BWV 36c Schwingt freudig euch empor
Birthday Cantata for a teacher Poet perhaps Picander; original format for BWV 36a (so Dürr, p. 46); April or May? 1725, Leipzig; 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 Parody → BWV 36b and 1, 3, 5, 7 Parody → BWV 36. BG 7, Anhang, and 34; NBA I/39. 1. Chorus (S, A, T, B) With gladness rise aloft, unto the stars press onward,Good wishes, till you God before his throne beholds! Yet, pause awhile! a heart need not span such great distance That gratitude and duty to its teacher pull. 2. Recit. (T) A heart that’s filled with soft affections, That in him endless joy awakes, Is almost overwhelmed in its own pleasure, For to it hope doth ever more reveal. There riseth like a brilliant light, Devotion's ardor to God’s holy shrine; How true, the worthy teacher’s fame Is his own pole, to which, a magnet like, His hopes and his deep longing tend. 3. Aria (T) Love's force doth guide with gentle paces
This heart more cautiously is stirring For to it reverence measure gives. 4. Recit. (B) Thou art, indeed, O much deserving Sir,The man who in unbroken teaching With highest honors The senior badge of silver can display. Thanks, veneration, fame, They all come here together; And since thou these our hearts As light and leader must direct, Thou wilt this joyful commendation not condemn. 5. Aria (B) The day that thee long hence did bear Appears to us so wholesom now As that day when our Maker saith: Let there be light! 6. Recit. (S) Just this one thing doth worry us: Our offering may be too imperfect; Yet, if it but by thee, O valued teacher, kindly find acceptance, Its worth, however poor, will rise As high as our devoted hearts desire. 7. Aria (S) E'en with our muted, feeble voices
Although the joy which we here feel But partly know itself to tell. 8. Recit (T) In such delightful joyful moments 9. Chorus (S, A, T, B) and Recit. (T, B, S) As the years find their renewal
But yet, why do we wish, For this will of itself come true, And since indeed thy fame, Which our own Helicon(1) knoweth best, Is seen as well in other climes? (S,A,T,B)
So we shall hush And show thereby to thee Our gratitude though not within our mouths Is all the more within our hearts expressed. (S,A,T,B)
When gratitude our mouths doth open, Then every limb doth in the pleasure share; The eye extends beyond its wonted limits And sees thy coming happiness. (S,A,T,B) 1. The tenor refers to the chorus as Muses or children of Muses, the express roll of the chorus in BWV 36b/1. © Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose |