{{Short description|Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach}} {{Use British English|date=January 2026}} {{Use list-defined references|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox Bach composition | title = {{lang|de|Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen}} | bwv = 13 | type = Church cantata | image = Galante Poetinnen 0001.png | caption = Lehms, the librettist | occasion = {{nowrap|Second Sunday after Epiphany}} | performed = {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|1726|1|20|df=y}}|location=Leipzig}} | movements = 6 | text_poet = Georg Christian Lehms | chorale = {{ubl| by Johann Heermann | by Paul Fleming }} | vocal = {{abbr|SATB|soprano, alto, tenor and bass}} soloists and choir | instrumental = {{hlist| 2 flutes | oboe da caccia | 2 violins | viola | continuo}} }}
'''{{lang|de|Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen}}''' ({{gloss|My sighs, my tears}}),<ref name="Dellal" /> '''{{abbr|BWV|Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (catalogue of Bach's works)}}{{nbsp}}13''', is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for the second Sunday after Epiphany and first performed it on 20 January 1726 as part of his third cantata cycle.
Bach composed the cantata in his third year as {{langr|de|Thomaskantor}}, setting a libretto which Georg Christian Lehms, a court poet in Darmstadt, had published already in 1711. Lehms based his text on one idea from the prescribed gospel, Jesus saying: "Mine hour is not yet come". The text is divided into three movements each, first sequence of aria, recitative and chorale, then of recitative, aria and chorale. The third movement is the second stanza of Johann Heermann's hymn "{{langr|de|Zion klagt mit Angst und Schmerzen}}",<ref name="chorale text" /> the closing chorale is the final stanza of Paul Fleming's "{{langr|de|In allen meinen Taten}}".
The cantata is scored for four soloists, a four-part choir (SATB) only in the closing chorale, two recorders, oboe da caccia, strings and continuo. {{TOC limit|3}}
== History and words == Bach composed the cantata in his third year as ''Thomaskantor'' (director of church music) in Leipzig for the Second Sunday after Epiphany.<ref name="Bach Digital" /><ref name="Dürr" /> The prescribed readings for the Sunday were taken from the Epistle to the Romans, we have several gifts, each is unique, as part of the body of Christ (cf also I Corinthians 12) ({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=Romans|chapter=12|verse=6|range=–16}}), and from the Gospel of John, the Wedding at Cana ({{Sourcetext|source=Bible|version=King James|book=John|chapter=2|verse=1|range=–11}}).<ref name="Bach Digital" />
Bach set a text written by Georg Christian Lehms, court poet in Darmstadt, who published it in 1711.<ref name="Bach Digital" /> Bach had set texts by Lehms already when he composed cantatas for the Weimar court from 1714 to 1717.<ref name="Wolff" /> In the 1725/26 Christmas season, he had used mostly librettos by Lehms. The poet took a single idea from the gospel, Jesus saying: "Mine hour is not yet come". The text is divided into two parts of three movements each, the first dealing with the distress of someone feeling abandoned, set as an aria and a recitative, and the second with hope for God's help, a recitative and aria. Both parts are closed by a chorale. The third movement is the second stanza of Johann Heermann's hymn "{{langr|de|Zion klagt mit Angst und Schmerzen}}",<ref name="Bach Digital" /><ref name="chorale text" /> the closing chorale is the final stanza of Paul Fleming's "{{langr|de|In allen meinen Taten}}".<ref name="Bach Digital" /><ref name="chorale text 2" /> According to Alfred Dürr, it is unlikely that the work was split in performance before and after the service, considering its brevity.<ref name="Dürr"/>
Bach led the first performance at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig on 20 January 1726. The work is regarded as part of Bach's third cantata cycle.<ref name="Bach Digital" />
== Music == === Structure and scoring === The cantata in six movements is intimately scored for four soloists, soprano (S), alto (A), tenor (T), and bass (B), a four-part choir (SATB) in the chorales, two recorders (Fl), oboe da caccia (Oc), two violins (Vl), viola (Va), and basso continuo.<ref name="Dürr" /> The continuo is playing throughout.<ref name="Bach Digital" />
