Texts and Translations
Recommended Books
Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire, by Jeffers, Paine, Nash, and Jacobson
ML53.8 .J44 1988 (Music Reference) and Compact Disc 19700 (Hebrew texts)
Vol. 1 Sacred Latin Texts (includes information about liturgy)
Vol. 2 German Texts
Vol. 3 French and Italian Texts
Vol. 4 Hebrew Texts
Album liner notes often have translations too. These can be found in the Compact Disc collection of Education, Music and Media or at Naxos Music Library.
Texts and Translations of the Bach Cantatas
Texts and translations for the cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach can be found in ML 54.B15. The Music Collection also includes studies on these works and their texts which can be found elsewhere. The books below are sorted by their call numbers for ease of browsing. Hover over the info icon to see a description.
Sämtliche Kantatentexte by
Published by Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig, 1967
Call Number: ML54.B15 C3 1967Publication Date: 1967- The Texts to Johann Sebastian Bach's Church Cantatas by
Translations by Z. Philip Ambrose of all the church cantatas, to be used in conjunction with the recorded Bach Kantate series under the direction of Helmuth Rilling. Includes introductory essay by Helmut Rilling in German with an English translation.
Call Number: ML54.B15 C32 1984Publication Date: 1984
J.S. Bach: The Complete Cantatas by
This volume contains parallel texts and translations of all Bach's church and secular cantatas that have come down to us complete. The volume also includes a short glossary of geographical and mythological names, a list of dedicatees of the secular cantatas, a list of the poets with their dates, and an introduction to the cantatas by Martin Neary, formerly organist of Winchester Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.
Call Number: ML54.B15 C325 2004Publication Date: 2004
Handbook to Bach's Sacred Cantata Texts: An Interlinear Translation with Reference Guide to Biblical Quotations and Allusions by
The German church cantata of the eighteenth century was the culmination of a long tradition of Lutheran "sermon music" that used the proclamation, amplification, and interpretation of scripture to teach and persuade the listener. Bach's cantatas also served this didactic purpose and typically incorporate numerous allusions to scriptural passages or themes in their librettos. Unfortunately, many of these passages remain obscure to the twentieth-century musician because they demand a much closer familiarity with the Bible than is common today. The Handbook to Bach's Sacred Cantata Texts identifies scriptural references for the wording, imagery, and themes that Bach's listeners would have known. In addition, the religious or literary theme of each text is summarized within the specific context of the cantata as a whole. With interlinear translations and a full complement of indexes.
Call Number: ML54.B15 C329 1996Publication Date: 1996
The Cantatas of J.S. Bach with their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text by
This is the only English translation of this important book by the world's most distinguished Bach scholar. This work is widely regarded as the most authoritative and comprehensive treatment of the Bach cantatas. It begins with a historical survey of the seventeenth-century background to the cantatas, and performance practice issues. The core of the book is a work-by-work study in which each cantata in turn is represented by its libretto, a synopsis of its movements, and a detailed analytical commentary. This format makes it extremely useful as a reference work for anyone listening to, performing in, or studying any of the Bach cantatas. In this edition all the cantata librettos are given in German-English parallel text. The most recent (sixth) German edition appeared in 1995. For the English edition the text has been carefully revised to bring it up to date, taking account of Bach scholarship since that date.
Call Number: MT115.B2 D7713 2005Publication Date: 2005-08-11
Online Resources
Choral Public Domain Library (CPDL)
http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Texts-translations
Interlibrary Loan
Users are encouraged to search for items beyond University Libraries' catalog via RILM Abstracts of Music Literature and WorldCat. Materials not available in print or online may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Please allow up to seven days for electronic delivery and up to fourteen days for delivery of physical items.