother) | Franck | Recitative (spoken-like) | Tenor |  |
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| 3 | Wer bist du? Frage dein Gewissen (Who are you? Ask your conscience) | Franck | Aria (solo song) | Bass | Cello | E major | |
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| 4 | Ich will, mein Gott, dir frei heraus bekennen (I would freely confess to You, my God) | Franck | Recitative (spoken-like) | Alto | 2 Violins, Viola | |
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| 5 | Christi Glieder, ach bedenket (Christ's members, ah, consider) | Franck | Aria (solo song) | Alto | Solo Violin | B minor | |
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| 6 | Ertöt uns durch deine Güte (Mortify us through Your goodness) | Cruziger | Chorale (hymn) | SATB (all four voices) | music lost | |
The Music Itself
1. First Aria
The first song, "Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!" (Prepare the paths, prepare the road!), is a solo for the soprano singer. It's a lively piece, almost like a dance. The soprano sings long, flowing notes, like calls to prepare the way. The oboe plays fancy, quick musical patterns, similar to what you might hear in Bach's non-religious music. The song ends with joyful calls: "Messias kömmt an" (The Messiah arrives).
2. Tenor Recitative
The tenor's spoken-like part, "Willst du dich Gottes Kind und Christi Bruder nennen" (If you wish to be called God's child and Christ's brother), has some parts that are more like singing. This helps to highlight important ideas like "the Christians' crown and glory" and "roll back the heavy stones of sin." The singer's voice and the continuo instruments sometimes play in a "call and response" way. This shows the idea of "following" and how they come together to express unity.
3. Bass Aria
In the bass solo, "Wer bist du? Frage dein Gewissen" (Who are you? Ask your conscience), the question "Who are you?" is asked. This question was originally asked to John the Baptist in the Bible. Here, it's sung by the bass, as if Jesus himself is asking the listener this question. The cello often plays a special solo part. Its first musical idea expresses the question and is repeated throughout the song. The singer's melody is even based on this cello idea.
4. Alto Recitative
The alto's spoken-like part, "Ich will, mein Gott, dir frei heraus bekennen" (I would freely confess to You, my God), is very expressive. The string instruments play chords that make the words stand out.
5. Alto Aria
A solo violin plays along with the alto's song, "Christi Glieder, ach bedenket" (Christ's members, ah, consider). This might be inspired by the words about "Christ gave as new garments crimson robes, white silk." Some music experts think the violin music sounds like the cleansing effect of baptismal water. They say Bach often created musical pictures of water when baptism was mentioned.
6. Closing Chorale
The music for the final hymn, "Ertöt uns durch deine Güte" (Mortify us through Your goodness), is lost. However, musicians can use the same hymn from Bach's Cantata BWV 164, just played in a different key.
See also
In Spanish: Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!, BWV 132 para niños