{{Classical movement header | show_text_source = yes | work = {{lang|de|Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen}} | instruments1 = Winds | instruments2 = Strings}} {{Classical movement row | number = 1 | title = {{langr|de|Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen}} | text_source = Lehms | type = Aria | vocal = T | instruments1 = 2Fl Oc | instruments2 = | key = {{nowrap|D minor}} | time = 12/8 }} {{Classical movement row | number = 2 | title = {{langr|de|Mein liebster Gott läßt mich annoch}} | text_source = Lehms | type = Recitative | vocal = A | instruments1 = | instruments2 = | key = | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{Classical movement row | number = 3 | title = {{langr|de|Der Gott, der mir hat versprochen}} | text_source = Heermann | type = Chorale | vocal = A | instruments1 = Fl Oc | instruments2 = 2Vl VA | key = {{nowrap|F major}} | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{Classical movement row | number = 4 | title = {{langr|de|Mein Kummer nimmet zu}} | text_source = Lehms | type = Recitativo | vocal = S | instruments1 = | instruments2 = | key = | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{Classical movement row | number = 5 | title = {{langr|de|Ächzen und erbärmlich Weinen}} | text_source = Lehms | type = Aria | vocal = B | instruments1 = Fl | instruments2 = solo violin | key = {{nowrap|G minor}} | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{Classical movement row | number = 6 | title = {{langr|de|So, sei nun, Seele, deine}} | text_source = Fleming | type = Chorale | vocal = SATB | instruments1 = Fl Oc | instruments2 = 2Vl VA | key = {{nowrap|B-flat major}} | time = {{music|common-time}} }} {{End}}
=== Movements === {{anchor|1}} The cantata is opened by an aria, a lamento accompanied by soft recorders and the dark sound of the oboe da caccia which leads frequently. It is a da capo form, but the middle section is again divided in two parts. In it, the voice shows the "{{langr|de|Weg zum Tod}}" (road to death)<ref name="Dellal" /> by several downward steps.<ref name="Dürr" /> Dürr points out that this composition "illustrates how the imagination of the Baroque musician is particularly fired by texts dealing with sighing and pain".<ref name="Gardiner" /> The following short secco recitative ends as an arioso on the words "{{langr|de|vergebens flehen}}" (plead in vain).<ref name="Dellal" />
{{anchor|3}} In the chorale, the woodwinds play the cantus firmus in unison with the alto voice, while the strings play independent figuration in F major, illustrating hope, although the text says that hope is not yet in sight. John Eliot Gardiner describes the "confident diatonic harmonies" as an "optimistic, wordless answer" to the voice's "prayer for comfort".<ref name="Gardiner" />
{{anchor|5}} A second expressive recitative leads to a second aria, which is accompanied by violin I and the recorders, playing in unison an octave higher. The lamenting text of the beginning "{{langr|de|Ächzen und erbärmlich Weinen}}" (groaning and pitiful weeping)<ref name="Dellal" /> is stressed by intervals such as augmented second, diminished fifth and diminished seventh. The ritornello has two distinctly different parts, a lamenting section and a hopeful one, full of fast runs and passages. In the middle section, the text "{{langr|de|wer gen Himmel siehet}}" (he who looks towards heaven)<ref name="Dellal" /> is accented by an octave leap upwards in the voice and upwards runs in the instruments, contrasting the downward line in movement 1.
{{anchor|6}} The closing chorale is a four-part setting of the melody of "{{langr|de|O Welt, ich muss dich lassen}}" by Heinrich Isaac, which is featured twice in Bach's ''St Matthew Passion'' in movements 10 ({{langr|de|Ich bin's, ich sollte büßen}}) and 37 ({{langr|de|Wer hat dich so geschlagen}}).<ref name="Dürr" /><ref name="chorale melody" /> <score sound raw> \header { tagline = ##f } \layout { indent = 0 \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } }
global = { \key bes \major \time 4/4 \partial 4 } tn = \tempo 4=84 tf = \tempo 4=42 soprano = \relative c'' { \global \set midiInstrument = "violin" \tn d4 | bes c d8 (es) f4 | es2 \tf d4\fermata \tn d8 (es) | f4 f c d | bes2 \tf c4\fermata \tn f, | bes c d d8 (es) | c2.\fermata d4 | bes c d8 (es) f4 | es2 \tf d4\fermata \tn d8 (es) | f4 f c d | bes2 \tf a4\fermata \tn f | bes c d \tempo 4 = 75 es | d \tempo 4 = 69 c \tempo 4 = 30 bes\fermata \bar "|." }
alto = \relative c'' { \global \set midiInstrument = "viola" bes4 | g a bes f | g (f) f f8 (es) | d ([es]) f (g) a4 a | g2 c,4 d | d f f f | f2. a4 | g f f g | g2 g4 f | f8 ([g]) a (bes) c ([bes]) a (g) | f4 (g) f c | f g8 (a) bes4 a8 (g) | f4 f8 (es) d4 \bar "|." }
tenor = \relative c' { \global \set midiInstrument = "cello" f4 | es es f c | bes (c) bes bes | bes bes f' f | f (e) a, a | bes a bes bes | a2. d4 | d c bes8 (c) d4 | d (c) b bes | c8 ([bes]) a (g) f (g) a4 | d (c) c a | bes es, f8 (g) a4 | bes a f \bar "|." }
