Vergnügte Pleißenstadt, BWV 216

Bach composed this cantata for the wedding of Johann Heinrich Wolff and Susanna Regina Hempel.

Susanna was the daughter of a customs official,[3] and came from Zittau; her husband came from Leipzig, where the work was first performed on 5 February 1728.

[5] The surviving music consists of parts for soprano and alto voices, representing the characters of Neiße and Pleiße respectively.

One parody source is a duet for alto and tenor from Zerreißet, zersprenget, zertrümmert die Gruft, BWV 205, a festively scored work premiered in 1725.

The parody source of movement 3 was Ich bin in mir vergnügt, BWV 204, scored for soprano soloist, flauto traverso, two oboes, two violins, viola, and basso continuo and also premiered in the 1720s.