Church cantata (Bach)

Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach are cantatas which he composed for use in the Lutheran church, mainly intended for the occasions of the liturgical year. The prescribed readings for each occasion are listed along with the cantata(s) for the occasion, including their BWV number, and the date of their first performance, if known.

Throughout his life as a musician, Bach composed cantatas for both secular and sacred use. In Weimar, he was from 1714 to 1717 commissioned to compose one church cantata a month. In the course of almost four years there he thus covered most occasions of the liturgical year.

History

As Thomaskantor, director of music of the main churches of Leipzig, Bach was responsible for the Thomasschule and for the church music at the main churches, where a cantata was required for the service on Sundays and additional church holidays of the liturgical year. When Bach took up his office in 1723, he started to compose new cantatas for most occasions, beginning with Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75, first performed in the Nikolaikirche on 30 May 1723, the first Sunday after Trinity. He collected them in annual cycles, five are mentioned in obituaries, three are extant.[1]

Leipzig observed tempus clausum, quiet time, in Advent and Lent, when no cantatas were performed. All cantatas for these occasions date from Bach's earlier time. He reworked some cantatas from this period for different occasions. The high holidays Christmas, Easter and Pentecost were each celebrated on three days. Additionally, feasts were celebrated on fixed dates, the feasts of Mary, Purification (Mariae Reinigung, 2 February), Annunciation (Mariae Verkündigung, 25 March) and Visitation (Mariae Heimsuchung, 2 July), and the Saint's days of St. John the Baptist (Johannis, 24 June), St. Michael (Michaelis, 29 September), St. Stephen (Stephanus, 26 December, the second day of Christmas) and St. John the Evangelist (Johannes, 27 December, the third day of Christmas). Further feasts on fixed days were New Year's Day (Neujahr, 1 January), Epiphany (Epiphanias, 6 January) and Reformation Day (Reformationsfest, 31 October). Sacred cantatas were also performed for the inauguration of a new city council (Ratswechsel, in Leipzig in August), consecration of church and organ, weddings, confession, funerals, and functions of the University of Leipzig.

The Lutheran church of Bach's time prescribed the same readings every year, a section from a Gospel and, recited before, a corresponding section from an Epistle. A connection between the cantata text and the readings was desired. The readings are listed for each occasion, Epistle and Gospel, and linked to the Bible text in the King James version, an English translation contemporary to Bach's time, which read the translation of Martin Luther.

The church year begins with the first Sunday in Advent, but Bach started his annual cycles on the first Sunday after Trinity, as John Eliot Gardiner points out:

It also marked the beginning of the second half of the Lutheran liturgical year: the Trinity season or "Era of the Church" in which core issues of faith and doctrine are explored, in contrast to the first half, known as the "Temporale" which, beginning in Advent and ending on Trinity Sunday, focuses on the life of Christ, His incarnation, death and resurrection.[2]

Bach started a second annual cycle on the first Sunday after Trinity of 1724, planned to contain only chorale cantatas, each based on a single Lutheran hymn. He began with O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort, BWV 20, on the first Sunday after Trinity, composed chorale cantatas to the end of the liturgical year, began the next liturgical year with Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62 for the first Sunday in Advent, and kept the plan up to Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1, performed on Palm Sunday. For the occasions from Easter to Trinity, he composed no chorale cantatas based exclusively on one hymn, but wrote a few of them in later years, such as Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140, for the 28th Sunday after Trinity which had not occurred in 1724.

Occasions

Roman numerals refer to the position of the given Sunday with respect to a feast day or season. For example, "Advent III" is the third Sunday in Advent and "Trinity V" is the fifth Sunday after Trinity. The number of Sundays after Epiphany and Trinity varies with the position of Easter in the calendar. There can be between 22 and 27 Sundays after Trinity. The maximum number of Sundays after Epiphany did not occur while Bach wrote cantatas.

