Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214

Tönet, ihr Pauken! was published in 1887 as part of the first complete edition of the composer's works, by the Bach Gesellschaft.[7] The Christmas Oratorio had already appeared in the same series in 1856.[9] The cantata was published as part of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe in 1962, edited by Werner Neumann.[7]

The cantata is structured in nine movements, with choral outer movements and alternating recitatives and arias as inner movements. The work features four vocal soloists who represent allegorical figures: Bellona (soprano), Pallas (alto), Irene (tenor), and Fama (bass). It is further scored for four-part choir (SATB) and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of three trumpets (Tr), timpani, two flutes (Ft), two oboes (Ob), oboe d'amore (Oa), two violins (Vl), viola (Va) and basso continuo.[7][10]

In the following table, the scoring follows the Neue Bach-Ausgabe (New Bach Edition). The keys and time signatures are from Alfred Dürr, and use the symbol for common time.[5] The continuo, played throughout, is not shown. The timpani always play with the trumpets.

Movements of Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!

No.	Title	Text	Type	Vocal	Brass	Winds	Strings	Key	Time
1	Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!	anon.	Chorus	SATB	3Tr	2Ob	2Vl Va	D major	3/4
2	Heut ist der Tag	anon.	Recitative	T
3	Blast die wohlgegriffnen Flöten	anon.	Aria	S		2Ft		A major	3/4
4	Mein knallendes Metall	anon.	Recitative	S
5	Fromme Musen! meine Glieder!	anon.	Aria	A		Oa		B minor	3/8
6	Unsre Königin im Lande	anon.	Recitative	A			2Vl Va
7	Kron und Preis gekrönter Damen	anon.	Aria	B	Tr		2Vl Va	D major	2/4
8	So dringe in das weite Erdenrund	anon.	Recitative	B		2Ft 2Ob
9	Blühet, ihr Linden in Sachsen, wie Zedern	anon.	Chorus	SATB	3Tr	2Ob	2Vl Va	D major	3/4

The opening chorus, "Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!" (Sound, you drums! Ring forth, trumpets!),[11] is a complex long da capo form (ABA). Unusually for Bach, it opens with a timpani solo.[12] It is followed by the trumpets, and then by the strings and woodwinds.[12] The extended instrumental ritornello presents the musical material of the whole movement.[12] The voices enter in unison, first imitating timpani, then trumpets.[12] In the following section, the vocal lines are mostly homophonic and sometimes imitative, while the instrumental forces drive the movement.[12] The second section is a modified repeat of the first. The middle section (B) of the movement also has two elements, an imitative passage in B minor accompanied only by the strings, and a mostly homophonic part with strings and woodwinds, after which A is repeated completely.[12]

Musicologist Julian Mincham notes that "the sweeping exhilaration of this movement is impossible to describe in words".[13] Bach reused the movement as the opening movement of his Christmas Oratorio, "Jauchzet, frohlocket" (Shout for joy, exult).[12] The voices imitate the sound of timpani and trumpets even with the new text.[5]

Irene is the first to address the dedicatee. The tenor recitative, "Heut ist der Tag, wo jeder sich erfreuen mag" (This is the day, when everyone can be happy),[11] conveys imagery.[13]

Bellona sings an aria, "Blast die wohlgegriffnen Flöten" (Blow the well-handled flutes).[11] Matching the text, the soprano is accompanied by two obbligato flutes. The aria is in three parts, with the third part similar to the first but on different text.[6]

The soprano recitative, "Mein knallendes Metall" (My clashing metal),[11] represents the "clashing of arms" and the battlefield, related to the goddess of war.[13]

Pallas refers to the muses in an alto aria, Fromme Musen! meine Glieder! (Virtuous Muses! My followers!).[11] It is the only movement in a minor key, accompanied by an obbligato oboe d'amore.[13]

Bach reused the music, transposed for a tenor, in Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, Part II of his Christmas Oratorio, as the aria "Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet", with an obbligato flute, No. 15, in which the shepherds are called to rush to the manger.[13]

The alto recitative, "Unsre Königin im Lande" (Our Queen of the land!),[11] is accompanied by strings playing chords.[13]

Fama is the last character to appear, singing in a bass da capo aria, "Kron und Preis gekrönter Damen" (Crown and trophy of royal ladies).[11] The voice is complemented by a majestic obbligato trumpet line that underlines the "triumph, dignity and splendor" of the queen. The text focuses on the dual themes of fame and virtue.[13] In this aria, the queen is addressed directly for the first time, "Königin! Mit deinem Namen füll ich diesen Kreis der Welt" (Queen! With your name I flood the entire world).[11] The fanfares of the trumpet are used to illustrate her royal appearance.[6]

In his Christmas Oratorio, Bach used the music in the aria "Großer Herr und starker König" (No. 8).[6]

The bass recitative, "So dringe in das weite Erdenrund" (Thus throughout the whole round earth),[11] is accompanied by woodwinds.[13]

The cantata is closed with the chorus "Blühet, ihr Linden in Sachsen, wie Zedern" (Bloom, you Saxon lindens, like cedars),[11] a dance-like chorus.[13] Three voices enter successively with parts of the text, first the tenor, the only voice without an aria, then the soprano followed by the alto. All voices repeat the text in homophony, with the first theme in the alto. After an interlude, the process is repeated for the other half of the text.[6]

Bach reused the music of this movement in his Christmas Oratorio to frame Part III, "Herrscher des Himmels" (No. 36).[6]