Chapter 23 - Listening Guide Quiz 13a: Bach: Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf, No. 1

Put the excerpts in the correct order in which they appear in the first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140. Be sure to click on the triangle part of the excerpt ONLY in order to listen to it; clicking elsewhere in the excerpt indicates you are choosing it as an answer.

(In order) Excerpt 2, 3, 1 or green, blue, yellow

Listen to the following music excerpts and drag them to the correct location on the chart below

(Open all droppable areas) Orange: 4th Red: 3rd Green: 2nd Purple: 1st

Which of the following correctly describe the first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140?

-It is in E-flat major -It is for four-part chorus (SATB) and orchestra -It contains instances of word-painting

The chorus sings three large sections of music. If we label the first section A, then any other choral section that uses the same music as the first section will also be labeled A. What is the form of this chorale?

A-A-B

Which best describes the text setting for the word "Alleluia," heard in this excerpt?

Each section of the choir enters separately and sings many notes per syllable of text

Match the descriptive words or phrases with the appropriate excerpt from the first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140.

Excerpt A: Chorus singing "Alleluia" Excerpt B: The "watchmen's motive" ("Wachet auf...") Excerpt C: Word-painting on "Steht auf" ("Arise!") on a two-note ascending motive that is repeated several times

Drag and drop the appropriate words to best describe the first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf.

The first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140 is best described as a chorale (blank). The form follows that of the original chorale: A-A-B, which is known as(blank) form. Between the sections of text there are instrumental (blank) that feature dotted rhythms. The "Alleluia" in the B section is (blank). Answers: fantasia, bar, ritornellos, melismatic

Listen to the audio then fill in the blank, below.

The instrumental section that opens the movement and returns throughout it is called (blank) Answer: a ritornello

In this first movement from Bach's Cantata No. 140, there are four occurrences of the Ritornello? T/F

True

The sopranos enter first, singing slower rhythms than the other voices. Which melody is the soprano section singing?

a chorale tune

What performing ensemble do you hear in the opening of the first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf?

an orchestra with strings, woodwinds, brass, and organ

In this movement, the sopranos sing the hymn tune; altos, tenors, and basses sing other melodic material; and several instruments play unique melodies. Which best describes the relationship between the voices (the texture)?

groups of voices and instruments sing and play unique melodies at the same time

In the music leading up to this excerpt there is Ritornello 1, an A section, Ritornello 2, and another A section. Which best describes the performing forces of the next section of music, a.k.a. Ritornello 3? (Ignore the first second of the excerpt, which is the tail end of the A section.)

orchestra only

Which best describes the texture of the first movement?

polyphonic

Here is the full first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140: This excerpt occurs immediately after the choir finishes singing their first A section ("Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme ..."). What section do you hear here?

the opening ritornello again

This next excerpt, the closing section, occurs immediately after the choir finishes singing their third section of music. Which best describes this closing section?

the opening ritornello returns

After the orchestral section (or ritornello), a choir enters. The first voices you hear are sopranos. How is the rhythm of the soprano part different from the rhythms of the other voice parts?

the sopranos sing more slowly than the other voice parts

Ritornello 3 is followed by the B section, in which the chorus sings the words "Steht auf!" ("Arise!"). For these words, Bach uses word-painting; he makes the music directly reflect the meaning of the words. Armed with this knowledge, can you tell how the altos, tenors, and basses sing the text "Steht auf!"?

with an ascending motive