Composition: Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!, BWV 70 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)
| Title | Wachet, betet, seid bereit allezeit! |
| Alternative title | Watch! pray! pray! watch! |
| Creators | Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) and Christoph Demantius (librettist) and Christian Keymann (librettist) |
| Opus | BWV 70 |
| Instrumentation | soprano, alto, tenor, bass, mixed chorus and orchestra |
| Number of movements | 11 |
| Keys | C major |
| Composed | 1723 |
| First published | 1868 |
| Dedication | — |
| Tempo markings | — |
| Metronome markings | — |
| Time signatures | — |
| Average duration (sec) | 1560 |
| Number of measures | — |
| Composition types | Sacred cantatas |
| Language | German |
| Period | Baroque |
| View on IMSLP |  |
| Code |  |
Sections
| Title click for details |
Metronome | Key | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Chorus: Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! | — | C major | — |
| 2. Recitativo (bass): Erschrecket, ihr verstockten Sünder! | — | F major | — |
| 3. Aria (alto): Wenn kömmt der Tag, an dem wir ziehen | — | A minor | — |
| 4. Recitativo (tenor): Auch bei dem himmlischen Verlangen | — | D minor | — |
| 5. Aria (soprano): Laßt der Spötter Zungen schmähen | — | E minor | — |
| 6. Recitativo (tenor): Jedoch bei dem unartigen Geschlechte | — | D major | — |
| 7. Chorale: Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele | — | G major | — |
| 8. Aria (tenor): Hebt euer Haupt empor | — | G major | — |
| 9. Recitativo (bass): Ach, soll nicht dieser große Tag | — | E minor | — |
| 10. Aria (Bass): Seligster Erquickungstag | — | C major | — |
| 11. Chorale: Nicht nach Welt, nach Himmel nicht | — | C major | — |
Arrangements
| Details | Section | Arranged for | Arranger |
|---|---|---|---|
| view | Chorus: 'Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!' (No.1) | 4 violins, viola and 2 cellos | Russ Bartoli |
| view | Aria: 'Wenn kömmt der Tag, an dem wir ziehen' (No.3) | violin and cello viola and cello violin and viola |
Peter Lang |
| view | Chorale: 'Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele' (No.7) | 2 flugelhorns, bass trombone and tuba | Michel Rondeau |
| view | Aria: 'Hebt euer Haupt empor' (No.8) | trumpet and organ | Michel Rondeau |
| view | Aria: 'Seligster Erquickungstag' (No.10) | violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos 2 violas and cello viola and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang |
Scores
| Details | Section | Type | Publisher | Date | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | Ramon Casadesus-Masanell | 2021 | 1. Chorus: 'Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!' · view 2. Recitativo: 'Erschrecket, ihr verstockten Sünder!' · view 3. Aria: 'Wenn kömmt der Tag, an dem wir ziehen' · view 4. Recitativo: 'Auch bei dem himmlischen Verlangen' · view 5. Aria: 'Laßt der Spötter Zungen schmähen' · view 6. Recitativo: 'Jedoch bei dem unartigen Geschlechte' · view 7. Chorale: 'Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele' · view 8. Aria: 'Hebt euer Haupt empor' · view 9. Recitativo: 'Ach, soll nicht dieser große Tag' · view 10. Aria: 'Seligster Erquickungstag' · view 11. Chorale: 'Nicht nach Welt, nach Himmel nicht' · view Engraving files (MuseScore) · view |
| view | Version 1 (1723) | parts | Manuscript | — | Incomplete Parts (viola missing) · view |
| view | Version 2 (1731) | parts | Manuscript | — | Incomplete Parts (cello solo, continuo) · view |
| view | Version 2 (1731) | parts | — | — | Oboe · view Trumpet (C) · view Violins I · view Violins II · view Violas · view Continuo (Cellos/Basses/Bassoon) · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Breitkopf und Härtel | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Breitkopf und Härtel | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Chorale: 'Nicht nach Welt, nach Himmel nicht' (No.11) | — | — | — | Study Choral Score (Textless) · view |
| view | Chorus: 'Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!' (No.1) | Arrangement for 4 violins, viola and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2016 | Complete Score and Parts · view |
| view | Aria: 'Wenn kömmt der Tag, an dem wir ziehen' (No.3) | Arrangement for violin and cello viola and cello violin and viola |
Peter Lang | 2015 | Complete Score and Parts · view Complete Score and Parts (with optional lines) · view |
| view | Chorale: 'Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele' (No.7) | Arrangement for 2 flugelhorns, bass trombone and tuba |
Michel Rondeau | 2020 | Complete Score and Parts · view Engraving files (Finale & XML) · view |
| view | Aria: 'Hebt euer Haupt empor' (No.8) | Arrangement for trumpet and organ |
— | — | Complete Score and Trumpet Part · view Engraving files (Finale & XML) · view |
| view | Aria: 'Seligster Erquickungstag' (No.10) | Arrangement for violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos 2 violas and cello viola and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2015 | Complete Score and Parts · view |
Recordings/Performances
| Details | Type | Section | Arranged for | Files | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | Chorale: 'Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele' (No.7) | For 2 Flugelhorns, Bass Trombone and Tuba (Rondeau) | Synthesized Performance · file |
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | Aria: 'Hebt euer Haupt empor' (No.8) | For Trumpet and Organ (Rondeau) | Synthesized Performance · file |
©2025 David P. Anderson