Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze

Subject: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 10:27 AM

"Sheep May Safely Graze" is a famous piece by J.S. Bach. He took a folk hymn of his time and made a complex arrangement of it. Does anybody know where I can find a MIDI of the original hymn?

The German title and lyrics would be nice too.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: Gareth
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 10:50 AM

Ohhhh ! Temptation for a Welshman !!

But joking apart, if you Click 'Ere, you might find a host of Bach Cantata's in English and German translations with the scores.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 10:56 AM

All I found was the Bach, not the original.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: masato sakurai
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 11:06 AM

Texts (German & English) are HERE.

MIDI is HERE with this comment:

      This aria originates from Cantata No 208 (BWV 208), 'Hunt Cantata' by Johann Sebastian Bach. Its subject is clear from the first line of the song: Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd!
      When arts lover and unashamed show-off Duke Christian of Saxe-Weissenfels celebrated his birthday in February 1713, he did so with a huge hunting party rounded off by a cantata commissioned from Bach on the joys of hunting. Most of Bach's 200-plus cantatas (big works mixing up solo songs, duets, choruses, recitation and instrumental passages) set religious texts for performance in churches. But a few, like this, deal with everyday text, written by one of Bach's colleagues. (One of the other cantatas is about the delights of drinking coffee.)
      The work has become popular for its energy and youthful enthusiasm (in contrast perhaps to the sterner and more profound moods of the religious cantatas). But in particular it's become famous for the ninth part, 'Sheep May Safely Graze' - familiar from its use in weddings.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: *daylia*
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 12:06 PM

The German translation of "Sheep May Safely Graze" is "Schafe Konnen Sicher Weiden" - (with two dots over the 'o' in 'Konnen'). I did try the links above and a google search, but found only German pages I cannot read and links to BUY sheet music/lyrics. I'm new with computers, though, so better luck to you!

Those "Sheep" have been my favourite Bach piece for a long long time ...

daylia

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: masato sakurai
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 01:30 PM

The link to English text (at the site above) is inactive.

Bach's words:

9. Aria S.II

Schafe können sicher weiden,
Wo ein guter Hirte wacht.
    Wo Regenten wohl regieren,
    Kann man Ruh und Friede spüren
    Und was Länder glücklich macht.

I'm not sure, but the following may be oiginals (from HERE:

Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf
(traditionell)
Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf,
Dein Vater hüt die Schaf
Die Mutter schüttelts Bäumelein,
Da fällt herab ein Träumelein,
Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf.

(von Christian Morgenstern)
Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf,
Es war einmal ein Schaf.
Das Schaf, das ward geschoren,
Da hat das Schaf gefroren.
Da bot ein guter Mann
Ihm seine Jacke an.
Da brauchts nicht mehr zu frieren,
Kann froh herumspazieren,
Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf.

(selbst ausgedacht, zuerst nach C. Morgenstern)
Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf,
Es war nochmal ein Schaf.
Da gab es starke Hitze,
Das Schaf sagt, Au, ich schwitze!
Da schaltet der gute Mann
Die Klimaanlage an.
Da brauchts nicht mehr zu leiden,
Das Schaf kann sicher weiden...

(und weiter nach J.S. Bach)
Schafe können sicher weiden
Wo die Klimaanlage ist an.
Da brauchen sie nicht mehr zu leiden.
Schafe können sicher weiden
Wo die Klimaanlage ist an.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 02:02 PM

I'm beginning to think that the perfessor who said that this piece was based on a folk hymn was wrong. The piece from the cantata has four interwoven voices. The page Masato referred to is playing a simplfied version of the familiar Bach work,but nothing stands out as the melody, the way it does in "Jesu, Joy."

I think I will put this investigation on hold. Thanks, all

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: The Shambles
Date: 21 Dec 02 - 02:09 PM

If you will excuse a little note of humour? The radio today was listing children's nativity experiences.

The poor children playing the sheep and trying to safely graze, as directed, were having a hard time being chased and growled at by the child playing the shepherd.

It turned out that he did not know what a shepherd was or what one's motivation might be, but he did know what a leopard's motivation was.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: Bellowbelle
Date: 22 Dec 02 - 01:41 PM

Leenia, I wonder if you have yet found this site:

Classicalarchives.com

It's pretty great!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: IanC
Date: 22 Dec 02 - 03:02 PM

When our village butcher died, this was the piece that was played at his funeral.

;-)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Dec 02 - 10:49 PM

thanks for the tip about the Classical Archives, Bellowbelle. It's a valuable site. Have you ever been to the Classical Music MIDI Connection?

Masato: an error has crept in. "Schlaf, Kindchen, schlaf" is a different song. It means "sleep, little child, sleep." Years ago it was a favorite on a TV show called Romper Room, and all the preschoolers knew it.

I wonder if the memory has been preserved. Will anyone who hangs around little American kids please tell me if they still know "Sleep, baby, sleep?"

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Sheep May Safely Graze
From: *daylia*
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:46 AM

I'm Canadian, and I knew "Sleep Baby Sleep" as a child - it was a familiar tune in the piano books for beginners. It's been a very long time since I've heard it though ...