Composer

:

Leopold Stokowski

Genre

:

Orchestral

Style

:

Orchestral

Average_duration

:

5:34

"Sheep May Safely Graze" is a musical composition by Leopold Stokowski, based on the aria "Schafe können sicher weiden" from Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata No. 208, BWV 208. Stokowski's arrangement was first performed on December 7, 1926, by the Philadelphia Orchestra. The piece is divided into three movements, with the first and third being instrumental and the second featuring a soprano soloist. The first movement begins with a gentle, pastoral melody played by the strings, which is then joined by the woodwinds and brass. The second movement features the soprano soloist singing the original German lyrics, which describe a shepherdess tending to her flock of sheep. The final movement returns to the instrumental theme of the first movement, with the addition of a triumphant brass section. Stokowski's arrangement of "Sheep May Safely Graze" is characterized by its lush orchestration and romantic sensibility. The piece is often used in weddings and other formal occasions, due to its serene and uplifting nature. Stokowski's arrangement has become one of the most popular and enduring adaptations of Bach's music, and has been recorded by numerous orchestras and soloists over the years.

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