Entfernet euch, ihr heitern Sterne, BWV Anh. 9

Entfernet euch, ihr heitern Sterne (Disperse yourselves, ye stars, serenely!), BWV 1156 (formerly BWV Anh. 9),^[1] is a birthday cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach.^[2] He composed it in Leipzig to celebrate the 57th birthday of the Elector of Saxony, King Augustus II the Strong,^[3] and it was performed for him on his birthday, 12 May 1727, on the Markt square of Leipzig, by students of the University of Leipzig,^[4] with Bach directing.^[3] The king was also presented with the work's libretto, written by Christian Friedrich Haupt.^[3]

Entfernet euch, ihr heitern Sterne
Secular cantata by J. S. Bach
Augustus II the Strong, known as Frederick Augustus I in Saxony, for whom the cantata was created
English	Disperse yourselves, ye stars, serenely!
Catalogue	BWV 1156 (BWV Anh. 9)
Occasion	birthday of the sovereign
Text	by Christian Friedrich Haupt
Premiere
Date	12 May 1727 (1727-05-12)
Location	Leipzig, Markt
Conductor	J. S. Bach

The music to this secular birthday cantata by Bach is lost.^[2][3] It has been speculated from the surviving libretto, however, that several movements from the Mass in B minor are derived from it. A reconstruction has been created using the music of the Mass.

The cantata is counted among Bach's works for celebrations of the Leipzig University, Festmusiken zu Leipziger Universitätsfeiern.^[5]

Recordings

The reconstruction by Dr. Klaus Höfner has been recorded.^[2]