bass = \relative c' { \global \set midiInstrument = "cello" bes4 | es8 (d) c4 bes a | g (a) bes bes,8 (c) | d ([c]) d (es) f4 d | g2 f4 d | g f8 (es) d (c) bes4 | f'2. fis4 | g a bes b | c (c,) g' bes | a8 ([g]) f (g) a4 f | d (e) f es | d c bes c | d8 (es) f4 bes, \bar "|." }
verse = \lyricmode { \set stanza = "9." So sei nun, See -- le, dei -- ne und trau -- e dem al -- lei -- ne, der dich ge -- schaf -- fen hat. Es ge -- he, wie es ge -- he, dein Va -- ter in der Hö -- he, der weiß zu al -- len Sa -- chen Rat. }
\score { \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff << \new Voice = "soprano" { \voiceOne \soprano } \new Voice = "alto" { \voiceTwo \alto } >> \new Lyrics \with { \override VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-affinity = #CENTER } \lyricsto "soprano" \verse \new Staff << \clef bass \new Voice = "tenor" { \voiceOne \tenor } \new Voice = "bass" { \voiceTwo \bass } >> >> \layout { } } \score { << \soprano \\ \alto \\ \tenor \\ \bass >> \midi { \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } } </score>
== Recordings == The entries are taken from the listing on the Bach Cantatas website.<ref name="Oron" /> Instrumental groups playing period instruments in historically informed performances are marked green under the header {{abbr|Instr.|Type of instruments}}.
{{Cantata discography header | work=''Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen'' | instruments={{abbr|Instr.|Type of instruments}} }}
{{Cantata discography row | id = Richter | title = ''Bach Cantatas Vol. 1 – Advent and Christmas'' | conductor = {{sortname|Karl|Richter|dab=conductor}} | choir = {{nowrap|Münchener Bach-Chor}} | orchestra = Münchener Bach-Orchester | soloists = {{plainlist| * Edith Mathis * Anna Reynolds * Peter Schreier * {{nowrap|Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau}} }} | label = Archiv Produktion | year = {{Start date|1971}} | orchestra_type = }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Leonhardt | title = ''J. S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk • Complete Cantatas • Les Cantates, Folge / Vol. 1'' | conductor = {{sortname|Gustav|Leonhardt}} | choir = {{ubl| Tölzer Knabenchor | King's College Choir }} | orchestra = Leonhardt-Consort | soloists = {{plainlist| * soloist of the Tölzer Knabenchor * Paul Esswood * Kurt Equiluz * Max van Egmond }} | label = Teldec | year = {{Start date|1972}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Rilling | title = {{lang|de|Die Bach Kantate}} Vol. 23 | conductor = {{sortname|Helmuth|Rilling}} | choir = Gächinger Kantorei | orchestra = Bach-Collegium Stuttgart | soloists = {{plainlist| * Arleen Auger * Carolyn Watkinson * Adalbert Kraus * Walter Heldwein }} | label = Hänssler | year = {{Start date|1981}} | orchestra_type = }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Leusink | title = ''Bach Edition Vol. 9 – Cantatas Vol. 4'' | conductor = {{sortname|Pieter Jan|Leusink}} | choir = Holland Boys Choir | orchestra = Netherlands Bach Collegium | soloists = {{plainlist| * Ruth Holton * Sytse Buwalda * Knut Schoch * Bas Ramselaar }} | label = Brilliant Classics | year = {{Start date|1999}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Gardiner | title = ''Bach Cantatas Vol. 19: Greenwich/Romsey'' | conductor = {{sortname|John Eliot|Gardiner}} | choir = Monteverdi Choir | orchestra = English Baroque Soloists | soloists = {{plainlist| * Joanne Lunn * {{ill|Richard Wyn Roberts|qid=Q131376695}} * Julian Podger * Gerald Finley }} | label = Soli Deo Gloria | year = {{Start date|2000}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Koopman | title = ''J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 17'' | conductor = {{sortname|Ton|Koopman}} | orchestra = Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir | soloists = {{plainlist| * Sandrine Piau * Bogna Bartosz * Paul Agnew * Klaus Mertens }} | label = Antoine Marchand | year = {{Start date|2001}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Suzuki | title = ''J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 42 – BWV 13, 16, 32, 72'' | conductor = {{sortname|Masaaki|Suzuki}} | orchestra = Bach Collegium Japan | soloists = {{plainlist| * Rachel Nicholls * Robin Blaze * Gerd Türk * Peter Kooy }} | label = BIS | year = {{Start date|2008}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Kuijken | title = ''J. S. Bach: Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year Vol. 8: "Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen" – Cantatas BWV 13 · 73 · 81 · 144'' | conductor = {{sortname|Sigiswald|Kuijken}} | orchestra = La Petite Bande | soloists = {{plainlist| * Gerlinde Sämann * Petra Noskaiová * Christoph Genz * Jan van der Crabben }} | label = Accent | year = {{Start date|2008}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{Cantata discography row | id = Sato | title = ''J. S. Bach: Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen, BWV 13'' | conductor = {{sortname|Shunske|Sato}} | orchestra = Netherlands Bach Society | soloists = {{plainlist| * Dorothee Mields * Alex Potter * {{ill|Thomas Hobbs (tenor)|qid=Q52891083|lt=Thomas Hobbs}} * Stephan MacLeod }} | label = Channel Classics Records | year = {{Start date|2024}} | orchestra_type = Period }} {{End}}
