Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. Oster-Oratorium

The Easter Oratorio (German: Oster-Oratorium), BWV 249, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, beginning with "Kommt, eilet und laufet" (Come, hurry and run). Bach composed it in Leipzig, using the music from a congratulatory cantata, Entfliehet, verschwindet, entweichet, ihr Sorgen, BWV 249a, or Shepherd Cantata, that he had performed on 23 February for Christian, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. The text of the secular cantata is by Picander, who possibly also adapted it for the church cantata for Easter Sunday. Bach performed this first version of the oratorio on Easter Sunday, 1 April 1725. The work in eleven movements is festively scored for four vocal soloists representing four Biblical figures, a four-part choir and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of three trumpets, timpani, two oboes, oboe d'amore, bassoon, two recorders, transverse flute, strings and continuo. Bach revised the work for several performances. For Easter 1738, he wrote a new autograph score and called the work Oratorio.