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Easter Oratorio
BWV 249
Oratorio by J. S. Bach
Nikolaikirche, Leipzig
Native nameOster-Oratorium (Kommt, eilet und laufet)
OccasionEaster
Cantata textPicander?
Based onShepherd Cantata
Performed1 April 1725 (1725-04-01): Leipzig (cantata)
Easter 1738 (oratorio)
Movements11
VocalSATB soloists and choir
Instrumental
  • 3 trumpets
  • timpani
  • 2 oboes
  • oboe d'amore
  • bassoon
  • 2 recorders
  • flauto tranverso
  • 2 violins
  • viola
  • continuo

The Easter Oratorio (German: Oster-Oratorium), BWV 249, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach.[1] He composed it in Leipzig, reusing music from a congratulatory cantata, Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen, BWV 249a, known as the Shepherd Cantata, which he had performed on 23 February 1725 for Christian, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. The text of the secular cantata was written by Picander, in his first documented collaboration with Bach. Picander may also have adapted his text for an Easter cantata the same year, the future oratorio's first version. It was originally titled Kommt, gehet und eilet (Come, go and hurry). Bach led the first performance of the cantata on Easter Sunday, 1 April 1725, in a morning service at the Nikolaikirche and a vespers service at the Thomaskirche.

Bach made the composition the Easter Oratorio when he wrote a new manuscript copy with some changes and a new title in 1738. This version is also known as Kommt, eilet und laufet (Come, hasten and run). Unlike Bach's other oratorios, it features no original Biblical text sung by an Evangelist narrator, and no chorale, but is an interaction between four characters. In its 1725 cantata stage, they were assigned to characters from the Easter story from the Gospel of Luke, 24:1–13. In the oratorio, Bach assigned them more generally to four voice parts.

The work, basically the same music in cantata and oratorio, is structured in eleven movements. It is scored festively with a Baroque instrumental ensemble of three trumpets, timpani, two oboes, oboe d'amore, bassoon, two recorders, flauto traverso (only in the oratorio version), strings and continuo. In the cantata version and the first oratorio version, the choir sang only in the final movement. Bach revised the work, which he seems to have regarded highly, again in the 1740s, rewriting the third movement partly for choir. He performed it once more in 1749, the year before his death.

History

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Secular model

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Bach composed Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen, BWV 249a, known as the Shepherd Cantata or Weissenfels Serenade, in 1725 for the 43rd birthday of his patron, Christian, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. It was performed at Schloss Neu-Augustusburg [de] on 23 February 1725.[2][3][4] The author of the Shepherd Cantata was Picander,[2][5] in their first documented collaboration.[6][7] It seems likely that Picander also wrote the text for the Easter cantata, and that Bach planned from the start to reuse the music.[8][9][10] Picander would write in 1728 about their collaboration: "I flatter myself that the lack of poetic charm may be compensated for by the loveliness of the music of our incomparable Kapellmeister Bach, and that these songs may be sung in the main churches of our pious Leipzig."[11] The Shepherd Cantata, an interaction between two shepherds and two shepherdesses and termed a Tafelmusik, was probably performed as musical theatre.[7]

Easter cantata (1725)

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Bach used the music of the Shepherd Cantata, only composing new recitatives, for a church cantata for Easter Sunday. The festive nature of the original source material made it well-suited for the celebration of Easter. It can be considered an Easter play, following a custom of "scenic representation of the Easter story".[12][13]

It seems likely that Picander also wrote the text for the cantata. Both share the same metrical pattern in order to use the arias and the chorus without modifications. Only the recitatives were newly composed.[8][4] The cantata, different from the secular model, is opened by two instrumental movements that are probably taken from a concerto of the Köthen period.[12] The cantata was originally titled Kommt, gehet und eilet (Come, go and hurry).[14][15] The Easter Cantata does not include chorales, which is unusual in Bach's liturgical music.[16]

