San Francisco Early Music Ensemble Voices of Music
Sheep May Safely Graze, by J.S. Bach
Soprano: Susanne Ryden
Recorders: Hanneke van Proosdij and Louise Carslake
Viola da Gamba: William Skeen
Baroque chamber organ: Rodney Gehrke
The secular cantata Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd! (‘The lively hunt is all my heart’s desire’, known as the ‘Hunt’ Cantata)...makes use of four solo singers, including two sopranos representing Diana and Pales. The instruments involved include two corni da caccia, recorders, two oboes and an oboe da caccia, basson, strings and continuo. Diana, in an opening recitative, sings of the pleasures of the hunt, continuing, in an aria appropriately accompanied by the two corni da caccia (hunting-horns), to declare hunting the pleasure of the gods. Later in the cantata, Pales, the goddess of sheep and flocks, follows suit. Her recitative leads to one of the most famous of all arias, widely known in English as ‘Sheep may safely graze’ (‘Schafe können sicher weiden’), words that, in context, have no religious connotation. [Source]-------------------------------------------------------
Sheep may safely graze
Sheep can safely graze,
Where a good shepherd watches over them.
Where rulers are ruling well,
We may feel peace and rest
And what makes countries happy.
German:
Schafe können sicher weiden
Schafe können sicher weiden,
Wo ein guter Hirte wacht!
Wo Regenten wohl regieren,
Kann man Ruh und Friede spüren
Und was Länder glücklich macht!
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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