Bach Willst du dein Herz mir schenken BWV 518 De Geyter, Netherlands Bach Society

The Notenbüchlein for Anna Magdalena Bach is a collection of different sorts of music by several composers. Besides pieces for harpsichord preludes, partitas and various dances it also includes a series of songs. Some are more spiritual in character and others more secular. This song, Willst du dein Herz mir schenken, belongs in the latter category. It is a love song in four strophes, in which the singer asks her lover to keep their love hidden and unspoken, because being too free and feeling confident has already led often to danger and now, too, a false eye is watching. In short, the passion we enjoy must be a secret. It is clearly a case of a hidden or forbidden love. A young couple with strict parents An extramarital affair Or maybe a lesbian romance As it conjures up all sorts of situations, the song fits well in a wider context, as in this performance, where it is combined with Bachs Quodlibet (see among other pieces. Recorded for