== References ==
{{reflist | 30em | refs =
<ref name="Bach Digital">{{cite web | url = https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000015?lang=en | title = Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen BWV 13; BC A 34 | work = Bach Digital | date = 2026 | access-date = 18 January 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Dellal">{{cite web | last = Dellal | first = Pamela | author-link = Pamela Dellal | url = https://www.emmanuelmusic.org/bach-translations/bwv-13 | title = BWV 13 – Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen | publisher = Emmanuel Music | access-date = 20 August 2022 }}</ref>
<ref name="Dürr">{{cite book | last = Dürr | first = Alfred | author-link = Alfred Dürr | title = Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach | date = 1981 | publisher = Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag | isbn = 3-423-04080-7 | volume = 1 | edition = 4 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/diekantatenvonjo0002durr/page/184 184–185] | language = de | url = https://archive.org/details/diekantatenvonjo0002durr/page/184 }}</ref>
<ref name="Gardiner">{{Cite AV media notes | last = Gardiner | first = John Eliot | author-link = John Eliot Gardiner | url = https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_SDG115 | title = Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 3, 13, 14, 26, 81 & 155 | publisher = Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website) | date = 2006 | access-date = 19 January 2019 }}</ref>
<ref name="Oron">{{cite web | last = Oron | first = Aryed | url = https://www.bach-cantatas.com/BWV13.htm | title = Cantata BWV 13 Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen | work = Bach Cantatas | date = 2026 | access-date = 16 January 2026 }}</ref>
<ref name="Wolff">{{cite book | last = Wolff | first = Christoph | author-link = Christoph Wolff | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NHpL3cQg0_UC&pg=PA253 | chapter = Mostly Cantatas | title = Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician | publisher = Oxford University Press | date = 2002 | isbn = 978-0-39-332256-9 | pages = 253–295 }}</ref>
<ref name="chorale text">{{cite web | url = https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale035-Eng3.htm | title = Zion klagt mit Angst und Schmerzen / Text and Translation of Chorale | work = Bach Cantatas | date = 2009 | access-date = 9 January 2012 }}</ref>
<ref name="chorale text 2">{{cite web | url = https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale100-Eng3.htm | title = In allen meinen Taten / Text and Translation of Chorale | work = Bach Cantatas | date = 2006 | access-date = 9 January 2012 }}</ref>
<ref name="chorale melody">{{cite web | url = https://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/O-Welt-ich-muss.htm | title = Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / O Welt, ich muss dich lassen | work = Bach Cantatas | date = 2009 | access-date = 9 January 2012 }}</ref>
}}
== External links == * {{IMSLP|work=Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen, BWV 13 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)}} * [https://www.jsbachcantatas.com/documents/chapter-12-bwv-13/ Chapter 12 Bwv 13 – The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach], A listener and student guide by Julian Mincham, 2010 * Luke Dahn: [http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0013_6.htm BWV 13.6] bach-chorales.com * [https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-13/ Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen, BWV 13]: performance by the Netherlands Bach Society (video and background information)
{{Bach's third cantata cycle and later}} {{Bach cantatas}} {{Authority control}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen'', BWV 13}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meine Seufzer, meine Tranen, BWV 13}} Category:Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach Category:1726 compositions