Did you know that J. S. Bach wrote a Coffee Cantata? Amazing! I was looking through an old book about the music of Bach and came across this gem of a piece. After researching it a bit more, I can confidently tell you that it is, indeed, one of the coolest things to come from the Baroque era.
The work is labeled as a cantata, but is actually closer to a comic opera. Here's the backstory: Early 18th century Leipzig saw the introduction and subsequent fanaticism of the tasty, brewed stimulant. Bach was the director of a group of student musicians known as the Collegium Musicum between 1732-1734. This group met each Friday at Leipzig's Zimmerman Coffee House to give concerts. It is likely that the cantata was written for this group. The libretto was written by Christian Friedrich Henrici.
A libretto is the text to a large musical work, like an opera, oratorio, cantata, or musical.
The story is about a father, Herr Schlendrian (literally, Mr. Routine) and his daughter Lieschen, who loves coffee. She loves it so much that she is willing to give up all luxuries and fine things for her coffee. A conflict arises when Schlendrian refuses to let Lieschen marry if she will not give up her coffee habit. Lieschen finally relents, but when her father is absent, decides that her allowance of coffee must be included in the marriage contract. In other words, she will marry no man who will deny her her percolated beverage of choice.
If I can't drink my bowl of coffee three times daily, then in my torment I will shrivel up like a piece of roast goat.
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