| IV (BWV Anh. 12) Frohes Volk, Vergnügte
Sachsen
Nameday of Augustus III (3 August). Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander), Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte, Teil IV (Leipzig, 1737); Facs: Neumann T, p. 352. 3 August 1733, Leipzig; Parody: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 ← III (BWV Anh. 18). NBA I/36, Krit. Bericht. 1. Aria Happy folk, contented Saxons,See your health and rapture waxing, See your common welfare grow. Your bright light will darken never, Time and fortune e'er will shimmer, Everlasting life doth bestow. Da Capo. 2. Recit. O happy land, what dost thou lack? If thine August sank in the grave To thy great grief this moment, Yet would thine August still live further. The flood of tears, the cry of fear Which thee did once alarm Are past and gone. For on this very day August Did o’er thee place a rainbow’s glory, A symbol of untroubled joy Unerring set aloft, And of contentedness the portals opened wide. Rise and be glad in all of this. 3. Aria Gracious and most charming light! Thy bright radiance, thy far glances Are the cause of our good fortune. As the flowers and the croplands Through the sunlight come to flourish And through its great strength succeed, So must, too, thy nature be. Da Capo. 4. Recit. Illustrious August, Thou, too, shouldst take delight In this thy faithful land’s great joy, And witness how thy loyal subjects Each other now, To pay thee honor, have exhorted. Yet Sire, their reverence not alone, But love would be their crowning work. And it is not Because it was within us born; No, but because thy gov’rnance To us conviction daily brings That thy devotion to this land is true. And all those who to thee belong And thy command revere and heed Will nothing else but this refrain be singing: 5. Tutti How peaceful, how steadfast is our prosp’rous fortune, Augustus himself hath his very own ear. He cometh amongst us, he biddeth the torments Of those having grievance with patience be told him, Eraseth of evil accursed generations, Provideth, protecteth, promoteth the righteous, And raiseth all honest folk’s virtue aloft. Da Capo. 6. Recit. Sire, envious neighbors now Cry out from every side to us: “Enthroned is here true righteousness, Here is its very property. Where is a prince of such repute, Who is as prudent, as upright, as gen’rous as thyself?” 7. Aria Fare and splendid sprouts the rue-leaf Da Capo. 8. Recit. O happy land, illustrious age!When virtue, when true godliness The scepter wield incarnate, How can such blessing ever vanish? Upon true righteousness Hath our authority been built. See, townsmen, see This firm security, This calm, serene protection; Who would assail so strong a fortress? 9. Aria Comfort take, thou godly throng, Think but on thy loyalty, Lead a life unvexed by worry. All the other things thou need’st, And through which thy fortune blooms, Will thee God and August offer. Da Capo. 10. Recit. The Lord, who princes takes and gives, And who thee, mighty August, loves, Establish firm thy house, Endowing thee in every journey With long-life’s blessing, health and fortune, With richest store of excellence! And thy Belovéd spouse, the gem of Austria, Thy crown prince, princes, every princess, Whom heaven, time and luck hold fondly to their bosom, Be quickened with such health and happiness As palms are wont which stand by welling brooks 11. Tutti Mighty sustainer, creator of all, Send from above now thy blessing and strength, Bless now this nation’s most generous father, Further what wisdom and prudence resolve, Grant him what hope and desire portend, Crown all his armies with vict’ry triumphant, Cede to the ages a steadfast contentment. Da Capo. 1. The rue, represented on the Saxon coat of
arms, is a symbol of Augustus' authority. Its growth over the
Electoral Domains (Chur) is probably an etymological play on the
name Augustus (from Latin augeo 'increase'). © Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose |