Salomon (also Salomo) Franck, 6 March 1659 – 11 July 1725), was a German lawyer, scientist, and poet. Franck was working at Weimar at the same time as the composer Johann Sebastian Bach and he was the librettist of some of the best-known Bach cantatas.

Biography

Franck was born in Weimar. After studying law and theology at Jena he held government posts at Zwickau,

Arnstadt Arnstadt () is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, on the river Gera about south of Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia. Arnstadt is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia, and has a well-preserved historic centre with a partially preserved town ...

, Jena and Weimar, where he died. Records show that, as of 1702, Franck was secretary of the high Consistory, managing the numismatic collection and the library records for the court of Duke of Saxe-Weimar, William Ernest. Franck had already written several secular cantata texts prior to his association with Johann Sebastian Bach, e.g. ''Himmelsflammende Wunschopfer'', which was performed at Weimar castle in 1697. Franck also wrote many sacred texts. His earliest church-cantata texts were written in the older form, consisting of verses from the Bible and strophic songs. In 1711 he used for the first time the new form introduced by Erdmann Neumeister. In 1717, Franck published a collection of sacred texts titled ''Evangelische Sonn- und Festtages Andachten auf Hochfürstliche Gnädigste Verordnung zur Fürstlich Sächsischen Weimarischen Hof-Capell-Music in Geistlichen Arien erwecket von Salomon Francken, Fürstlich Sächsischen Gesamten Ober-Consistorial-Secretario in Weimar. Weimar und Jena bey Johann Felix Bielcken. 1717.''

Collaboration with Bach

He wrote the text for Bach's earliest secular cantata (1713), '' Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd'' (

BWV 208 ''Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd'' (The lively hunt is all my heart's desire), 208.1, BWV 208, also known as the ''Hunting Cantata'', is a secular cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach for the 31st birthday of Duke Chri ...

) in which, following the custom of the day, he drew upon mythological characters. The cantata was composed for the 31st birthday celebration of Duke Christian of Sachsen-Weissenfels. It is not known for sure when he began collaborating with Bach on sacred cantatas, as the author of some texts used by Bach is unknown. However, the collaboration between Franck and Bach was particularly active from 1714, when the composer was promoted to the post of Konzertmeister at Weimar, and embarked on the composition of cantatas for the Schlosskirche (court chapel) on a regular monthly basis. Bach adopted the new form of cantata, composing recitatives and da capo arias. In 1717 the composer left Weimar, but he continued to set Franck's words years later when based at Leipzig. Texts set by Bach include those of the cantatas

BWV 31 (Heaven laughs! Earth exults), 31, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach for the first day of Easter. Bach composed the cantata in Weimar and first performed it on 21 April 1715. History and words On 2 March 1714 Bach was appointed conc ...

BWV 70a (Watch! Pray! Pray! Watch!) is the title of two church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed a first version, 70a, in Weimar for the second Sunday in Advent of 1716 and expanded it in 1723 in Leipzig to , a cantata in two parts for t ...

BWV 72 (Everything according to God's will alone), 72, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1726 for the third Sunday after Epiphany and first performed it on 27 January 1726. Bach used the opening chorus for the Glo ...

BWV 80 ("A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"), BWV 80 (also: BWV 80.3), is a chorale cantata for Reformation Day by Johann Sebastian Bach. He reworked it from one of his Weimar cantatas, ''Alles, was von Gott geboren'', BWV 80a (also: BWV 80. ...

BWV 132 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata ' (Prepare the paths, prepare the road), 132, in Weimar in 1715 for the fourth Sunday of Advent and led the first performance on 22 December 1715. Bach had taken up regular cantata composition a ...

BWV 147 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata ' (Heart and mouth and deed and life), 147 in 1723 during his first year as ''Thomaskantor'', the director of church music in Leipzig. His cantata is part of his first cantata cycle there and w ...

BWV 152 (Step upon the path of faith), 152, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed this Bach cantata, dialogue cantata in Weimar for the Sunday after Christmas and first performed it on 30 December 1714. History and words On 2 March ...

BWV 155 ' (My God, how long, ah, how long), 155, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He first performed it in Weimar on the second Sunday after Epiphany, on 19 January 1716. History and words On 2 March 1714 Bach was appointed concertmaster of ...

BWV 161 The (BWV; ; ) is a catalogue of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was first published in 1950, edited by Wolfgang Schmieder. The catalogue's second edition appeared in 1990. An abbreviated version of that second edition, known as BWV2a ...

BWV 163 (To each his own!), , is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the work in Weimar for the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 24 November 1715. This work was part of Bach's sequence of monthly church ca ...

BWV 164 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata (You, who call yourselves of Christ), 164 in Leipzig for the 13th Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 26 August 1725. History and words Bach wrote the cantata in his third year in Le ...

BWV 165 (O holy bath of Spirit and water), 165, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Weimar for Trinity Sunday and led the first performance on 16 June 1715. Bach had taken up regular cantata composition a year before when he ...

BWV 168 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata (Settle account! Word of thunder), 168 in Leipzig for the ninth Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 29 July 1725. Bach set a text by Salomo Franck, a librettist with whom he had worke ...