The first performances came on Easter Sunday, 1 April 1725, after Bach had led the his St John Passion in its second version on Good Friday.[8][14] Bach performed it with the Thomanerchor twice, in the morning service at the Nikolaikirche where Salomon Deyling gave the sermon, and in a vespers service at the Thomaskirche, with a sermon by Johann Gottlob Carpzov.[14]

Oratorio (1738)

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Bach focused on new church cantatas when he assumed the position of Thomaskantor in Leipzig in 1723. For Good Friday of 1724, he wrote the St John Passion as an extended dramatic composition.[17]. It was followed by the St Matthew Passion in 1727, to a text by Picander.[18]

Bach thought of other larger forms from 1732, an official year of mourning with no festive music. In 1733 he composed the Missa for the Court of Dresden, mostly compiled in parody style from earlier compositions.[19] For Christmas 1734, he wrote the Christmas Oratorio, performed in six church services, based mainly on congratulatory cantatas. He reflected oratorios also for two other feasts of a celebratory nature, Easter and Ascension Day, intended for use in their church services.[20] He composed the Ascension Oratorio, first performed probably on Ascension Day 1738.[21]

For Easter 1738, Bach could use the 1725 Easter cantata basically at it was. He wrote a new autograph score of the music and at this time labelled the work Oratorio.[8][22] In this version, Bach omitted the assignment of characters to the music and noted only the voice parts.[9] Compared to Bach's two other oratorios, the Easter Oratorio is different because of its lack of biblical texts and hymns. It reflects the development of Bach's desire to compose a religious oratorio based on a scriptural tale, but without using dramatic dialogue. According to the musicologist Christoph Wolff, who called the three oratorios a trilogy, "Bach managed to alter markedly the oratorio by skillfully transforming it from theatrical into devotional music".[23] Its early performance history suggests that Bach enjoyed the work.[23]

Revised oratorio (1740s)

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In a later version from the 1740s, the third movement was expanded from a duet into a four-part chorus.[9][12][24] Bach performed it for the last time on Easter Sunday 1749,[23] after his last performance of the St John Passion.[9]

Music

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Plot, structure and scoring

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Unlike Bach's later Christmas Oratorio, the music for Easter has no Evangelist narrator providing Biblical text. The plot is based on the Gospel of Luke, 24:1–13. It features four characters assigned to the four voice parts: the disciples Simon (tenor) and John (bass), appearing in the first duet hurrying to Jesus' grave and finding it empty, meeting there Mary Magdalene (alto) and "the other Mary", Mary Jacobe (soprano).[8][15][25] While Bach dropped the assignment of characters to voice parts in the oratorio version, they are retained in the description of the music, for clarity of the narration.

The work is structured in eleven movements, with two instrumental movements at the beginning. It is the only work among Bach's Passions and oratorios that features no chorale.[8] The third movement opens the scene with two disciples moving towards the grave of Jesus. The following movements 4 to 10 alternate recitatives, in which the characters interact, with arias in which they express emotional reaction.[8] The work is concluded by a chorus of praise. Originally the choir was present only in this final movement, but Bach rewrote the opening duet, setting it partly for choir, in the 1740s. The music is festively scored with a Baroque instrumental ensemble of three trumpets (Tr), timpani, two oboes (Ob), oboe d'amore (Oa), bassoon (Bs), two recorders (Rec), flauto traverso (Ft), two violins (Vn), viola (Va) and continuo (bc).[24][26]

In the following table of the movements, in the revised 1740s version, the scoring, keys and time signatures are taken from Alfred Dürr's standard work Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach, using the symbol for common time (4/4). Dürr notes a duration of 47 minutes.[27] The timpani always play with the trumpets and are not mentioned. Information from earlier versions is given in brackets.

