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Cantata BWV 140
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme


Ref.:

BWV 140 / BC A 166

German Title:

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

English Title:

Wake up, cries the watchmen’s voice (by Richard Stokes)

Event:

Chorale Cantata for the 27th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10 / 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11; Gospel: Matthew 25: 1-13
Musical Context: Motets & Chorales for 27th Sunday after Trinity

Composed:

Leipzig, 1731
1st performance: November 25, 1731 - Leipzig

Text:

Philipp Nicolai (Mvts. 1, 4, 7); Anon (Mvts. 2, 3, 5, 6)

BWV 140 Text: German-1 | German-6 | German-7 | NBA Text
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 | English-8 | English-9 | English-10 | English-13 | English-14
Catalan-1 | Chinese-1 | Chinese-2 | Danish-1 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-1 | Dutch-3 | Dutch-4 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-2 | Hungarian-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-5 | Japanese-6 | Norwegian-1 | Polish-1 | Portuguese-1 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-3 | Spanish-7 | Spanish/English-8
Chorale Text: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme [BWV 140/1,4,7]

Scoring:

Soloists: Soprano, Tenor, Bass; 4-part Chorus
Orchestra: 2 oboes, taille, 2 violins, violin piccolo, viola, horn, continuo
Mvt. 1: Chorus (Chorale) | Mvt. 2: Recitative [T] | Mvt. 3: Aria - Duet [S, B] | Mvt. 4: Chorale [T] | Mvt. 5: Recitative [B] | Mvt. 6: Aria - Duet [S, B] | Mvt. 7: Chorale

Scores:

BWV 140 Scores: Score Vocal & Piano [2.83 MB] | Score BGA [3.22 MB]
Autograph Score (Facsimile): D LEb Thomana 140 [Bach Digital]
Chorales: Mvt. 4 | Mvt. 7
Capella: Mvt. 1 | Mvt. 2 | Mvt. 3 | Mvt. 4 | Mvt. 5 | Mvt. 6 | Mvt. 7 [cap]
ver 2: Mvt. 1 | Mvt. 2 | Mvt. 3 | Mvt. 4 | Mvt. 5 | Mvt. 6 | Mvt. 7 [cap]
ver 3: Mvt. 7 []
MuseScore: Complete Cantata | Mvt. 1 | Mvt. 2 | Mvt. 3 | Mvt. 4 | Mvt. 5 | Mvt. 6 | Mvt. 7 [MuseScore]
Score Examples: Continuo 4 - Examples from the Score
Annotated Score with Analysis: Complete Cantata [Unger]
Chorale Melody: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme [BWV 140/1,4,7]

References:

BWV 140 References: BGA: XXVIII | NBA: I/27 | BC: A 166 | Zwang: K 184 | First Published: Leipzig, 1847 | Autograph score (facsimile): ? | Provenance | Bach Digital

Commentaries:

BWV 140 / BC A 166 Commentaries: English: BCW | Crouch | All Music | Bethlehem | Emmanuel Music | Mincham | IOPN Library Illinois | NBV-AOB | Bachipedia | Wikipedia | Seattle [WBM] | E. Scott Smith [WBM]
Nielsen [Danish] | AL [Dutch] | DW [Dutch] | EvH [Dutch] | KL [Dutch] | Role [French] | Reyes [Spanish]

Music:

Music Examples


Contents

 

Discography

Discussions

Complete Recordings:
Part 1: Complete Recordings 1900-1949 (1)
Part 2: Complete Recordings 1950-1959 (9)
Part 3: Complete Recordings 1960-1969 (8)
Part 4: Complete Recordings 1970-1979 (4)
Part 5: Complete Recordings 1980-1989 (15)
Part 6: Complete Recordings 1990-1999 (13)
Part 7: Complete Recordings 2000-2009 (25)
Part 8: Complete Recordings 2010-2019 (62)
Part 9: Complete Recordings 2020-2029 (38) = 175
Recordings of Individual Movements:
Part 11: Individual Movements

General Discussions:
Discussions - Part 1
Discussions - Part 2 (1st round: Week of Dec 22, 2002)
Discussions - Part 3
Discussions - Part 4
Discussions - Part 5
Discussions - Part 6 (2nd round: Week of Aug 17, 2008)
Discussions - Part 7 (3rd round: Week of Oct 21, 2012)
Discussions - Part 8 (4th round: Week of Dec 3, 2017)
Discussions of Individual Recordings:
Cantatas BWV 140, 147 - J.E. Gardiner
Bach Cantatas on TV - T. Koopman
Bach Hits Back - Swingle Singers

Prepared by Aryeh Oron (September 2002 - June 2026)

Cantata BWV 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme for 27th Sunday after Trinity (1731)
Details | Complete Recordings: 1900-1949 | 1950-1959 | 1960-1969 | 1970-1979 | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2020-2029 | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8


Recordings & Discussions of Cantatas: Main Page | Cantatas BWV 1-50 | Cantatas BWV 51-100 | Cantatas BWV 101-150 | Cantatas BWV 151-200 | Cantatas BWV 201-224 | Cantatas BWV Anh | Order of Discussion
Discussions of General Topics: Cantatas & Other Vocal Works | Performance Practice | Radio, Concerts, Festivals, Recordings




 

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Last update: Friday, June 19, 2026 09:14