Bach's Cantata No. 66 "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" (Rejoice, heart) (BWV 66) was intended for the Feast of Easter Monday and was probably premiered in Leipzig in 1724. But the work itself is a parody cantata; the original had been a birthday cantata from his Kothen period and Bach's unknown librettist had to fit new words to Bach's music. "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" is a Dialogus, a dialogue cantata in which two of the soloists take metaphoric roles of fear (alto) and hope (tenor) in the fourth and fifth movements. The cantata is scored for alto, tenor and bass soloists, chorus, a solo trumba da caccia, a pair of oboes, strings, and basso continuo. "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" is in bright D major with its first, second, third, and fourth movements in the tonic; its fifth movement in A major; and its final movement in F sharp minor, the relative minor of the fifth movement's A major, but ending on a picardy third. The first movement is a fast, forceful da capo choral fantasia with outer sections led by a brilliant trumpet surrounding a central andante duet between choral altos and basses beneath piano strings and above a flowing continuo. The second movement is an extremely brief recitative for bass soloist, strings, and continuo. The third is a long and graceful triple-time da capo aria for bass soloist, oboes, strings, and continuo. The fourth is an expansive recitative a two for alto and tenor soloists in their roles as Fear and Hope; it opens with a quiet section for Hope, becomes suddenly agitated when Fear enters, and returns to serenity once more as Hope calms Fear. The fifth movement is a gracious 12/8 da capo duet aria in the form of a trio sonata for alto and tenor soloist, obbligato violin, and continuo. "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" concludes with a strict chorale harmonization for chorus and full orchestra colla parte.

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