Known in its original German diminutive as the "Jagdkantate," the full title of Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata No. 208, "Was mir behagt," (Hunting Cantata) in English translation is "The cheerful hunt is all that gives me pleasure." It is likely that Bach wrote the work, one of his best-know secular cantatas, in 1713, for the birthday of Duke Christian of Saxe-Weisenfels on February 23 of that year. At this point, Bach had been commissioned to stage a series of concerts at Weisenfels, and one of the works he composed especially was this, arguably his first "modern" cantata, to texts by Solomon Franck. According to Bach scholar Konrad Küscher, "courtly celebration always takes precedence over classical accuracy" in Bach's secular cantatas, "but the use of mythological names for the solo voices at least guarantees some slight dramatic action." In this allegorical setting, four solo voices are employed. The roles of Diana (a goddess associated with, among many other things, the moon and hunting) and Pales (a divinity associated with cattle), were given to sopranos; Endymion is sung by the tenor, and the bass singer takes the role of Pan. Duke Christian apparently had a great love for hunting, and Diana sings that hunting was indeed the favored recreation of gods and heroes of antiquity. Endymion appears, only to find that he is rejected by Diana, his lover, who seems interested only in the progress of the hunt; Endymion sings of his remorse in two linked arias with recitatives. As the pair join for a short dialogue, it becomes clear that Diana's action is not a deliberate attempt to spurn Endymion. Rather, as she sings, since today is the birthday of a great hunter, the Duke Christian, she has focused her energies temporarily on the celebrations, in which she is now joined by Endymion himself. A similar pattern of arias and recitatives now follows the appearance of the other principal voices, in the roles of Pan and Pales, who also join in unreserved Ducal praises, before they are joined by Diana and Endymion, who serenade the Duke in duet. Pan and Pales each sing a further aria, before the cantata ends with a rousing chorus. It is interesting to note that in this work, the principal singers were equipped with props, reflecting their allegorical and mythological characteristics. Diana, for example, carried a hunter's spear, and later on, Pan presented his shepherd's crook to the Duke, laying it at his feet, suggesting that the work was performed, originally at least, in a semi-staged fashion. This highly stylized antique characterization was further heightened by details of Bach's imaginative orchestration. A pair of hunting horns provides an obbligato part for Diana's aria, and the first aria sung by Pales features accompaniment from two recorders. This is the familiar "Schafe können sicher weiden" or "Sheep may safely graze," the subtext of which was designed to show the Duke's beneficence and kindness to his subjects. Certain numbers found their way into later cantatas by Bach, and, as Küscher concludes, "the Hunt cantata was an example of Bach's early vocal music, that he was pleased to draw on throughout his further career." ~ Michael Jameson, All Music Guide
| 'N Love: Music for Your Wedding |
2003 |
| 17 Jewels in the Crown of the Baroque |
1988 |
| 20 Great Bach & Handel Choruses |
|
| 25 Wedding Favorites |
2000 |
| 30 Years Outside the Box |
|
| 50 Classics for Relaxation |
2009 |
| 50 Love and Marriage Favorites |
2005 |
| A Bach Festival For Brass & Organ |
|
| A Bach Festival for Brass & Organ |
2005 |
| A Bach Weekend |
|
| A Baroque Festival |
1993 |
| A Beautiful Classical Wedding |
2005 |
| A Bride's Guide to Wedding Music |
2002 |
| A Celtic Inspired Wedding Collection |
2008 |
| A Classical Season |
1999 |
| A Festive Proclamation |
|
| A Gift of Bach & Baroque: The Most Beautiful Melodies |
2002 |
| A Guitar for Christmas |
1989 |
| A Recital of Sentimental Works |
1996 |
| Acoustic Wedding |
2006 |
| Adagios (Box Set) |
2000 |
| Adeste Fideles |
1992 |
| Alexander Korsantia Live in Concert |
|
| All of the World's Most Beautiful Melodies (Box Set) |
1995 |
| An Invitation fo the Classics |
|
| An Orchestra of One |
2002 |
| Arias, Duets & Lieder |
|
| Arthur Fiedler Legacy: Symphonic Spectacular |
2007 |
| Ave Maria |
1996 |
| Babies Go Bach |
2003 |
| Baby Concerts: Bedtime |
2005 |
| Baby Concerts: La Hora de Dormir |
2005 |
| Baby Got Bach |
2006 |
| Baby Needs Bach |
1999 |
| Bach 100 Best |
|
| Bach Arrangements |
2001 |
| Bach Book |
196 |
| Bach Celebration |
1990 |
| Bach Classics [DVD Audio/Video] |
2001 |
| Bach Classics [DVD Audio] |
2001 |
| Bach Favorites |
1997 |
| Bach Hits Back/A Cappella Amadeus |
1998 |
| Bach Is Beautiful: The Twin Guitars of Laurindo Almeida |
1995 |
| Bach Transcriptions |
1992 |
| Bach and Bagels |
1997 |
| Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night |
1995 |
| Bach for Dummies |
1996 |
| Bach in the Evening |
1999 |
| Bach to Bach |
2001 |
| Bach's Adagios |
1998 |
| Bach: Adagios |
2009 |
| Bach: Air on a G String; Brandenburg Concertos; Wachet Auf; etc. |
|
| Bach: Arias |
1997 |
| Bach: Arias & Duets |
2003 |
| Bach: Cantatas |
|
| Bach: Cantatas & Arias |
1999 |
| Bach: Cantatas Highlights |
2009 |
| Bach: Classics of a Lifetime |
2001 |
| Bach: Famous Works |
1995 |
| Bach: Forever by the Sea |
1998 |
| Bach: Great Organ Works |
1988 |
| Bach: Greatest Hits |
1991 |
| Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Other Great Bach Choruses |
1985 |
| Bach: Magnificat BWV 243; Wedding Cantata BWV 202; Cantata BWV 51 |
2006 |
| Bach: Music of Jubilee |
1989 |
| Bach: Orchestrations |
|
| Bach: Sacred Arias & Cantatas |
2008 |
| Bach: The Conductors' Transcriptions [Hybrid SACD] |
2004 |
| Bach: The Ultimate Collection |
1997 |
| Bach: Toccata And Fugue/Concerto For Two Violins/Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring/Brandenburg Concerto No.2/Sleepers, Wake |
1995 |
| Bach:Build Your Baby's Brain 4 |
2000 |
| Baroque Beauties |
|
| Baroque Brass |
|
| Baroque Splendour |
2006 |
| Beautiful Wedding: Ceremony |
2008 |
| Bedroom Adagios |
2003 |
| Best Bach 100 |
2006 |
| Best Loved Classics, Vol. 3 |
1988 |
| Best Relaxing Classics 100 |
2007 |
| Best-Loved Classics 3 |
1997 |
| Bride's Guide to Wedding Music |
1993 |
| Brilliant Baby |
2005 |
| Build Your Baby's Brain |
1998 |
| Cathedral Christmas |
1998 |
| Ceremonial Music for Trumpet & Symphonic Organ |
1993 |
| Chardonnay Classics |
2004 |
| Chill With Bach |
2003 |
| Christian Classics: For Baby |
2002 |
| Christmas Carol |
1986 |
| Christmas Choirs & Choruses |
2004 |
| Christmas Melodies |
2004 |
| Christmas Remembered: Classic Holiday Chamber Music |
1994 |
| Classic Wedding Album [Polygram] |
1999 |
| Classical 2009 [B&N Exclusive] |
2008 |
| Classical Bytes Bach |
|
| Classical Chillout, Vol. 2 |
2004 |
| Classical Christmas |
2006 |
| Classical Christmas - 15 Holiday Favorites |
1995 |
| Classical Favorites Advertiser's Guide (Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4) |
2000 |
| Classical Hits of Bach |
1999 |
| Classical Lullabies |
1999 |
| Classical Moods [Big Eye] |
2002 |
| Classical Music Start-Up Kit, Vol. 1 (1500-1825) |
1993 |
| Classical Praise |
2001 |
| Classical Relaxation |
2006 |
| Classical Treasures: Greatest Classical Hits [Box Set] |
2005 |
| Classical Wedding Music |
2006 |
| Classical: Christmas Collection |
2008 |
| Classics Galore |
|
| Classics in the Park |
1999 |
| Concerts pour bébés: L'Heure du coucher |
2005 |
| Dinner Classics: The Sunday Brunch Album |
1989 |
| East West Encounter II |
2008 |
| Elisabeth Schwarzkopf |
|
| Elisabeth Schwarzkopf: Early Song Recordings for German Radio |
2006 |
| Elisabeth Schwarzkopf: The Unpublished EMI Recordings, 1955-1958 |
2000 |
| Enchantment |
2006 |
| Essential Bach |
2009 |
| Essential Baroque |
2006 |
| Essential Hyperion, Vol. 2 |
|
| Eternal Praise, Vol. 1 |
2000 |
| Eugene Ormandy Conducts Bach |
1989 |
| Everlasting Happiness |
|
| Everybody's Bach |
|
| Favourite Bach |
|
| Favourite Collection 2 |
1995 |
| Favourites for 2 pianos |
|
| For Weddings |
1996 |
| For Your Wedding |
2003 |
| For a Summer Evening |
2002 |
| Forever Yours [Intersound] |
1999 |
| Forever in Love [Intersound] |
1997 |
| From This Day Forward...: Music and Readings for Weddings |
1999 |
| Glorious John |
1999 |
| Grace |
1997 |
| Great Baroque Arias |
|
| Great Baroque Arias, Part 1 |
|
| Great Baroque Music |
1980 |
| Great Classics For Reading |
1999 |
| Great Classics for Reading [Somerset] |
2009 |
| Greatest Hits Of 1721 |
|
| Greatest Hits Of The Organ |
1990 |
| Greatest Hits: Mozart/Bach/Handel/Vivaldi |
1995 |
| Harp Artistry: Classical to Contemporary Favorites |
|
| Heavenly Adagios |
2003 |
| History of Classical Music |
1999 |
| Holiday Belles |
1996 |
| Home for the Holidays |
1999 |
| In Classical Mood: Tranquility |
|
| In Tandem: Music for Pianos |
2003 |
| In the Morning: Gentle Music to Greet the Day |
2004 |
| Infinite Voice |
2006 |
| Inspiration |
|
| J.S. Bach: Arias |
2000 |
| J.S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 208 & 204 |
2001 |
| J.S. Bach: Piano Transcriptions |
2001 |
| J.S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue; Air on the G String; Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, etc |
1999 |
| Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Other Great Bach Choruses |
1985 |
| Journey |
2003 |
| Joy to the World [Box Set] |
1992 |
| KDFC: Islands of Sanity |
2002 |
| Lambarena - Bach to Africa |
2009 |
| Lambarena-Bach to Africa |
1995 |
| Listen, Learn & Grow: Playtime, Arts & Crafts |
2001 |
| Listen, Learn, & Grow: Playtime [Boxset] |
2001 |
| Love, Honor and Cherish: Music for Your Wedding |
2003 |
| Lullaby Classics [Chandos] |
2004 |
| Majestic Christmas |
2003 |
| Marches |
|
| Masters of Music: Bach |
|
| Most Relaxing Bach |
2006 |
| Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!, Vol. 2 |
1998 |
| Most Relaxing Guitar Album in the World...Ever! |
2005 |
| Mozart's Learning Tools for Your Children's Mind/Learning in the Dream |
2000 |
| Music In Our House |
|
| Music for Relaxation [MCA] |
2002 |
| Music for Relaxation, Vol. 2: The Romantic Bach |
1993 |
| Music for Two Pianos |
|
| Music for a Church Wedding |
|
| Music for a Country Church |
|
| Music of The Seasons |
1997 |
| Night Music, Vol. 19 |
1994 |
| Night in Berlin [DVD Audio] |
|
| Nikolaus Harnoncourt & Concentus Musicus Wien play Mozart, Handel, Bach, Etc. |
|
| No. 1 Wedding Album |
2003 |
| Noëls à la flûte: Transcriptions for four flutes |
1995 |
| O Perfect Love and Other Wedding Songs |
1995 |
| Of Bach and Beethoven |
2002 |
| Of Winds And Song |
1997 |
| Oklahoma City Relief: A Time of Healing |
1995 |
| Olde School |
2008 |
| Pachelbel Canon |
1989 |
| Palm Court Encores |
2009 |
| Parents: The Lullaby Album |
1993 |
| Parkening Plays Bach |
1985 |
| People of Faith |
2006 |
| Perfect Spring Wedding |
2005 |
| Perfect Wedding |
2005 |
| Piano Favorites |
1999 |
| Piano Music by J. S. Bach |
2006 |
| Piano Transcriptions by Ira Levin |
|
| Pie Jesu |
2004 |
| Popular Classics |
|
| Quiet Moment |
2003 |
| Reading On A Sunday Morning |
1999 |
| Rejoice! A String Quartet Christmas, Vol. 2 |
1997 |
| Rejoice! A Treasury of Christmas Carols for Flute and Piano |
2007 |
| Relaxing Adagios |
2006 |
| Remembering Biggs, Bach & the Busch |
2002 |
| Remembrance Classics |
2004 |
| Riverside 2001 |
2001 |
| Romantic Melodies of the Classics |
1997 |
| Sacred Works |
2004 |
| Sanctuary |
1999 |
| Sarabande: Baroque Favourites |
2002 |
| Sensual Classics [Intersound] |
1998 |
| Sensual Classics, Disc 2 |
1997 |
| Serenade |
1995 |
| Serenade: A Classical Wedding Collection |
2008 |
| Serene Spirit: Divine Harmonies for Mind and Soul |
|
| Serenity |
2006 |
| Set Your Life To Music: A Prelude To Sleep |
1997 |
| Shushan the Palace: Hymns of Earth |