Advent

Christmas

After Epiphany

Lent

Easter

Pentecost

Trinity

Sundays after Trinity

Fixed festivals within the Liturgical Year

Occasions outside of the liturgical year

Chronology and cycles

Bach's Nekrolog mentions five cantata cycles: "Fünf Jahrgänge von Kirchenstücken, auf alle Sonn- und Festtage" (Five year-cycles of pieces for the church, for all Sundays and feast days),[3] which would amount to at least 275 cantatas,[4] or over 320 if all cycles would have been ideal cycles.[5] The extant cantatas are around two thirds of that number, with limited additional info on the ones that went missing or survived as fragments.

The listing below contains cycle information as available in scholarship, and may include cantatas that are or were associated with Bach (e.g. listed in the BWV catalogue), but were not actually composed by him.

Before Leipzig

Bach's earliest cantatas date from more than 15 years before he became Thomaskantor in Leipzig in 1723. His earliest extant cantatas were composed in Arnstadt and Mühlhausen. In 1708 he moved to Weimar where he wrote most of his church cantatas before the Leipzig era. These pre-Leipzig cantatas are not generally grouped as one of the five cycles mentioned in the Nekrolog.[6] The extant cantatas of the pre-Leipzig era are primarily known by their recasting as a cantata in one of the Leipzig cycles.

Early cantatas (Arnstadt and Mühlhausen)

Bach's early cantatas are "Choralkonzerte" (chorale concertos) in the style of the 17th century, different from the recitative and aria cantata format associated with Neumeister that Bach started to use for church cantatas in 1714.[7] Wolff points out the relation of Bach's early cantatas to works by Dieterich Buxtehude, with whom Bach had studied in Lübeck.[8] Christ lag in Todes Banden shows similarities to a composition of Johann Pachelbel based on the same Easter chorale.[7] Although there is no evidence that Bach and Pachelbel met, Bach grew up in Thuringia while Pachelbel was based in the same region, and Bach's elder brother and teacher Johann Christoph Bach studied with Pachelbel in Erfurt.[9] Another of Pachelbel's works appears to be referenced in the early Bach cantata, Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150, and there has been recent speculation that Bach wanted to pay tribute to Pachelbel after his death in 1706.[10][11]

The texts for the early cantatas were drawn mostly from biblical passages and hymns.[12] Features characteristic of his later cantatas, such as recitatives and arias on contemporary poetry, were not yet present,[13] although Bach may have heard them in oratorios by Buxtehude, or even earlier.[12] Instead, these early cantatas include 17th-century elements such as motets and chorale concertos.[14][15] They often begin with an instrumental sinfonia or sonata (sonatina).[12] The following table lists the seven extant works composed by Bach until 1708, when he moved on to the Weimar court.[16]

 Bach's early cantatas
Date Occasion BWV Incipit Text source
1707? Penitence 150 Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich Psalm 25, anon.
1707? Easter 4 Christ lag in Todes Banden Luther
1707? Penitence 131 Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir Psalm 130
1 Jan 1708? New Year's Day 143 Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele mainly Psalm 146, two stanzas of Jakob Ebert's hymn "Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ"
4 Feb 1708 Inauguration of the town council 71 Gott ist mein König mainly Psalm 74, with added biblical quotations
5 Jun 1708? Wedding? 196 Der Herr denket an uns Psalm 115:12–15
16 Sep 1708? Funeral 106 Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (Actus tragicus) compilation of seven biblical quotations, three hymns and free poetry

Bach uses the limited types of instruments at his disposal for unusual combinations, such as two recorders and two viole da gamba in the funeral cantata Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, also known as Actus Tragicus. He uses instruments of the continuo group as independent parts, such as a cello in Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich and a bassoon in Der Herr denket an uns.[12] Wolff notes:

The overall degree of mastery by which these early pieces compare favourably with the best church compositions from the first decade of the eighteenth century ... proves that the young Bach did not confine himself to playing organ and clavier, but, animated by his Buxtehude visit, devoted considerable time and effort to vocal composition. The very few such early works that exist, each a masterpiece in its own right, must constitute a remnant only ... of a larger body of similar compositions.[12]

