Other notes - Williams

Leichtflattergeister was commissioned by Emmanuel Music for the 2024/25 Cantata Season, and is inspired by Bach’s Cantata BWV 181, Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister, which translates to “light-minded, fluttering spirits.”

When choosing this cantata to respond to, I was struck by its rather cute and amusing title, juxtaposed by the seriousness of the text. The anonymous librettist chastises said light-minded, fluttering spirits, and extols seriousness and righteousness as the path to salvation.

Respectfully, I disagree with Bach and his anonymous librettist. I feel that the world needs more light and carefree spirits, whose joy, love, and kindness can fill the world with light. Therefore, Leichtflattergeister uses the same text as Bach BWV 181, but employs erasure poetry to remove the chastisements, and transforms the text into an acclamation of light and carefree spirits.

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