Church cantatas of Bach's third to fifth year in Leipzig

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Bach's autograph of the start (sinfonia) of Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot, BWV 39, the cantata for the first Sunday after Trinity in 1726, which is the first cantata of his fourth year in Leipzig, composed halfway through his third cycle BWV39-autograph-score-sinfonia.jpg
Bach's autograph of the start (sinfonia) of Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot, BWV 39, the cantata for the first Sunday after Trinity in 1726, which is the first cantata of his fourth year in Leipzig, composed halfway through his third cycle

On Trinity Sunday 27 May 1725 Johann Sebastian Bach had presented the last cantata of his second cantata cycle, the cycle which coincided with his second year in Leipzig. As director musices of the principal churches in Leipzig he presented a variety of cantatas over the next three years. New cantatas for occasions of the liturgical year composed in this period, except for a few in the chorale cantata format, are known as Bach's third cantata cycle. His next cycle of church cantatas, the Picander cycle, did not start before St. John's Day 24 June 1728.

Contents

Sacred music of this period by Bach that does not belong to a cantata cycle includes council election cantatas, Passion music for Good Friday, and music for weddings and funerals.

Annually returning services

Johann Sebastian Bach JSBach.jpg
Johann Sebastian Bach

After Trinity of 1725 Johann Sebastian Bach began a third annual cycle, but with less consistency than the previous two. [1] The oldest extant cantata of the third cycle was composed for the ninth Sunday after Trinity 1725. The third cycle cantata for the first Sunday after Trinity was only composed in 1726. The cycle extends over several years. [2] The cantatas from 1727 have however also been termed as "between the third and the fourth cycles". [3]

There are 35 extant cantatas of the third cantata cycle, for a period with around 170 occasions. For about half of the other occasions a few new chorale cantatas by Bach (retrospectively added to the chorale cantata cycle), restagings of older compositions or presentations of works by other composers are known. Bach had acquired a cycle of cantatas by his second cousin Johann Ludwig Bach of Meiningen. [4] Together with his assistants he provided performance material for at least 18 of these cantatas, for which the Leipzig premieres are known, from Purification (2 February) to Trinity XIII (15 September) 1726.

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
Instrumental music used in third cycle cantatas:
Opening sinfonia of BWV 169, for organ and orchestra
In later BWV 1053/1 arrangement (performed by Matthew Ganong and the Advent Chamber Orchestra)
Movement 5 (Aria) of BWV 169
In later BWV 1053/2 arrangement (performed by Matthew Ganong and the Advent Chamber Orchestra)
Opening sinfonia of BWV 49, for organ and orchestra
In later BWV 1053/3 arrangement (performed by Matthew Ganong and the Advent Chamber Orchestra)
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions have a number according to the BWV catalogue, while Johann Ludwig Bach's have a JLB number. Through an erroneous attribution to the former the cantata Denn du wirst meine Seele nicht in der Hölle lassen, JLB 21, is also known by a BWV number. The version of the St Mark Passion attributed to Keiser which Bach presented on Good Friday 1726, including the chorale harmonisations BWV 500a and 1084, is indicated by a Bach Compendium (BC) number. Known works staged under Bach's directorate can in most cases also be indicated by a Bach Digital Work (BDW) number provided by the Bach-digital website.

As far as extant, Bach's third cantata cycle covers 35 of the 64 occasions of an "ideal" Leipzig cantata cycle: [5] [6]

Historians of music studying the cycle have noted a greater use of solo organ parts, speculated to have been played by Bach or his son [WHICH ONE?], a wide range of texts and movements apparently borrowed from previous instrumental works. [2] [4] [5]

Alternatively, Bach's third cycle is described as starting with the Christmas season of 1725, running, with inclusion of the 18 JLB cantatas, for a liturgical year, and thus ending before Advent of 1726. In that format, the cycle covers over 40 occasions: [7]

Very little is known about the cantatas for recurring occasions in the year preceding the fourth cantata cycle, at least there is no new composition extant that with certainty can be attributed to the period from Trinity I 1727 to the start of that next cycle.

J. S. Bach's 3rd, 4th and 5th year as director musices in Leipzig
Occasion1725–261726–271727–28J. S. Bach's third cycle
Trinity I3 June23 June: BWV 3915 June Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot
Trinity II10 June: BWV 76 I? [lower-alpha 1] 30 June22 June
Trinity III17 June: BDW 01669 [lower-alpha 2] 7 July29 June(BDW 1669: early version of BWV 177?) [lower-alpha 3]
St. John's Day24 June: BDW 01673 [lower-alpha 2] 24 June: JLB 1724 June
Trinity IV(24 June=St. John's D.)14 July6 July
Trinity V1 July: BDW 11069 [lower-alpha 2] 21 July: BWV 8813 July Siehe, ich will viel Fischer aussenden
Visitation2 July: BDW  01672 [lower-alpha 2] 2 July: JLB 132 July
Trinity VI8 July: BDW 01670 [lower-alpha 2] 28 July: BWV 170, JLB 720 July Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust
Trinity VII15 Jul.: BWV Anh. 1/209? [lower-alpha 4] 4 August: BWV 18727 July Es wartet alles auf dich
Trinity VIII22 July11 August: BWV 453 August Es ist dir gesagt, Mensch, was gut ist
Trinity IX29 July: BWV 16818 August10 August Tue Rechnung! Donnerwort
Trinity X5 August25 August: BWV 10217 August Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben
Trinity XI12 August1 September: JLB 1524 August
Trinity XII19 August: BWV 137 [lower-alpha 3] 8 September: BWV 3531 August: BWV 69a [lower-alpha 1] Geist und Seele wird verwirret
Trinity XIII26 August: BWV 16415 September: JLB 167 September Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennet
New Council27 August: BWV Anh. 4 26 August25 August: BWV 193?(Ratswechsel cantata not part of the cycle)
Trinity XIV2 September22 September: BWV 1714 September Wer Dank opfert, der preiset mich
Trinity XV9 Sept.: BWV Anh. 209? [27] (29 September=Michaelmas)21 September
Trinity XVI16 Sept.: BWV 161 [lower-alpha 1] [27] 6 October: BWV 2728 September Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende?
Trinity XVII23 September13 October: BWV 475 October Wer sich selbst erhöhet, der soll erniedriget werden
Michaelmas29 September29 September: BWV 1929 September Es erhub sich ein Streit
Trinity XVIII30 September20 October: BWV 16912 October Gott soll allein mein Herze haben
Trinity XIX7 October27 October: BWV 5619 October Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen
Trinity XX14 October3 November: BWV 4926 October Ich geh und suche mit Verlangen
Trinity XXI21 October10 November: BWV 982 November Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
Trinity XXII28 October17 November: BWV 559 November Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht
Reformation D.31 October: BWV 7931 October31 October Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild
Trinity XXIII4 November24 November: BWV 5216 November Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht
Trinity XXIV11 November—23 November
Trinity XXV18 November——
Trinity XXVI25 November——
Trinity XXVII———
Advent I2 December1 December BWV 36? [lower-alpha 5] 30 Nov. BWV 36? [lower-alpha 5]
Christmas25 December: BWV 11025 December25 December Unser Mund sei voll Lachens
Christmas 226 December: BWV 5726 December26 December Selig ist der Mann
Christmas 327 December: BWV 15127 December27 December Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt
Christmas I30 December: BWV 2829 December: BWV 152 [lower-alpha 1] [27] 28 December Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende
New Year1 January: BWV 161 January1 January Herr Gott, dich loben wir
New Year I—5 January: BWV 584 January Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid
Epiphany6 January6 January6 January
Epiphany I13 January: BWV 3212 January11 January Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen
Epiphany II20 January: BWV 1319 January18 January Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen
Epiphany III27 January: BWV 7226 January— Alles nur nach Gottes Willen
Purification2 February: JLB 92 Febr.: BWV 82, BWV 83 [lower-alpha 1] 2 February: BWV 157? [lower-alpha 1] Ich habe genug
Epiphany IV3 February: JLB 1 (2 February=Purification)—
Epiphany V10 February: JLB 2——
Epiphany VI———
Septuagesima17 February: JLB 39 February: BWV 8425 January Ich bin vergnügt mit meinem Glücke
Sexagesima24 February: JLB 416 February1 February
Estomihi3 March: JLB 523 February8 February: BWV 23 [lower-alpha 1]
Annunciation25 March25 March(25 March→Palm Sund.)
Palm Sunday14 April: —6 April: —21 March: BWV 182 [lower-alpha 6]
Good Friday19 April: BC D 5b 11 April: BWV 244b?26 March: BWV 245? [lower-alpha 1] (Passion presentation not part of the cycle)
Easter21 April: JLB 21  (=BWV 15)13 April28 March
Easter 222 April: JLB 1014 April29 March
Easter 323 April: JLB 1115 April30 March
Easter I28 April: JLB 620 April4 April
Easter II5 May: JLB 1227 April11 April
Easter III12 May: JLB 8, BWV 146?4 May18 April: BWV 146? Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal
Easter IV19 May: JLB 1411 May25 April
Easter V26 May18 May2 May
Ascension30 May: BWV 4322 May6 May Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen
Ascension I2 June25 May9 May
Pentecost9 June1 June: BWV 3416 May O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe
Pentecost 110 June2 June: BWV 17317 May Erhöhtes Fleisch und Blut
Pentecost 211 June3 June: BWV 184 [lower-alpha 6] 18 May
Trinity16 June: BWV 194 [lower-alpha 6] 8 June: BWV 129 [lower-alpha 3] 25 May

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Older composition possibly restaged on this day
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Possibly by Telemann, only text extant in Texte Zur Leipziger Kirchen-Music, Auf den Dritten Sonntag nach Trinitatis, Das Fest Johannis des Täufers, Ingleichen Den fünfften Sonntag Trinitatis, Das Fest der Heimsuchung Mariä, Und Den sechsten Sonntag Trinitatis. Leipzig: Immanuel Tietzen (1725)
  3. 1 2 3 Chorale cantata adopted into the chorale cantata cycle
  4. ↑ BWV Anh. 1: lost, mentioned in a 1770 catalogue by Breitkopf, possibly identical to TWV  1:617 (or 616?) [25]
    BWV Anh. 209: lost, a Trinity VII cantata probably composed before 6 February 1727, when it was reused for a funeral service [26]
  5. 1 2 Early version of BWV 36 first performed between 1725 and 1730. The later version of this cantata (1731) is better documented, and is assigned to the period after the Picander cycle [4]
  6. 1 2 3 Restaging of an older composition

Other occasions

Apart from secular cantatas Bach composed in his third to fifth year in Leipzig (BWV 205, Anh. 196, 36a, 249b, 207, 204, Anh. 9, 193a, 198 and 216) also a few cantatas for liturgical occasions likely originated in this period:

Also the motet for New Year Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225, would have been first performed in this period.

Librettos

Johannes Agricola Johannes Agricola Islebius.jpg
Johannes Agricola

The librettos of the church cantatas presented for the first time in Leipzig during Bach's third to fifth year in that city have a diverse origin. [4] The most substantial group of librettos with a similar structure derives from a 1704 cycle of cantata texts printed in Meiningen, which was used for most of the cantatas presented in the liturgical year 1725–26. [28] In 1728 many of the librettos of cantatas associated with Bach's third to fifth year in Leipzig were grouped in a single publication by Christoph Birkmann. [27] [29]

Trinity III to Trinity VII 1725

Erdmann Neumeister Erdmann neumeister.jpg
Erdmann Neumeister

A booklet printed in 1725, with the cantata texts from Trinity III to Trinity VI, was recovered in 1971. [30] The period covered by the booklet included the feasts of St. John and Visitation:

The musical settings of these librettos as performed in Leipzig on these days have not been recovered. A Trinity VII cantata, only known by its title, [32] is presumed to have been the cantata for the next Sunday,

It is not certain Bach composed any of the cantatas from Trinity III to Trinity VII 1725. Georg Philipp Telemann has been suggested as their possible composer: he had set all cantata librettos of Neumeister's 1711 cycle, and for the Trinity VII cantata there are two known Telemann cantatas that have the same title (TWV  1:617 and 616). [4] [25]

Trinity IX to Trinity XIII 1725

Frontispiece of Picander's Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte, Vol. 3, published in 1732, which on pp. 108-110 contains a reprint of the reworked version of the libretto of cantata BWV 84 Picander Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte 3 frontispiz.jpg
Frontispiece of Picander's Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte, Vol. 3, published in 1732, which on pp. 108–110 contains a reprint of the reworked version of the libretto of cantata BWV 84

The ninth Sunday after Trinity is the first occasion with an extant new cantata by J. S. Bach after Trinity 1725:

The next extant cantata is for the 12th Sunday after Trinity:

The next Sunday Bach sets again a text by Franck:

Picander

The sacred cantata for the next occasion, Council Election (Ratswahl), does not belong to any cycle. Its libretto was published in 1725:

In this period Bach relied on Picander for the librettos of several of his secular cantatas, but also for a few more church cantatas:

Other early versions of librettos that were adopted by Picander in his 1728–29 cycle may have been set by Bach in 1727. Recent recovery of a copy of Birkmann's 1728 libretto cycle seems to suggest Welt, behalte du das Deine and Ich kann mich besser nicht versorgen for the first and the second Sunday after Easter respectively. [27]

Lehms' cycle of 1711

Georg Christian Lehms (1715) Galante Poetinnen 0001.png
Georg Christian Lehms (1715)

A cantata with a libretto from a cycle by Georg Christian Lehms, published as Gottgefälliges Kirchen-Opffer in 1711, may have been presented on the 15th Sunday after Trinity 1725: [37]

From Christmas 1725 to the second Sunday after Trinity 1726 Bach drew most of his cantata librettos from Lehms' 1711 libretto cycle: [4]

In the Post Trinitatem season of 1726 there are two further cantatas from Lehms' 1711 cycle: [4]

Other cantatas between Council Election 1725 and Purification 1726

Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, c.1710 ErnstludwigIsamei.JPG
Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, c.1710

Trinity XVII may have seen the performance of another cantata on a libretto by Franck: [27]

From Council Election to the Christmas season of 1725 there is only one further cantata extant:

The cantata for the Sunday between Christmas 1725 and New Year 1726 has a libretto drawn from Erdman Neumeister's fourth cycle: [4]

The cantata for the third Sunday after Epiphany 1726 has a libretto from Salomon Franck's Evangelisches Andachts=Opffer: [33] [4]

Libretto cycle published in Meiningen

Johann Ludwig Bach Johannludwigbach.jpg
Johann Ludwig Bach

In 1704 a cycle of cantata texts was published anonymously in Meiningen, under the title Sonn- und Fest-Andachten. Its third edition appeared under the title Sonntags- Und Fest-Andachten in 1719. Bach scholars have suggested that Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, Johann Ludwig Bach's employer, might have been the author of these librettos. The librettos follow a strict format, in two variants. The short form applies to most of the cantatas: [4] [28]

The build is symmetrical around the central New Testament section. The long form has a strophic poem instead of the Aria and Recitative after the New Testament section. When the cantata is split in two parts, as was customary in Leipzig, the split was usually after the third item, so that both parts started with a prose dictum (all other sections being versified). The 18 cantatas by Johann Ludwig Bach that were performed in Leipzig from Purification to Trinity XIII 1726 had a libretto from this cycle, as well as seven of the cantatas composed by Johann Sebastian Bach which were presented for the first time from Ascension to Trinity XIV 1726. Six of the extant cantatas of the latter used the short form, only the first one, for Ascension, has a libretto in the long form. [4]

Further cantatas with a libretto from the Meiningen cycle may have been presented in Leipzig in 1726, for instance on the fourth and the ninth Sundays after Trinity. [27] In chronological order:

For cantatas not belonging to the Meiningen libretto cycle, performed on the sixth and twelfth Sunday after Trinity 1726, see above in the section on Lehms' cycle of 1711. J. S. Bach's cantata for Trinity VI (with Lehms' libretto) was a short solo cantata. J. L. Bach's cantata for the same day, on a Meiningen libretto, required a chorus only for its last movement. Probably this cantata wasn't split: one of the two cantatas for this Sunday in 1726 was sung as part I, and the other as part II.

Easter III 1726 or 1728

Michaelmas to Trinity XVII 1726

Birkmann cantatas

Septuagesima to Pentecost Monday 1727

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Bach's first cantata cycle refers to the church cantatas Johann Sebastian Bach composed for the somewhat less than 60 occasions of the liturgical year of his first year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig which required concerted music. That year ran from the first Sunday after Trinity in 1723 to Trinity Sunday of the next year:

  1. Trinity I, 30 May 1723: Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75
  2. Trinity II, 6 June 1723: Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes, BWV 76
  3. Trinity III, 13 June 1723: Weimar cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV 21 restaged
  4. Trinity IV, 20 June 1723: Ein ungefärbt Gemüte, BWV 24, and Weimar cantata Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe, BWV 185 restaged
  5. Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 24 June 1723: Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe, BWV 167
  6. Trinity V, 27 June 1723: no extant cantata
  7. Visitation, 2 July 1723: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 and possibly Magnificat in E-flat major, BWV 243a
  8. Trinity VI, 4 July 1723: no extant cantata
  9. Trinity VII, 11 July 1723: Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht, BWV 186
  10. Trinity VIII, 18 July 1723: Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz, BWV 136
  11. Trinity IX, 25 July 1723: Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht mit deinem Knecht, BWV 105
  12. Trinity X, 1 August 1723: Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgend ein Schmerz sei, BWV 46
  13. Trinity XI, 8 August 1723: Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV 179 and Weimar cantata Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, BWV 199 restaged
  14. Trinity XII, 15 August 1723: Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, BWV 69a
  15. Trinity XIII, 22 August 1723: Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben, BWV 77
  16. Trinity XIV, 29 August 1723: Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Leibe, BWV 25
  17. (30 August 1723, Ratswechsel: not part of the liturgical year, see below)
  18. Trinity XV, 5 September 1723: Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz, BWV 138
  19. Trinity XVI, 12 September 1723: Christus, der ist mein Leben, BWV 95
  20. Trinity XVII, 19 September 1723: Bringet dem Herrn Ehre seines Namens, BWV 148
  21. Trinity XVIII, 26 September 1723: no extant cantata
  22. St. Michael's Day, 29 September 1723: no extant cantata
  23. Trinity XIX, 3 October 1723: Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen, BWV BWV 48
  24. Trinity XX, 10 October 1723: Weimar cantata Ach! ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe, BWV 162 restaged
  25. Trinity XXI, 17 October 1723: Ich glaube, lieber Herr, hilf meinem Unglauben, BWV 109
  26. Trinity XXII, 24 October 1723: Was soll ich aus dir machen, Ephraim, BWV 89
  27. Reformation Day, 31 October 1723 : possibly Weimar cantata Nur jedem das Seine, BWV 163 restaged; Alternatively an early version of BWV 80/80b?
  28. Trinity XXIV, 7 November 1723: O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort, BWV 60
  29. Trinity XXV, 14 November 1723: Es reißet euch ein schrecklich Ende, BWV 90
  30. Trinity XXVI, 21 November 1723: Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! BWV 70
  31. Advent I, 28 November 1723: Weimar cantata Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61 restaged
  32. Christmas, 25 December 1723: Weimar cantata Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63 restaged; Also Magnificat, BWV 243a and Sanctus in D major, BWV 238
  33. Second Day of Christmas, 26 December 1723: Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40
  34. Third Day of Christmas, 27 December 1723: Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget, BWV 64
  35. New Year, 1 January 1724: Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 190
  36. Sunday after New Year, 2 January 1724: Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind, BWV 153
  37. Epiphany, 6 January 1724: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen, BWV 65
  38. Epiphany I, 9 January 1724: Mein liebster Jesus ist verloren, BWV 154
  39. Epiphany II, 16 January 1724: Weimar cantata Mein Gott, wie lang, ach lange? BWV 155 restaged
  40. Epiphany III, 23 January 1724: Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir, BWV 73
  41. Epiphany IV, 30 January 1724: Jesus schläft, was soll ich hoffen? BWV 81
  42. Purification, 2 February 1724: Erfreute Zeit im neuen Bunde, BWV 83
  43. Septuagesima, 6 February 1724: Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin, BWV 144
  44. Sexagesima, 13 February 1724: Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister, BWV 181 and Weimar cantata Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt, BWV 18 restaged in its Leipzig version
  45. Estomihi, 7 February 1723 and 20 February 1724 : Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe, BWV 22 and Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn, BWV 23 restaged in its first Leipzig version
  46. Annunciation and Palm Sunday 25 March 1724: Siehe eine Jungfrau ist schwanger, BWV 1135 and Weimar cantata Himmelskönig, sei willkommen, BWV 182 restaged.
  47. (Good Friday, 7 April 1724: St John Passion, BWV 245, 1st version — Passion, not considered as a cantata part of the cycle)
  48. Easter, 9 April 1724: early cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4 restaged ; Weimar cantata Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret, BWV 31 restaged
  49. Easter Monday, 10 April 1724: Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen, BWV 66
  50. Easter Tuesday, 11 April 1724: Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß, BWV 134
  51. Quasimodogeniti, 16 April 1724: Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ, BWV 67
  52. Misericordias Domini, 23 April 1724: Du Hirte Israel, höre, BWV 104
  53. Jubilate, 30 April 1724: Weimar cantate Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12 restaged in a version with a slightly modified instrumentation
  54. Cantate, 7 May 1724: Wo gehest du hin? BWV 166
  55. Rogate, 14 May 1724: Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch, BWV BWV 86
  56. Ascension, 18 May 1724: Wer da gläubet und getauft wird, BWV 37
  57. Exaudi, 21 May 1724: Sie werden euch in den Bann tun, BWV 44
  58. Pentecost, 28 May 1724: Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten, BWV 59 and Weimar cantata Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten! BWV 172 restaged in its first Leipzig version (D major)
  59. Pentecost Monday, 29 May 1724: no extant cantata
  60. Pentecost Tuesday, 30 May 1724: Erwünschtes Freudenlicht, BWV 184
  61. Trinity, 4 June 1724: Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest, BWV 194, originally a consecration cantata, restaged in its first Leipzig version