The Bach scholar Richard D. P. Jones notes in The Creative Development of Johann Sebastian Bach:

"His remarkable flair for test illustration is evident even in the early cantatas, particularly the two finest of them, the Actus tragicus, BWV 106, and Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4. We already sense a powerful mind behind the notes in the motivic unity of the early cantatas, in the use of reprise to bind their mosaic forms together..."[17]

Weimar cantatas

Further information: Bach cantata § Weimar

The expression "Weimar cycle" has been used for the cantatas composed in Weimar from 1714 (which form the bulk of extant cantatas composed before Bach's Leipzig time).[18][19]

In Köthen, where Bach worked from 1717 to 1723, he restaged some of his earlier church cantatas.

First cycle

Bach's first (Leipzig) cantata cycle consists of cantatas or similar liturgical works (e.g. liturgical compositions in Latin) first performed from 30 May 1723 (first Sunday after Trinity) to 4 June 1724 (Trinity).

Second cycle

Bach's second (Leipzig) cantata cycle consists of cantatas first performed from 11 June 1724 (first Sunday after Trinity) to 27 May 1725 (Trinity). The first 40 cantatas of this cycle are chorale cantatas, thus this cycle is also known as the chorale cantata cycle (at least the first 40 cantatas of the cycle are known thus). Bach's chorale cantatas written at a later date and restagings of earlier chorale cantatas are also usually understood as being included in this cycle.

Third cycle

Bach's third (Leipzig) cantata cycle is traditionally seen as consisting of cantatas first performed from the first Sunday after Trinity in 1725 to Trinity Sunday in 1726, or otherwise before the Picander cycle. More recent scholarship assigns the qualification "between the third and the fourth cycles" to the few known cantatas written from 1727 to the start of the fourth cycle.[20]

In the "third cycle" period Bach also gave many cantatas composed by his second cousin Johann Ludwig Bach a Leipzig premiere. For the period from Purification, 2 February 1726, to Trinity XIII, 15 September 1726, there are extant copies by Johann Sebastian Bach and his usual scribes for 16 cantatas (JLB 1–16), covering nearly half of the occasions in that period. Another cantata, JLB 21, was likely also given its Leipzig premiere in this same period (Easter, 21 April 1726), but was for some time misattributed to Johann Sebastian Bach as his 15th cantata (BWV 15).

Fourth cycle

Bach's fourth (Leipzig) cantata cycle, a.k.a. Picander cycle consists of cantatas performed for the first time from 24 June 1728 (St. John's Day) to 10 July 1729 (fourth Sunday after Trinity), or later in 1729 to a libretto from the printed cycle of 70 cantata texts by Picander. Later additions to this cycle, Picander librettos without extant setting by Bach and/or restagings of earlier cantatas in this period can be seen as belonging to this cycle.

Later/other

Cantatas not belonging to any of the previous: e.g. first performed after the Picander cycle, uncertainty when it was first performed or for which liturgical occasion it was composed, etc. Generally it is not believed that cantatas composed after the Picander cycle amount to a cycle in its own right, at least there are not enough extant cantatas to unambiguously conclude that a fifth Leipzig cantata cycle ever existed.

Advent

Advent is celebrated on the four Sundays before Christmas. In Leipzig, only on the first Sunday a cantata was performed, because it was a Fastenzeit (season of abstinence).

Advent I

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 28 November 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 3 December 1724:

3 – Between the second and the fourth cycle?:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 28 November 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Advent II

Composed before the numbered cycles:

4 – Picander libretto for 5 December 1728:

Advent III

Composed before the numbered cycles:

4 – Picander libretto for 12 December 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Advent IV

Composed before the numbered cycles:

4 – Picander libretto for 19 December 1728:

Christmas

The Christmas season was celebrated from Christmas Day through Epiphany. In Leipzig, three days were observed, with a Christmas cantata performed every day. For the Christmas season of 1734 Bach composed the Christmas Oratorio in six parts, to be performed as the cantata in the service on the six feast days, three days of Christmas, New Year, the Sunday after New Year and Epiphany.