No. Type Text (source) Vocal Brass and winds Strings Bass Key Time
1 Sinfonia 3Tr 2Ob Bs 2Vl Va Bc D major 3
8
2 Adagio Ft (Ob) 2Vl Va Bc B minor 3
4
3 Chorus Kommt, eilet und laufet SATB (T B) 3Tr 2Ob 2Vl Va Bc 3
8
4 Rec. O kalter Männer Sinn S A T B Bc B minor common time
5 Aria Seele, deine Spezereien S Ft Bc B minor 3
4
6 Rec. Hier ist die Gruft A T B Bc common time
7 Aria Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer T 2Rec 2Vl Bc G major common time
8 Rec. Indessen seufzen wir S A Bc common time
9 Aria Saget, saget mir geschwinde A Oa 2Vl Va Bc A major common time
10 Rec. Wir sind erfreut B Bc common time
11 Chorus Preis und Dank SATB 3Tr 2Ob 2Vl Va Bc D major common time 3
8

Movements

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The music of the arias and the closing chorus, Nos. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11, correspond to movements of the Shepherd Cantata, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, while the recitatives were newly composed for Easter.[8] John Eliot Gardiner and Yvonne Frindle pointed out that the sequence of arias resembles a dance suite.[9][28]

1 and 2

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The oratorio opens with two contrasting instrumental movements, a Sinfonia, an Allegro concerto grosso of the full orchestra with solo sections for trumpets, violins and oboes, and an Adagio, featuring a solo oboe and sigh motifs (Seufzermotive) in the strings.[8] Frindle signified that the Allegro with trumpets and timpani meant the return of festive music after the "quiet time" of Lent.[9] The Adagio is reminiscent of a Venetian slow movement, according to Gardiner.[28] Bach exchanged the solo instrument for the flauto traverso in the third version. The two movements may come from a lost concerto from Bach's Köthen period. It had been suggested that Bach derived the third movement from the same concerto, but this was rejected on the grounds that no Bach concertor had three movements in triple metre.[8][12][28]

3

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The first movement to be sung is the third movement, "Kommt, eilet und laufet" (Come, hasten and run).[1] In the secular music, the music is always for two voices, first for tenor and bass singing "Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen" (Flee, dissolve, fade away, you cares),[29] to which, after a middle section, soprano and alto respond with the same text.[29] The middle section is full of coloratura that illustrate laughter and mirth in the secular work.[30]

The music for the Easter work began, in the 1725 version, as a duet of tenor and bass as the two disciples Simon and John ran to the grave of Jesus. Upward runs illustrate their motion. In a 1740s version, Bach set its outer sections for choir, leaving the middle section as a duet.[6][12]

4

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All solo voices are involved in the first recitative, "O kalter Männer Sinn!" (O cold hearts of men!),[1] meeting at the empty grave.[15]

5

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The first of the arias is given to the soprano as Maria Jacobe, "Seele, deine Spezereien" (O soul, your spices).[1] While the secular original talked about "Hunderttausend Schmeicheleien" (A hundred thousand pleasantries),[29] the woman at the grave reflects that now, told that Jesus was no longer there, the ointments they brought for the corpse are no longer needed, and she imagines a laurel wreath for the victor.[15] Gardiner compared the music to a minuit, with an obbligato flute.[28]

6

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In the second recitative, "Hier ist die Gruft" (Here is the grave),[1][15] Mary Magdalene shares with the disciples that an angel told her that Jesus had risen.[1]

7

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The second aria is sung by the tenor as Simon, "Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer nur ein Schlummer, Jesu, durch dein Schweißtuch sein" (Gentle shall my death-throes be only a slumber, Jesus, because of your shroud),[1] while the topic of the secular aria was the sleep of the sheep: "Wieget euch, ihr satten Schafe, in dem Schlafe" (Rock yourselves, you contented sheep, into sleep),[29] Simon imagines his death as peaceful now that the shroud makes him believe that Jesus has risen.[15] The gentle music of muted strings and recorders over a bass with a pedal-like calm pulse is reminiscent of a cradle song.[30] Gardiner compared it to a bourrée and pointed out that recorders were also used in the Actus tragicus funeral music.[28]

