Sheep May Safely Graze (arr Reed)

Johann Sebastian Bach

General Info

Year: 1716 / 1981
Duration: c. 6:15
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse Company
Cost: Score & Parts - $60.00 | Score Only - $5.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Bass Saxophone (optional)
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
B-flat Cornet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Probably Bach’s most pastoral composition. Despite its original appearance as part of a virile hunting cantata (Aria from Cantata No. 208), this gentle aria remains one of the composer’s most beloved and most frequently performed works.

- Program Note from publisher

So far as is known, Sheep may Safely Graze is not one of the numbers from the cantata which Bach chose to rearrange, but a variety of arrangements by other people exist. It is often played at weddings.

Australian-born composer Percy Aldridge Grainger wrote several "free rambles" on Bach's Sheep may Safely Graze. He first wrote Blithe Bells (as he called his free ramble), for "elastic scoring" between November 1930 and February 1931. In March 1931, he scored a wind band version. It became one of his most famous arrangements.

British composer William Walton re-orchestrated Sheep may Safely Graze for a ballet score based on music by Bach, The Wise Virgins. The ballet was created in 1940 with choreography by Frederick Ashton.

American composer and electronic musician Wendy Carlos arranged and recorded Sheep may Safely Graze. on a Moog synthesizer for her 1973 album Switched-On Bach II.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

In addition to his 199 surviving sacred cantatas, Bach composed several secular cantatas for various occasions. Cantata 208, the “Hunting Cantata,” more popularly known today by the title Sheep May Safely Graze, was written in 1716 for the thirty-first birthday of Duke Christian of Sachsen-Weissenfels and was performed as banquet music in his hunting lodge after a hunt. This well-known soprano aria is preceded by a recitative whose text is as follows:

“Shall Pales be the last thus her respects to pay? No! I would raise my voice in song, so as the woods and land with vivats ring, here in this lovely field in honor of our Prince, I sing a joyous song of praise!”

The aria text is: “Flocks and herds may safely pasture when their shepherd guards them well. They whose monarch loves them truly knows their needs and fills them duly, will in peace and concord dwell.”

- Program Note from Baylor University Symphonic Band concert program, 16 October 2017

Media

Audio CD: "Wintertime, Seasonal Samplings Old and New;" The United States Air Force Band, Washington, DC; Colonel Lowell E. Graham, Conductor; Released 1999 (Out of Print)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Truman State University (Kirksville, Mo.) Concert Band (Vivian Scott, conductor) - 30 November 2022
New Orleans (La.) Concert Band (Charles Taylor, conductor) – 16 December 2018
Kishwaukee Concert Band (Dekalb,Ill.) (John Hansen, conductor) – 14 October 2018
Bob Jones University (Greenville, S.C.) Symphonic Wind Band (Dan Turner, conductor) – 14 April 2018
University of Illinois (Champaign) Wind Orchestra (Elizabeth Peterson, conductor) – 3 December 2017
Amarillo (Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Scott Beckett, conductor) – 20 November 2017
Baylor University (Waco, Texas) Symphonic Band (Steve Dailey, conductor) – 16 October 2017
Parkland College (Champaign, Ill.) Concert Band (Larry Stoner, conductor; Ernie Hoffman, guest conductor) - 7 May 2017
Stony Brook University (New York) Wind Ensemble (Bruce Engel, conductor) – 12 April 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) (?/2020)
Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)