Christmas Day

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 1723:

2 – Second year in Leipzig, 1724:

3 – Third cycle, 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Second Day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas (26 December) Leipzig celebrated Christmas and St. Stephen's Day in alternating years, with different readings.

1 – First cycle, 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 1724:

3 – Third cycle, 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Third Day of Christmas

1 – First cycle, 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 1724:

3 – Third cycle, 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Christmas I

Composed before the numbered cycles:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 31 December 1724:

3 – Third cycle, 30 December 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 1728 (there was however no Sunday between Christmas  27 December 1728 and New Year 1729):

New Year's Day

On 1 January the feast of the Circumcision of Christ was celebrated, as well as the New Year.

1 – First cycle, 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 1725:

3 – Third cycle, 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

New Year I

In some years, a Sunday falls between New Year's Day and Epiphany. It is known as the Sunday after New Year's Day or as the second Sunday of Christmas.

1 – First cycle, 2 January 1724:

2 – Later addition to the chorale cantata cycle:

3 – Third cycle or "between the third and the fourth cycles",[20] 5 January 1727:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 2 January 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Epiphany

1 – First cycle, 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

After Epiphany

Depending on the date of Easter, a variable number (up to six) of Sundays occurred between Epiphany and Septuagesima, the third Sunday before Ash Wednesday.

Epiphany I

1 – First cycle, 9 January 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 7 January 1725:

3 – Third cycle, 13 January 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 9 January 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Epiphany II

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 16 January 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 14 January 1725:

3 – Third cycle, 20 January 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 16 January 1729:

Epiphany III

1 – First cycle, 23 January 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 21 January 1725:

3 – Third cycle, 27 January 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, 23 January 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Epiphany IV

1 – First cycle, 30 January 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 3 February 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 30 January 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Epiphany V

There is no extant Bach-cantata for Epiphany V, nor for Epiphany VI, Sundays that didn't occur every year.[5] In Bach's first year in Leipzig the last Sunday before Pre-Lent was Epiphany IV. In his second year it had been Epiphany III (Bach's chorale cantata for Epiphany IV was composed a decade later, see above). In his third year in Leipzig the last Sunday before Pre-Lent was Epiphany V, on which occasion he staged a cantata by Johann Ludwig Bach. In the Picander cycle the last Sunday before Pre-Lent was also Epiphany V, but there is no extant cantata for that occasion in 1729.

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 10 February 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 6 February 1729:

Epiphany VI

Picander provided a libretto for the sixth Sunday after Epiphany in his 1728–29 cycle of cantata texts, although that Sunday didn't occur in the liturgical year he wrote his cycle for.[20] Epiphany VI didn't occur in any of the years Bach was composing his cantata cycles.

4 – Picander cycle, libretto for Epiphany VI:

Pre-Lent

Pre-Lent, a.k.a. Shrovetide or the Pre-Lenten season, comprises the three last Sundays before Lent.

Septuagesima

Septuagesima is the third Sunday before Ash Wednesday.

1 – First cycle, 6 February 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 28 January 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig and "between the third and the fourth cycles":[20]

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 13 February 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Sexagesima

Sexagesima is the second Sunday before Ash Wednesday.

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 13 February 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 4 February 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 24 February 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 20 February 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Estomihi

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – Audition and first cycle, 7 February 1723 (Leipzig audition for the post as Thomaskantor) and 20 February 1724 (first cycle):

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 11 February 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig and "between the third and the fourth cycles":[20]

4 – Picander cycle, 27 February 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Lent

During Lent, the Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter, "quiet time" was observed in Leipzig. Only the feast of Annunciation was celebrated with a cantata, even if it fell in that time. On Good Friday, a Passion was performed in Leipzig in a Vespers service.

Invocabit

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 6 March 1729:

Reminiscere

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 13 March 1729:

Oculi

Composed before the numbered cycles:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 20 March 1729:

Laetare

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 27 March 1729:

Judica

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 3 April 1729:

Palm Sunday

The only two extant church cantatas Bach composed for Annunciation (see below) are also Palm Sunday cantatas. He composed one for this combined occasion in Weimar (BWV 182). In Leipzig Annunciation was the only occasion for which concerted music could be performed during Lent, apart from the Passion performed on Good Friday. When 25 March, the normal date for the feast of Annunciation, fell in Holy Week the feast for Annunciation was moved forward to Palm Sunday, which happened in 1728, the second time Bach restaged his Weimar cantata for the combined Annunciation and Palm Sunday occasion.

The other cantata Bach composed for the combined occasion was the last chorale cantata written in his second year in Leipzig, first performed on 25 March 1725 (BWV 1). In 1729, the Picander cycle year, Annunciation fell more than two weeks before Palm Sunday (10 April). Picander did however not provide a separate libretto for Palm Sunday in his 1728–29 cycle: he proposed to use the same libretto as for Advent I (see above). There is no extant setting of this libretto by Bach, nor of the separate Annunciation libretto.

Good Friday

Bach's Passion settings are not listed as cantatas, nor are such Passions usually included in cantata cycles. As an indication of which Passion was performed in the course of which cycle they are listed here:

Before Leipzig:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 7 April 1724

2 – Second year in Leipzig, 30 March 1725:

3 – Third to fifth year in Leipzig:

4 – Period of the Picander cycle, 15 April 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Easter

The Easter season comprises the time up to Pentecost, starting with three days of Easter.

Easter Sunday

Further information: Church cantata § Easter

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 9 April 1724:

2 – Second year in Leipzig and/or chorale cantata cycle, 1 April 1725:

3 – third year in Leipzig, 21 April 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 17 April 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Easter Monday

1 – First cantata cycle, 10 April 1724:

2 – Second cantata cycle, 2 April 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 22 April 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 18 April 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Easter Tuesday

1 – First cantata cycle, 11 April 1724:

2 – Second cantata cycle, 2 April 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 23 April 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 19 April 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Easter I

The Sundays between Easter and Pentecost have Latin names, derived from the beginning of the prescribed readings. The first Sunday after Easter is called Quasimodogeniti. Some sources name the Sunday after Easter the second Sunday in Easter, counting Easter Sunday as the first.

1 – First cantata cycle, 16 April 1724:

2 – Second cantata cycle, 8 April 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 28 April 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 24 April 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Easter II

The second Sunday after Easter is called Misericordias Domini.

1 – First cantata cycle, 23 April 1724:

2 – Second year cycle and/or chorale cantata cycle:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 5 May 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 1 May 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Easter III

The third Sunday after Easter is called Jubilate.

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 30 April 1724:

2 – Second year cycle, 22 April 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 12 May 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 8 May 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Easter IV

The fourth Sunday after Easter is called Cantate.

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First cantata cycle, 7 May 1724:

2 – Second year cycle, 29 April 1725:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 19 May 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 15 May 1729:

Easter V

The fifth Sunday after Easter is called Rogate.

1 – First cantata cycle, 14 May 1724:

2 – Second year cycle, 6 May 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 22 May 1729:

Ascension

Further information: Church cantata § Ascension

1 – First cantata cycle, 18 May 1724:

2 – Second year cycle, 10 May 1725:

3 – Third cantata cycle, 30 May 1726:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 26 May 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Ascension I

The Sunday after Ascension is called Exaudi.

1 – First cycle, 21 May 1724:

2 – Second cycle, 13 May 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 29 May 1729:

Pentecost to Trinity

Leipzig publications with the text of the cantatas for the four occasions from Pentecost to Trinity are extant for 1727 and 1731.[20]

Pentecost Sunday

Further information: Church cantata § Pentecost

Pentecost Sunday (1. Pfingsttag) is also called Whit Sunday.