8

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In the third recitative, "Indessen seufzen wir" (Meanwhile we sigh),[1][15] the women express their desire to see Jesus again.[1]

9

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Mary Magdalene expresses in the alto aria "Saget, saget mir geschwinde, saget, wo ich Jesum finde" (Tell me, tell me quickly, say where I can find Jesus),[1] her desire to find Jesus, based on words from the Song of Songs.[8] In the secular model, "Komm doch, Flora, komm geschwinde" (Come, Flora, come quickly), Flora is called to bless the fields so that the peasants can pay their duties to the dedicatee of the music, Christian, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. The piece opens with a concertante ritornello for oboe and strings; the voice picks up the oboe's theme, while the oboe accompanies.[30]

In the middle section of the Easter work the woman says that without her beloved, she is "ganz verwaiset und betrübt" (completely orphaned and desolate).[1] This passage is, deviating from the secular model, set as adagio.[12] The words and emotions are close to those opening of Part Two of the St Matthew Passion. Gardiner, who compared the piece to a gavotte, saw the Adagio phrase as "almost a blueprint of a Mozartian tragedienne's grief".[28]

10

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In the last recitative, "Wir sind erfreut, daß unser Jesus wieder lebt" (We are delighted that our Jesus lives again),[1][15] John summarises joy that Jesus lives again and calls for songs of joy.[1]

11

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In the final movement, the choir brings praise and thanks, "Preis und Dank bleibe, Herr, dein Lobgesang" (Praise and thanks remain, Lord, your hymn of praise).[1] In the secular work, the conclusion was a congratulation, beginning with "Glück und Heil bleibe dein beständig Teil!" (May Fortune and health remain your constant portion!).[1] The movement is structured in two contrasting sections, resembling the Sanctus composed for Christmas 1724 and later made part of the Mass in B minor;[12] both pieces feature dotted rhythm in common time and mostly chordal vocal parts.[30] The second section recalls the opening Sinfonia in metre and fanfare motifs;[8] Gardiner compared it to a gigue.[28]

Manuscripts and publication

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The oldest sources of the Easter Cantata are 14 manuscript parts, probably from the secular cantata, which were used for the performance for Easter 1725, probably with the score of the secular work with added lines of text.[8]

The autograph score of the Easter Oratorio from 1738 is extant. It features unusually detailed markings for articulation and dynamics; the editor Ulrich Leisinger called it "one of Bach's most beautiful scores". Bach wrote the vocal parts again in 1743 and added a new principale part in 1749.[8]

The Easter Oratorio was published in the Neue Bach-Ausgabe in 1977, edited by Paul Brainard; a critical report followed in 1981.[14] It was published by Carus-Verlag in 2003 as part of Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben, a complete edition of Bach's vocal works, edited by Leisinger.[8]

Recordings

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A list of recordings is provided on the Bach Cantatas website.[31] Choirs with one voice per part (OVPP) and ensembles playing period instruments in historically informed performances are shown with a green background. Michael Wersin compared several recordings in 2014.[13]

