Cantata ''Geschwinde, ihr wirbelnden Winde'', BWV 201
Geschwinde, ihr wirbelnden Winde (Swift, you swirling winds), BWV. 201, is a secular cantata by J.S. Bach, with libretto by Christian Friedrich Henrici. The manuscript of the work gives its title as Der Streit zwischen Phoebus und Pan (The Dispute between Phoebus and Pan). It was comissioned for a Collegium Musicum of which bach became head later on, and he probably composed it for the opening concert of the Collegium's first season in 1729. The work uses the ancient myth of a musical contest between Phoebus-Apollo and Pan as a comment to a controversy about "popular" and "learned" music, the first being represented by Pan, the latter by Apollo. At the end, Pan is defeated completely. The cantata is scored for soprano, alto, two tenors, bass, a six part choir, three trumpets, timpani, two tranverse flutes, two oboes d'amore, two violins, viola, and basso continuo.