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 28 May 1724:

2 – Second cycle, 20 May 1725:

3 – "Between the third and the fourth cycles":[20]

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 5 June 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Pentecost Monday

Pentecost Monday (2. Pfingsttag) is also called Whit Monday.

2 – Second cycle, 21 May 1725:

3 – "Between the third and the fourth cycles":[20]

4 – Picander cycle, 6 June 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Pentecost Tuesday

Pentecost Tuesday (3. Pfingsttag) is also called Whit Tuesday.

1 – First cycle, 30 May 1724:

2 – Second cycle, 22 May 1725:

3 – "Between the third and the fourth cycles":[20]

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 7 June 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Trinity

Further information: Church cantata § Trinity

On Trinity Sunday, the Sunday after Pentecost, the Trinity is celebrated.

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 4 June 1724:

2 – Second cycle and chorale cantata cycle:

3 – Third year in Leipzig and "Between the third and the fourth cycles":[20]

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 12 June 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Sundays after Trinity

A variable number of Sundays, up to 27 if Easter is extremely early, occurs between Trinity and the next liturgical year, which starts with the first Sunday of Advent.

Bach's first two Leipzig cantata cycles start on the first Sunday after Trinity: it was the first occasion of his tenure as Thomaskantor (30 May 1723: BWV 75), and the next year he composed the first cantata of his chorale cantata cycle for this occasion (11 June 1724: BWV 20).

After his cantata for Trinity 1725 (BWV 176, see above), which concluded his second year in Leipzig, there are however no extant cantatas before BWV 168 for the ninth Sunday after Trinity, considered the first cantata of the third cycle. For the first Sunday after Trinity 1726 he composed BWV 39, considered as a later addition to the third cycle.

The incomplete fourth cycle was supposed to start on St. John's Day 24 June 1728, followed by a cantata for the fifth Sunday after Trinity on 27 June, at least as far as the first print of Picander's libretto's of this cycle is concerned. Bach's oldest extant setting of a libretto of this cycle is however a cantata for the 21st Sunday after Trinity, 17 October 1728, and when the cycle's librettos were printed for the second time in 1732 Picander indicated 1729 as the year of the cycle.[20]

The elusive fifth cycle has an even less clear start. It is not known which cantatas exactly belonged to this cycle: it may have been a collection of cantatas written before Bach's Leipzig time that were not otherwise added to one of the other numbered cycles, and of cantatas written at a later date.

Trinity I

1 – First cycle, 30 May 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 11 June 1724:

3 – Third cycle:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 19 June 1729:

Trinity II

1 – First cycle, 6 June 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 18 June 1724:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 10 June 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 26 June 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Trinity III

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 13 June 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 25 June 1724:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 17 June 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 3 July 1729:

Trinity IV

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, 20 June 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle:

3 – Third year in Leipzig, 24 June 1725:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 10 July 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

Trinity V

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 9 July 1724:

3 – Third and fourth year in Leipzig:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 27 June 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Trinity VI

2 – Chorale cantata cycle:

3 – Third and fourth year in Leipzig:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 4 July 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Trinity VII

1 – First cycle, 11 July 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 23 July 1724:

3 – Third and fourth year in Leipzig:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 11 July 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Trinity VIII

1 – First cycle, 18 June 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 30 July 1724:

3 – Third cycle:

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 18 July 1728:

Trinity IX

1 Corinthians 10:6–13, warning of false gods, consolation in temptation
Luke 16:1–9, parable of the Unjust Steward

Trinity X

1 Corinthians 12:1–11, different gifts, but one spirit
Luke 19:41–48, Jesus announces the destruction of Jerusalem, Cleansing of the Temple

Trinity XI

1 Corinthians 15:1–10, on the gospel of Christ and his (Paul's) duty as an apostle
Luke 18:9–14, parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Trinity XII

2 Corinthians 3:4–11, the ministration of the Spirit
Mark 7:31–37, the healing of a deaf mute man

Trinity XIII

Galatians 3:15–22, law and promise
Luke 10:23–37, parable of the Good Samaritan

Trinity XIV

Galatians 5:16–24, works of the flesh, fruit of the Spirit
Luke 17:11–19, Cleansing ten lepers