All Wind Works

5 Preludes and Fugues (arr. Beyrent)
Adagio (arr. Hautvast)
Adagio (arr. Warner)
Air (arr. Hautvast)
Air (arr. Klemke) (c. 1730/2006)
Air (tr. Lang) (c. 1730/1958)
Air for Woodwind Choir (arr. Blahnik)
Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3 (arr. Daehn) (1721/1980)
Arioso (arr. De Haan) (1729/2000)
Arioso (arr. Hill) (1729/1984)
Arioso (arr. Reed) (1729/1998)
The Art of Fugue (tr. Amis) (c. 1745)
Ave Maria
Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod) (arr. Lovrien) (1853/2004)
Bach: Air (arr. McGinty) (c. 1730/)
The Bach Buch (tr. Pann) (2011)
Bach Chorale and March (arr. Wilson) (c. 1730/1990)
Bach: Chorale and Variation (arr. McGinty) (1994)
Bach Fugue (arr. Kinyon) (/1984)
The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Brand). See: Fugue à la Gigue
Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Mitchell) (1921/2005)
Before Thy Throne I Now Appear (arr. Bukvich) (1750/1993)
Berceuse (arr. Hautvast) (/1994)
Bourrée (arr. Isaac) (1720/1969)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (arr. Marlatt) (1721/2011)
Brandenburg Concerto No 3. See also: Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3
Canzona (orch. Stock)
Chaconne (arr. Ito) (1720/1987)
Chaconne and Festive Aria (arr. Daehn)
Chaconne in D Minor (arr. Daehn) (1720/)
Chaconne in D Minor (tr. Whitwell) (1720/2015)
Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
Chorale and Fugue (arr. Warner)
Chorale and Fugue in F Major (arr. Daehn) (1988)
Chorale Prelude on "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (tr. Damrosch; adapt. O'Toole)
Chorale in C Minor (arr. Topolewski) (2012)
Christ He Is My Life (arr. Cailliet) (1973)
Christmas Pastorale (arr. Hastings) (1970)
Ciaccona (arr. Votta) (1720/2021)
Come, Blessed Peace (arr. Tolmage) (1736/1958)
Come, Sweet Death (arr. Reed) (1736/1976)
Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Flute and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Flute, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
Concerto for Prince Johann (arr. Daehn) (c. 1713 / 2011)
Contrapunctus I (arr. Barnes) (c. 1745/1988)
Contrapunctus I (arr. King) (c. 1745/1960)
Contrapunctus III (arr. King) (c. 1745/1955)
Contrapunctus IX (arr. Clark) (c. 1745/2005)
Contrapunctus V (arr. Daehn) (c. 1745)
Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (arr. Reed) (1990)
Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; tr. Topolewski) (1727?)
Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; arr. Nowlin) (1727?/2016)
Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 (arr. Hunsberger) (1727?/1997)
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor (arr. Horovitz) (c. 1838/1986)
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 "The Great" (arr. Boyd) (c. 1838/1985)
Fantasia in C (arr. Sterk) (1706/2017)
Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Boyd) (1703-7/1957/1985)
Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Goldman) (1703-7/1957/2012)
Fervent is My Longing; Fugue in G Minor (tr. Cailliet) (c. 1710/1935/2006)
Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord (arr. Reed) (c. 1736/1985)
French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Brand) (1921/2008)
Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Mitchell). See: Bach's Fugue à la Gigue
Fugue à la Gigue (arr. Rondeau) (1921/2011)
Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
Fugue in B-flat Major (arr. Daehn) (1722/1988)
Fugue in E-flat Major (tr. Abrams and Jones) (1739/2019)
Fugue in G Minor (arr. Kimura) (1703-1707/1993)
Fugue in G Minor (arr. Rechtman) (1703-1707/)
Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
God Still Lives (arr. Reed)
Goldberg Variations (arr. Colgrass)
Hertzlich tut mich verlangen. See: Fervent is My Longing; Organ Fugue in G Minor
If Thou Be Near (arr. Moehlmann) (1725/1940)
If Thou Be Near (arr. Reed) (1725/1984)
In Dulci Jubilo (arr. Reed) (1970)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Cailliet) (1723/1962)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Custer) (1723/1975/1997)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Hazo) (1723/2012)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Leidzen) (1723/1936)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Moerenhout) (1723/2019)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Pekas) (1723/)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Reed) (1723/)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sapieyevski) (1723/)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sparke) (1723/2004)
Jig Fugue (arr. Marlatt) (2003)
Komm, Susser Tod (arr. Leidzen) (1736/1936)
A Little Bach Suite (arr. Gordon) (1966)
Little Fugue (arr. Romm; adapt. Custer) (c. 1705/1974/1991)
Little Fugue in G minor (arr. Howland) (c. 1705/1974/2015)