Recordings of Easter Oratorio
Title Conductor / Choir / Orchestra Soloists Label Year Choir type Orch. type
J. S. Bach: Oster-Oratorium BWV 249[13] Marcel Couraud
L'ensemble vocal et instrumental de Stuttgart
Erato 1956 (1956)
Oratorio de Pâques Fritz Werner
Heinrich-Schütz-Chor Heilbronn
Pforzheim Chamber Orchestra
Erato 1964 (1964)
Osteroratorium BWV 249 Wolfgang Gönnenwein
Süddeutscher Madrigalchor
Süddeutsches Kammerorchester
HMV 1965 (1965)
J. S. Bach: Easter Oratorio; Cantata BWV 10[13] Karl Münchinger
Wiener Akademiechor
Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
Decca 1968 (1968)
Die Bach Kantate Vol. 11[13] Helmuth Rilling
Gächinger Kantorei
Bach-Collegium Stuttgart
Hänssler 1981 (1981)
J. S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 11 "Ascension" · "Himmelfahrts-Oratoriun"; BWV 249 Easter" · "Pâques" · "Oster-Oratorium" Gustav Leonhardt
Orchestra & Choir of the Age of Enlightenment
Philips 1993 (1993) Period
J. S. Bach: Christ lag in Todes Banden; Oster-Oratorium · Easter Oratorio (BWV 4, 249)[13] Andrew Parrott
Taverner Consort & Players
Virgin Classics 1993 (1993) OVPP Period
J. S. Bach - Easter Oratorio BWV 249; Cantata BWV 66 "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen[13][32] Philippe Herreweghe
Collegium Vocale Gent
Harmonia Mundi 1994 (1994) Period
Oster-Oratorium BWV 249 Philippe Herreweghe
Collegium Vocale Gent
Brilliant Classics 1994 (1994) Period
Easter Oratorio Ton Koopman
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir
Erato 1998 (1998) Period
J. S. Bach: Magnificat · Easter Oratorio[13] Paul McCreesh
Gabrieli Consort
Archiv Produktion 2001 (2001) OVPP Period
J.S. Bach: Easter Oratorio · Ascension Oratorio[13] Masaaki Suzuki
Bach Collegium Japan
BIS 2004 (2004) Period
J. S. Bach: Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year Vol. 13: "Oster-Oratorium" (Cantatas BWV 249, 6)[33] Sigiswald Kuijken
La Petite Bande
Archiv Produktion 2009 (2009) OVPP Period
J. S. Bach: Easter Oratorio, BWV 249[10] Frans Brüggen
Cappella Amsterdam
Orchestra of the 18th Century
Glossa 2011 (2011) Period
Bach: Easter Oratorio; Actus Tragicus[28][34] John Eliot Gardiner
Monteverdi Choir
English Baroque Soloists
  • Hannah Morrison
  • Margaret Bragle
  • Nicholas Mulroy
  • Peter Harvey
 Soli Deo Gloria 2013 (2013) Period
J. S. Bach: Osteroratorium · C. P. E. Bach: Danket dem Herrn / Heilig[13] Frieder Bernius
Kammerchor Stuttgart
Barockorchester Stuttgart
Carus 2014 (2014) Period

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Dellal 2025.
  2. ^ a b Bach Digital secular 2025.
  3. ^ Wolf 2021.
  4. ^ a b Wolff 2020, p. 241.
  5. ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 273–274.
  6. ^ a b Maul 2025.
  7. ^ a b Grychtolik 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Leisinger 2003.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Frindle 2021.
  10. ^ a b Veen 2013.
  11. ^ Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 274.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wersin 2014.
  14. ^ a b c d Bach Digital cantata 2025.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 273.
  16. ^ Wolff 2020, p. 242.
  17. ^ Bach digital St John Passion 2025.
  18. ^ Bach digital St Matthew Passion 2025.
  19. ^ Wolff 2020, p. 229.
  20. ^ Wolff 2020, p. 192.
  21. ^ Bach Digital Ascension 2024.
  22. ^ Wolff 2010.
  23. ^ a b c Wolff 2020, p. 243.
  24. ^ a b Bach Digital oratorio late 2025.
  25. ^ Wolff 2010, p. 7.
  26. ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, pp. 271–230.
  27. ^ Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 271.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h Gardiner 2014.
  29. ^ a b c d Dellal 2 2025.
  30. ^ a b c d Dürr & Jones 2006, p. 809.
  31. ^ Oron 2024.
  32. ^ Vernier 2000.
  33. ^ Henkel 2011.
  34. ^ Quinn 2014.

Cited sources

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Further reading

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  • Markus Rathey: Bach's Major Vocal Works: Music-Drama-Liturgy. London: Yale University Press, 2016, 138–165
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