Trinity XV

Galatians 5:25–6:10, admonition to "walk in the Spirit"
Matthew 6:23–34, Sermon on the Mount: don't worry about material needs, but seek God's kingdom first

Trinity XVI

Ephesians 3:13–21, Paul praying for the strengthening of faith in the congregation of Ephesus
Luke 7:11–17, Raising of the Young man from Nain

Trinity XVII

Ephesians 4:1–6, admonition to keep the unity of the Spirit
Luke 14:1–11, Healing a man with dropsy on the Sabbath

Trinity XVIII

1 Corinthians 1:4–8, Paul's thanks for grace of God in Ephesus
Matthew 22:34–46, the Great Commandment

Trinity XIX

Ephesians 4:22–28, "put on the new man, which after God is created"
Matthew 9:1–8, Healing the paralytic at Capernaum

Trinity XX

Ephesians 5:15–21, "walk circumspectly, ... filled with the Spirit"
Matthew 22:1–14, parable of the great banquet

Trinity XXI

Ephesians 6:10–17, "take unto you the whole armour of God"
John 4:46–54, healing the nobleman's son

Trinity XXII

Philippians 1:3–11, Thanks and prayer for the congregation in Philippi
Matthew 18:23–35, parable of the unforgiving servant

Trinity XXIII

Philippians 3:17–21, "our conversation is in heaven"
Matthew 22:15–22, the question about paying taxes, answered by Render unto Caesar...

Trinity XXIV

Colossians 1:9–14, prayer for the Colossians
Matthew 9:18–26, the story of Jairus' daughter

Trinity XXV

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, the coming of the Lord
Matthew 24:25–28, the Tribulation

Trinity XXVI

2 Peter 3:3–13, look for new heavens and a new earth
Matthew 25:31–46, the Second Coming of Christ

Trinity XXVII

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, be prepared for the day of the Lord
Matthew 25:1–13, parable of the Ten Virgins

Fixed festivals within the Liturgical Year

Purification

The Purification of Mary (Mariae Reinigung) and the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple are celebrated on 2 February.

Malachi 3:1–4, the Lord will come to his temple
Luke 2:22–32, the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, including Simeon's canticle Nunc dimittis

Annunciation

The Annunciation (Mariae Verkündigung) is celebrated on 25 March, or (in Leipzig) on Palm Sunday when 25 March falls in Holy Week (see above). Bach's only extant Annunciation cantatas were composed in years when Annunciation coincided with Palm Sunday.

Composed before the numbered cycles:

1 – First year in Leipzig, Palm Sunday 25 March 1724:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, Palm Sunday 25 March 1725:

3 – "Between the second and the fourth cycle":

4 – Picander cycle, libretto planned for 25 March 1729:

5 – Other and/or later:

St. John's Day

The Feast of John the Baptist (Johannistag), remembering the birth of John the Baptist, is celebrated on 24 June.

1 – First cantata cycle, 1723:

2 – Chorale cantata cycle, 1724:

3 – Third year in Leipzig:[20]

4 – Picander cycle,[24] libretto planned for 1728:

5 – Other and/or later:

Visitation

Visitation, the visit of Mary with Elizabeth, including her song of praise, the Magnificat, is celebrated on 2 July.

Isaiah 11:1–5, prophecy of the Messiah
Luke 1:39–56, Visitation

St. Michael's Day

St. Michael's Day (Michaelis) is celebrated on 29 September.

Revelation 12:7–12, fight of Michael with the dragon
Matthew 18:1–11, heaven belongs to the children, the angels see the face of God

Reformation Day

Reformation Day is celebrated on 31 October.

