''Non sa che sia dolore'', BWV 209

Non sa che sia dolore (He knows not what sorrow is), BWV 209,[lower-alpha 1] is a secular cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach and first performed in Leipzig in 1747.[1]

History and text

Bach likely composed this cantata as a farewell for Lorenz Albrecht Beck (1723-1768). The librettist for the work is unknown.[1]

Scoring and structure

The piece is scored for solo soprano voice, flauto traverso, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.[2]

The cantata has five movements:

  1. Sinfonia
  2. Recitative: Non sa che sia dolore
  3. Aria: Parti pur e con dolore
  4. Recitative: Tuo saver al tempo e l'età contrasta
  5. Aria: Ricetti gramezza e pavento

Music

Bach may have derived the opening sinfonia in B minor from a previous concerto. It includes a prominent "baroque 'weeping' figure". The first recitative uses tonality to underline the meaning of the "quasi-philosophical" text. The following da capo aria is in E minor and features a flute obbligato. The second recitative is short and secco, contrasting sharply with the final "ebulliently major" da capo aria.[3]

Recordings

  • Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner. Bach Cantatas. EMI, 1973.
  • Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Ton Koopman. J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 4. Erato, 1996.
  • The Bach Ensemble, Joshua Rifkin. J.S. Bach: Weichet nur betrübte Shatten "Hochzeitskantate". Decca, 1989.
  • Cologne Soloists Ensemble, Helmut Müller-Brühl. Maria Stader singt Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach. Pelca, 1965.
  • Orchestra of the Bach Guild, Anton Heiller. J.S. Bach: Cantata Nr. 51; Cantata Nr. 209. Amadeo, 1952.

Notes

  1. ↑ "BWV" is Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works.

References

  1. 1 2 Schulze, Hans-Joachim (2010), "Rätselhafte Auftragswerke Johann Sebastian Bachs : Anmerkungen zu einigen Kantatentexten", Bach-Jahrbuch, 96: 69–93
  2. ↑ "Cantata BWV 209 Non sa che sia dolore". Bach Cantatas. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  3. ↑ Mincham, Julian. "Chapter 101 BWV 209". jsbachcantatas. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
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