BWV 182 The (BWV; ; ) is a catalogue of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was first published in 1950, edited by Wolfgang Schmieder. The catalogue's second edition appeared in 1990. An abbreviated version of that second edition, known as BWV2a ...

BWV 185 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata (Merciful heart of eternal love), 185 in Weimar for the fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, Trinity and first performed it on 14 July 1715. Bach composed the cantata as concertmaster in Weimar, ...

, and BWV 186a.Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini. ''Studi sui testi delle Cantate sacre di J. S. Bach''. Università di Padova, pubblicazioni della Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, vol. XXXI, Padova & Kassel, 1956, xv-291 He also most likely wrote the text for BWV 12,

BWV 172 (), , is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, composed in Weimar for Pentecost Sunday in 1714. Bach led the first performance on 20 May 1714 in the , the court chapel in the ducal Schloss. ''Erschallet, ihr Lieder'' is an early work in a g ...

and

BWV 21 The (BWV; ; ) is a catalogue of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was first published in 1950, edited by Wolfgang Schmieder. The catalogue's second edition appeared in 1990. An abbreviated version of that second edition, known as BWV2a ...

Works

* ''Madrigalische Seelen-Lust über das heilige Leiden unsers Erlösers'' (1697) * Cycle of cantatas for the

Liturgical year The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and whi ...

1714/1715: ''Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer'' * Cycle of cantatas for the Liturgical year 1715/1716: ''Evangelische Seelen-Lust'' * Cycle of cantatas for the Liturgical year 1716/1717: ''Evangelische Sonn- und Fest-Tages-Andachten'' * ''Heliconische Ehren-, Liebes- und Trauer-Fackeln'', Weimar, Jena (1718)

Texts set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach

probably by Salomon Franck (1714) * Himmelskönig, sei willkommen, BWV 182, 25 March 1714 * Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12, 22 April 1714 * Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten! BWV 172, 20 May 1714 * Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV 21, 17 June 1714 From ''Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer'' (1715) *

Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn, BWV 132 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata ' (Prepare the paths, prepare the road), 132, in Weimar in 1715 for the fourth Sunday of Advent and led the first performance on 22 December 1715. Bach had taken up regular cantata composition ...

Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, BWV 152 (Step upon the path of faith), 152, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed this dialogue cantata in Weimar for the Sunday after Christmas and first performed it on 30 December 1714. History and words On 2 March 1714 Bach wa ...

* Mein Gott, wie lang, ach lange? BWV 155 *

Alles, was von Gott geboren, BWV 80a (All that is born of God), BWV 80.1 (formerly BWV 80a), is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Weimar for Oculi, the third Sunday in Lent, and first performed it on 24 March 1715 or 15 March 1716. The music is l ...

Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret, BWV 31 (Heaven laughs! Earth exults), 31, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach for the first day of Easter. Bach composed the cantata in Weimar and first performed it on 21 April 1715. History and words On 2 March 1714 Bach was appointed conc ...

O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad, BWV 165 (O holy bath of Spirit and water), 165, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Weimar for Trinity Sunday and led the first performance on 16 June 1715. Bach had taken up regular cantata composition a year before when h ...

* Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe, BWV 185 *

Komm, du süße Todesstunde, BWV 161 Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata (Come, you sweet hour of death), 161, in Weimar for the 16th Sunday after Trinity, probably first performed on 27 September 1716. Bach had taken up regular cantata composition two years before ...

* Ach! ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe, BWV 162 *

Nur jedem das Seine, BWV 163 (To each his own!), , is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the work in Weimar for the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 24 November 1715. This work was part of Bach's sequence of monthly church ca ...

* Tue Rechnung! Donnerwort, BWV 168 * Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennet, BWV 164 *

Alles nur nach Gottes Willen, BWV 72 (Everything according to God's will alone), 72, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig in 1726 for the third Sunday after Epiphany and first performed it on 27 January 1726. Bach used the opening chorus for the Glo ...

From ''Evangelische Sonn- und Fest-Tages-Andachten'' (1717) *

Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! BWV 70a (Watch! Pray! Pray! Watch!) is the title of two church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed a first version, 70a, in Weimar for the second Sunday in Advent of 1716 and expanded it in 1723 in Leipzig to , a cantata in two parts for the ...

Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht, BWV 186 (Do not be confounded, o soul), 186 is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it originally in Weimar in 1716 for Advent, , and expanded it in Leipzig in 1723 for the seventh Sunday after Trinity, where he first performed it on 1 ...

a * Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147a

References

Sources

* * Alfred Dürr: Die Kantaten Johann Sebastian Bachs, dtv/Bärenreiter, München und Kassel, 6. Auflage, 1995 * * Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini. ''Studi sui testi delle Cantate sacre di J. S. Bach''. Università di Padova, pubblicazioni della Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, vol. XXXI, Padova & Kassel, 1956, xv-291. * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Franck, Salomon Jurists from Thuringia German poets German cantata librettists Scientists from Weimar Writers from Weimar 1659 births 1725 deaths German male poets German librarians