Classical music lyrics

[VEGANGELICA]

I am interested in classical music lyrics (and by "classical" I mean Western classical music from the 9th Century or so up to the present) because I feel words, combined with music, may reveal the spirit of the times...or at least the viewpoints and interests of writers and composers.

What are some classical music choral pieces or arias that interest you because of their lyrics, and what do you feel the lyrics mean?

For example, the lyrics of Johann Sebastian Bach's famous secular aria, "Sheep May Safely Graze" (from Contata BMV 208, composed in 1713) were written by Salomon Franck, who uses both a metaphor and surpisingly concrete language to say that good governments create peace and tranquility among the people. The lyrics appear to be a political commentary, since the contata was written for the 35th birthday of Prince Christian of Saxen-Weißenfels. I was surprised to hear political commentary in classical music from 1713...especially since the impression I get is that the rulers of European countries at the time were not too concerned about the welfare of the masses. Maybe the lyrics are a not-so-subtle reminder of what Franck felt good rulers *should* do.

Below are Salomon Franck's German lyrics (and my English translation), followed by a YouTube recording of Emma Kirkby singing the original German lyrics along with Bach's score. I translated the German lyrics that are part of the Bach score I downloaded from a wonderful online music library my dad told me about, the International Music Score Library Project, International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) Portal.

Two comments about the YouTube video: the famously beautiful "Sheep" aria starts at 0:36...and the accompanying old paintings of nudes don't have anything to do with the song in particular, but are an interesting reminder that people today are in some ways much more prudish than they appear to have been in the past. For example, all public sculptures of nudes in my Iowan city have been created so that the "privates" are covered! Not so in the video.

"Sheep Can Safely Graze"--lyrics by Salomon Franck, 1713 (translated from German to English by Erica B.):

Schafe können sicher weiden, (Sheep can safely graze)
wo ein guter Hirte wacht, (where a good shepherd keeps watch,)
Schafe können sicher weiden, (sheep can safely graze,)
Schafe können sicher weiden, (sheep can safely graze)
wo ein guter Hirte wacht, (where a good shepherd keeps watch,)
wo ein guter Hirte wacht. (where a good shepherd keeps watch.)

Wo Regenten wohl regieren, (Where rulers govern well,)
kann man Ruh' und Frieden spüren, (one can feel the serenity and peace)
und was Länder glücklich macht, (and what makes countries blissful,)
wo Regenten wohl regieren, (where rulers govern well)
Kann man Ruh' und Frieden spüren, (one can feel the serenity and peace,)
Ruh' und Frieden, Ruh' und Frieden spüren, (serenity and peace, feel the serenity and peace)
und was Länder glücklich macht. (and what makes countries blissful.)