Klagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt BWV 1143; BWV 244a; BC [B 22]

Funeral Service, Köthen Cantatas, without assignment
Genre
Sacred cantata
Scoring
Vokalpartien "Die Sterblichen, Die Auserwehlten" (s. Textdruck); sonst unbekannt
Date of origin, Work history
vor dem 23. März 1729
The first performance took place on March 23 and 24, 1729, on the occasion of the mourning ceremonies for Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen, who passed away on November 19, 1728. The ceremonies were held at the Reformed Köthen City Church of St. Jakob, under Bach’s direction. On the evening before, the formal interment of the body likely took place in the crypt, accompanied by the first part of the figural music ("die trauer Music eine nehml. Zeit gehören […] bis alle Begleitende eingetreten" [the mourning music lasted for a considerable amount of time [...] until all the attendees had entered], see above in the records). On March 24, the funeral sermon was accompanied by three additional parts, before and after the sermon, as well as before the blessing (see the protocol records).
The music is lost but is partially reconstructable through its parody relationships to the first version of the St. Matthew Passion BWV 244.1 and to the Mourning Ode BWV 198. According to the Köthen Chamber accounts (Cammer-Rechnung), the following musicians were paid honoraria: CapellMeister Bachen,
deßen Ehefrau und Sohne auß Leipzig Ingleichen denen Musicis auß Halle, Merseburg, Zerbst, Deßau
und Güsten, so den 23 Martij abends bey der Beysetzung und am 24 Martij bey der Leichen Predigt die
Trauer Musiquen […] machen geholffen [CapellMeister Bach, his wife and sons from Leipzig, as well as musicians from Halle, Merseburg, Zerbst, Dessau, and Güsten, who helped perform the mourning music on the evening of March 23 at the interment and on March 24 at the funeral sermon] (Dok. II Nr. 259). The mentioned son is presumably C.P.E. Bach (see the transcript; compare with Wollny BJ 2020).
For an indirectly relayed eyewitness report from Leopold's sister regarding the mourning ceremony (die Music wehre Zimlich gewesen aber keine
fürstl. perchonn darbey gewesen [the music was decent, but no royal person was present]), see Dok. V Nr. B 259a. Regarding the parody relationship between the mourning music and the St. Matthew Passion, see BWV 244.1.
Sequence of Movements (according to the original text print) and Parody Relationships:
First Division.First part.
1. Aria: KLagt, Kinder, klagt es aller Welt, see BWV 198/1 (and BWV 247.1/1)
2. [Recit.]: O Land! bestürztes Land!
3. Aria: Weh und Ach Kränckt die Seelen tausendfach, see BWV 244.1/6
4. [Recit.]: Wie, wenn der Blitze Grausamkeit
5. Aria: Zage nur du treues Land, see BWV 244.1/8
6. [Recit.]: Ach ja! DEIN Scheiden geht uns nah
7. Aria: Komm wieder, Theurer Fürsten Geist, see BWV 198/10 (and BWV 247.1/46)
Other [second] part.
8. [Chor]: Wir haben einen GOtt, der da hilfft (Ps. 68, 21)
9. [Recit.]: Betrübter Anblick, voll Erschrecken
10. Aria: Erhalte mich, GOTT, in der Helffte meiner Tage, see BWV 244.1/39?
11. [Recit.]: Jedoch der schwache Mensche zittert nur
12. Aria: Mit Freuden, mit Freuden sey die Welt verlassen, see BWV 244.1/49
13. [Recit.]: Wohl also DIR DU aller Fürsten-Zier
14. [Chor]: Repetatur Dictum [= movement 8]
The third part.
15. Aria: LAß, Leopold, DICH nicht begraben, see BWV 244.1/57
16. [Recit.]: Wie kont es möglich seyn
17. Aria: Wird auch gleich nach tausend Zähren, see BWV 244.1/23
18. [Recit.]: Und, Herr, das ist die Specerey
19. Aria a 2. Chören: Geh, Leopold, zu Deiner Ruh (Die Sterblichen) – Und schlumre nur ein wenig ein
(Die Auserwehlten), see BWV 244.1/20
Fourth part.
20. Aria: BLeibet nun in eurer Ruh, see BWV 244.1/65
21. [Recit.]: Und Du betrübtes Fürsten-Hauß
22. Aria: Hemme Dein gequältes Kräncken, see BWV 244.1/13
23. [Recit.]: Nun scheiden wir, Hochseelger LEOPOLD, von DIR
24. Aria: tutti Die Augen sehn nach Deiner Leiche, see BWV 244.1/68
Early performances
, Köthen (Premiere) (Link to event)
relation to other works:
is part of BWV diverse [K. Kant.]
is part of BWV diverse [o.Jg.]
Comment
The music is lost. Christian Friedrich Henrici "Trauer-Music bey der dem Weyland Durchlauchtigsten Fürsten und Herrn, Herrn/ Leopolden, Fürsten zu Anhalt [...] in der Reformirten Stadt- und Cathedral-Kirchen zu Cöthen am 24.ten Martii 1729 [...]"
Libretto
C. F. Henrici. Movement 8 (and 14): Psalm 68, 21 (= sermon text). Transcript of the text by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach as a censorship template, with deviations in movement 6, 7, 16, 17, and 19 (D-DElsa: Z 70, A 6 No. 26 Volume I: "Acta, betreffend Das Absterbens und die Bestattung des Fürsten Leopold von Cöthen 1728/9" [Acta, concerning the passing and the burial of Prince Leopold of Cöthen 1728/9]; enclosed original text print and order of service, see Dok. II No. 258, as well as protocol records for the procedure); Original text print: Leipzig 1729 III; Text print: Picander 1732, page 189 (Trauer-Music, | Bey dem Hochfürstl. Leichen-Begängniß | des Durchl. | Fürsten und Herrn, | HERRN | Leopolden, | Fürsten zu Anhalt etc. | Cöthen 1729 [Trauer-Music, | At the High-Princely Funeral Procession | of the Illustrious | Prince and Lord, | LORD | Leopold, | Prince of Anhalt etc. | Cöthen 1729]; without movements 4–7)
Link to lyrics
Original sources
D-DElsa Z 70, A 6 Nr. 26 Bd. I [Text] [Libretto]
Additional sources
Es sind keine handschriftlichen Quellen überliefert. [unknown]
Edition
NBA I/34 (Ryuichi Higuchi) – Critical report (1990), S. 39; S. 137: Faksimile Textquellen
Literature
BG 20.2, S. VIII (W. Rust, 1867); Neumann 1967, S. 401 (Textwiedergabe)/Neumann 1974, S. 344 u. 398 (Faksimile Picander 1732 u. Leipzig 1729 III); Gojowy BJ 1965; Hofmann BJ 1983; Dürr K 1995, S. 815, S. 843–846; Wollny BJ 2020. Rekonstruktionen: Smith 200
persistent ID
BachDigitalWork_work_00000305
Static URL
https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000305
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Last changed
2024-06-07 : 11:12:48
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