2 Thessalonians 2:3–8, be steadfast against adversaries
Revelation 14:6–8, fear God and honour him

Occasions outside of the liturgical year

Consecration of church and organ

Revelation 21:2–8, the new Jerusalem
Luke 19:1–10, conversion of Zacchaeus

New council

The election or inauguration of a new town council was celebrated with a service. Normally this was an annual event. The cantata written for such celebrations were indicated with the term "Ratswechsel" (changing of the council) or "Ratswahl" (election of the council).

Wedding

Funeral

Different occasions

References

  1. ↑ Christoph Wolff (1991). Bach: Essays on his Life and Music. ISBN 978-0-674-05926-9.
  2. ↑ John Eliot Gardiner (2004). "Cantatas for the First Sunday after Trinity / St Giles Cripplegate, London" (PDF). monteverdiproductions.co.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  3. ↑ Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Johann Friedrich Agricola. "Nekrolog" (full title: "VI. Denkmal dreyer verstorbenen Mitglieder der Societät der musikalischen Wissenschafften; C. Der dritte und letzte ist der im Orgelspielen Weltberühmte HochEdle Herr Johann Sebastian Bach, Königlich-Pohlnischer und Churfürstlich Sächsicher Hofcompositeur, und Musikdirector in Leipzig"), pp. 158–176 in Lorenz Christoph Mizler's Musikalische Bibliothek, Volume IV No. 1. Leipzig, Mizlerischer Bücherverlag, 1754, p. 168
  4. 1 2 3 4 Alfred Dörffel. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe Volume 27: Thematisches Verzeichniss der Kirchencantaten No. 1–120. Breitkopf & Härtel, 1878. Introduction, p. VI
  5. 1 2 3 Günther Zedler. Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach: Eine Einführung in die Werkgattung. Books on Demand, 2011. ISBN 9783842357259, p. 24–25
  6. ↑ Philipp Spitta. Johann Sebastian Bach: His Work and Influence on the Music of Germany, 1685–1750 in three volumes. Translated by Clara Bell and J. A. Fuller Maitland. Novello & Co. 1884–1885. 1899 edition, Vol. 2, Book V: "Leipzig", pp. 348–349
  7. 1 2 Dürr 2006, p. 264.
  8. ↑ Wolff 2002, p. 99.
  9. ↑ Jones 2007, p. 5.
  10. ↑ Geck 2006.
  11. ↑ Isoyama 1995, p. 6.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Wolff 2002, p. 100.
  13. ↑ Dürr 2006, p. 11.
  14. ↑ Dürr 2006, p. 12.
  15. ↑ Wolff 2002, p. 158.
  16. ↑ Wolff 2002, pp. 162–163.
  17. ↑ Jones 2007, p. 131.
  18. ↑ Joshua Rifkin (2001). Liner notes to Three Weimar Cantatas, Dorian 93231
  19. ↑ Richard D. P. Jones (2006). The Creative Development of Johann Sebastian Bach, Volume I: 1695-1717: Music to Delight the Spirit. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191513244, p. 212
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Tatiana Shabalina "Recent Discoveries in St Petersburg and their Meaning for the Understanding of Bach’s Cantatas" pp. 77-99 in Understanding Bach 4, 2009
  21. 1 2 Alfred Dörffel. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe Volume 27: Thematisches Verzeichniss der Kirchencantaten No. 1–120. Breitkopf & Härtel, 1878. Introduction, pp. V–IX
  22. ↑ BWV2a, p. 454
  23. ↑ Daniel R. Melamed. "J. F. Doles's Setting of a Picander Libretto and J. S. Bach's Teaching of Vocal Composition" in The Journal of Musicology, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Autumn, 1996), pp. 453-474. University of California Press.
  24. 1 2 3 4 BWV2a, p. 458
  25. ↑ Zweite Mühlhäuser Ratswahlkantate BWV Anh. 192 / Anh. I 4→; BC (B 2) at www.bachdigital.de
  26. ↑ Mincham, Julian. "BWV 71". Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  27. ↑ Eidam, Klaus (2001). "Ch. V". The True Life of Johann Sebastian Bach. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-01861-0.

Sources

External links

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