Sleepers, Wake

This enchanting melody is from the fourth movement of Bach’s Cantata 140 which was composed in 1731 using the parable of the wise and foolish virgins as the text. The work is beautiful in its simplicity with only three melodic lines, demonstrating Bach’s counterpoint at its best. For greatest effect it is suggested that the trumpets and trombones play behind the band or to the right and left of the stage.