Little Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578 (arr. Parks)
March (arr. Grainger) (1946)
My Heart, Ever Faithful (arr. Barnes) (1988)
My Heart is Filled With Longing (arr. Reed) (c. 1710/1986)
My Jesus, Oh What Anguish (arr. Reed)
My Soul Longeth to Depart in Peace
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (arr. McAlister)
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (arr. Stert) (c. 1748/2013)
O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht (arr. Westover) (c. 1736/2017)
O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
Our Father Who Art in Heaven (arr. Reed) (1710/1988)
Passacaglia (arr. Glover) (c. 1703-1713?/2014)
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Hunsberger) (1703-1713?/ 1968/1975)
Passacaglia and Thema Fugatum in C Minor (tr. Stowkowski; ed. Sosnowchik) (1703-1713?/2014)
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Falcone) (ca. 1712/1969)
Passacaglia from "Cantata No. 12" (arr. Daehn) (1714/2011)
Präludium und Fuge d-Moll (tr. Rechtman) (1722/2003)
Prelude IV (arr. Reed) (1722/1983)
Prelude and Fugue No. 6, BWV 535 (arr. Anthenien) (1722/1979)
Prelude and Fugue in A-flat, BWV 557 (tr. Moehlmann) (1964)
Prelude and Fugue in Bb major (Brass Ensemble) (arr. Beyrent)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Brass Quintet) (arr. Beyrent)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major, BWV 553 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1955)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major BWV 553 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) (?/2020)
Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, BWV 559 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1969)
Prelude and Fugue in C major (arr. Beyrent)
Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 (arr. Steinmetz) (1710/2018)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (arr. Beyrent) (1722/2001)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 555 (arr. Coleman) (1852/2017)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1988)
Prelude and Fugue in D minor (tr. Rechtman). See: Präludium und Fuge d-Moll
Prelude and Fugue in E-flat, BWV 552 (setting Hunsberger) (c. 1739/2009)
Prelude and Fugue in F major (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/?)
Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 555 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1954)
Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1939)
Prelude, Chorale and Fugue (arr. Godfrey) (1919)
Prelude in E-flat, BWV 552 (arr. Tamura) (c. 1739/2001)
Prelude No. 22 (tr. Lynch) (c. 1722/2013)
"Ricercare a 6" from Musical Offering, BWV 1079 (tr. McAlister)
Saint Anne's Fugue (arr. Rhoads) (1965)
Sarabande (arr. Kennaway) (1972/1977/1995)
Second Bach Suite for Band (tr. Tolmage) (1965)
Sehet was die liebe tut (arr. Grainger) (1937)
Sheep May Safely Graze (arr. Reed) (1713/1981)
Sinfonia from "Cantata No 29" (arr. Ninmer)
Sinfonia from "Cantate 156" (arr. Daniels) (1729/)
Sixteen Chorales (ed. King) (1958)
Sixteen Chorales (arr. Lake) (1938)
Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Patterson) (1731/1995)
Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Reed) (1731)
Sleepers, Awake! (tr. Sparke) (1731/2002)
Songs of Exaltation (arr. Gordon) (1974)
St. Anne. See: Prelude and Fugue in E-flat
Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
- Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
Thus Do You Fare, My Jesus (arr. Reed)
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major (arr. Rechtman) (c. 1717)
Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue, BWV 564 (tr. Paynter) (c. 1717/2000)
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
Toccata, Aria, and Fugue in C Major (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
Toccata & Fuge d-Moll (arr. Goldhammer) (1705/2011)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Goldhammer). See: Toccata & Fuge d-Moll
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Goto) (1705/2014)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hindsley) (1705)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hunsberger) (1705/1998)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Leidzen) (1705/1942)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Lopez) (1705/2010)
Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Nowlin) (1705/2015)
Violin Partita No. 3 in E major (arr. Kitakata) (1720/2018?)
Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)
Wachet auf (arr. Marlatt) (1731/)
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (arr. Lauf Jr.) (1731/2019)
Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just (arr. Croft) (1978)
Wir Glauben All’ An Einen Gott (arr. Stokowski) (1739)

Resources

Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208, Wikipedia Accessed 6 April 2017