Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille, BWV 120b

Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille (God, you are praised in the stillness), BWV 120b,^{[lower-alpha 1]} is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in 1730 to commemorate the Augsburg Confession.

History and text

This cantata commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession. It was first performed 26 June 1730 in the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig. The music for the piece is now lost, but can be partially reconstructed from Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille, BWV 120, on which some movements were based.^[1]

The words are found in Picander's Ernst-Scherzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte. Dritter Theil, Leipzig, 1732. The chorale is by Martin Luther.^[1]

Structure

The work is in six movements:^[2]

1. Arioso: Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille(parody of BWV 120/1)
2. Aria: Zahle, Zion, die Gelübde (parody of BWV 120/2)
3. Recitative: Ach! du geliebte Gottesstadt
4. Aria: Treu im Glauben (parody of BWV 120/4)
5. Recitative: Wohlan, du heilige Gemeinde
6. Chorale: Du heilige Brunst, süßer Trost

Notes

1. "BWV" is Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works.

References

1. "Cantata BWV 120b". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
2. "BWV 120b". University of Alberta. Retrieved 23 July 2013.