2004 |
| Silent Night |
1989 |
| Simply Baroque II |
2000 |
| Simply Christmas: Home for the Holidays |
2006 |
| Sleep in Heavenly Peace: The Glory of Christmas |
1997 |
| Solid Gold Baroque |
1991 |
| Somewhere in Time: Classical Favorites |
2000 |
| Songs of Inspiration |
2007 |
| Songs of Zion |
1995 |
| Spring Affair |
2000 |
| Stokowski Conducts Vivaldi/Bach/Corelli/Mozart |
1991 |
| Stokowski Transcriptions |
1996 |
| Stokowski Transcriptions: Bach, Beethoven, Boccherini, etc. |
2003 |
| Stokowski's Stereo Collection (Remastered) |
1997 |
| Stokowski's Symphonic Bach |
1993 |
| Stokowski: Bach Transcriptions |
2006 |
| Summer Dreams [Solitudes] |
1998 |
| Sunday Morning With Bach |
2009 |
| Sunday Paper, Vol. 1, No. 1 |
1997 |
| Sunday With the Times |
1997 |
| Sweet Dreams [CBS/Sony] |
1989 |
| Switched On Boxed Set |
1999 |
| Switched-On Bach 2000 |
2004 |
| Switched-On Bach II |
2001 |
| Switched-On Boxed Set |
1999 |
| Switched-On Brandenburgs, Vol. 1 |
1969 |
| The #1 Bach Album |
2003 |
| The #1 Baroque Album |
2006 |
| The #1 Classical Album |
2002 |
| The Art of Laurindo Almeida |
2006 |
| The Art of the Recorder |
2005 |
| The Bach Gamut |
2006 |
| The Bach Organ Book |
1990 |
| The Beginning of a Legend |
2004 |
| The Best Baroque Album in the World ... Ever! |
|
| The Best Of The Academy |
1995 |
| The Best of Bach |
1991 |
| The Best of the Academy |
2003 |
| The Bridal Collection: With This Ring |
2002 |
| The Canadian Brass Noël |
|
| The Collection, Vol. 3 |
|
| The Complete Wedding Album |
1998 |
| The Emma Kirkby Collection |
1987 |
| The Essential Wedding Collection |
2004 |
| The Essential Yo-Yo Ma |
2005 |
| The Great Recordings |
1993 |
| The Greatest Classical Show On Earth |
1998 |
| The HMV Classics Collection: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
1994 |
| The InStyle Wedding Collection: Beautiful Music for Your Big Day |
2005 |
| The Johann Sebastian Bach Collection |
1992 |
| The Knot Collection of Ceremony & Wedding Music |
2006 |
| The Lyrical Trumpet 2 |
2008 |
| The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the World...Ever! |
2005 |
| The Most Relaxing Guitar Album in the World ... Ever! |
2005 |
| The Most Unforgettable Glorious Classics Ever |
1998 |
| The Music of a Victoria Christmas |
1992 |
| The Only Bach Album You Will Ever Need |
2006 |
| The Original Jacket Collection: Eugene Ormandy [Box Set] |
2008 |
| The Oxford Book of Wedding Music |
1995 |
| The Perfect Bach |
2002 |
| The Sounds of Trinity |
1991 |
| The Ultimate Bride Guide |
|
| The Ultimate Relaxation Album, Vol. 2 |
2001 |
| The Ultimate Wedding Album |
1997 |
| The Ultimate Wedding Album [Polygram] |
1995 |
| The Ultimate Wedding Collection |
1997 |
| The Voice of the Baroque |
2002 |
| The Wedding Album |
1991 |
| The Wedding Album [RCA 1990] |
1990 |
| The World's Most Beautiful Melodies, Vol. 5 |
1994 |
| These You Have Loved, Vol. 4 |
|
| This Is Christmas! |
1997 |
| This is Classical |
2006 |
| Toccata: Ignaz Friedman - The Piano Transcriptions on Music by J.S. Bach |
1997 |
| Transfigured Bach: The Bach Transcriptions of Bartók, Lipatti and Friedman |
2001 |
| Trombones Under the Tree |
1991 |
| Trumpet Voluntary: Music for Organ & Brass |
1992 |
| Two Hands |
2004 |
| Ultimate Baroque [Box Set] |
2006 |
| Ultimate Classical Relaxation: The Essential Masterpieces [Box Set] |
2008 |
| Ultimate Classics [Box Set] |
2006 |
| Ultimate Relaxation Collection |
2003 |
| Ultimate Relaxing Classical Collection |
2004 |
| Unforgettable Classics: Bach |
1995 |
| Velvet Dreams |
1992 |
| Virgil Fox Memorial Concert |
2000 |
| Visions of Bach |
1994 |
| Wedding Album [RCA 1998] |
1998 |
| Wedding Classics |
2003 |
| Wedding Music |
1993 |
| Weekend Classics |
1997 |
| Weekend Classics: Bach |
|
| Welsh Voice |
2008 |
| White Christmas: A Christmas Festival [1970] |
1970 |
| Wild Classics |
1996 |
| Winter Harp |
1996 |
| With This Ring |
2004 |
| Worldbeat Bach |
2000 |