Johann Sebastian Bach's chorale cantata cycle is the year-cycle of church cantatas he started composing in Leipzig from the first Sunday after Trinity in 1724. It followed the cantata cycle he had composed from his appointment as Thomaskantor after Trinity in 1723.

Picander's cycle of 1728–29 is a cycle of church cantata librettos covering the liturgical year. It was published for the first time in 1728 as Cantaten auf die Sonn- und Fest-Tage durch das gantze Jahr. Johann Sebastian Bach set several of these librettos to music, but it is unknown whether he covered a substantial part of the cycle. This elusive cycle of cantata settings is indicated as the composer's fourth Leipzig cycle, or the Picander cycle.

The late church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach are sacred cantatas he composed after his fourth cycle of 1728–29. Whether Bach still composed a full cantata cycle in the last 20 years of his life is not known, but the extant cantatas of this period written for occasions of the liturgical year are sometimes referred to as his fifth cycle, as, according to his obituary, he would have written five such cycles – inasmuch as such cantatas were not late additions to earlier cycles, or were adopted in his oratorios.

References

  1. ↑ Basso 1983, pp. 355ff.
  2. 1 2 Jones 2013, pp. 168–180
  3. ↑ Shabalina 2009
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Dürr/Jones 2006, pp. 36–43
  5. 1 2 Wolff 2001, pp. 281–8
  6. ↑ Zedler 2011, pp. 24–25, 35 and 39ff.
  7. ↑ Boyd 2006, pp. 135–137
  8. 1 2 BDW  08233
  9. 1 2 BDW  08231
  10. 1 2 BDW  08241
  11. 1 2 BDW  08184
  12. 1 2 BDW  08243
  13. 1 2 BDW 08208
  14. 1 2 BDW 08247
  15. 1 2 BDW 08195
  16. 1 2 BDW 08245
  17. 1 2 BDW 08300
  18. 1 2 BDW 08290
  19. 1 2 BDW 08305
  20. 1 2 BDW  08310
  21. 1 2 BDW 08303
  22. 1 2 BDW  08226
  23. 1 2 BDW  08308
  24. 1 2 BDW  08229
  25. 1 2 BDW 01308
  26. ↑ BWV2a, p. 456
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Blanken 2015
  28. 1 2 Sonn- und Fest-Andachten Uber die ordentlichen Evangelia Aus gewissen Biblischen Texten Alten und Neuen Testaments Und In der Hoch-Fürstl. Sachs. Meining. Hof-Capell Der Heil. Dreyfaltigkeit Deroselben zu Ehren abgesungen. Meiningen: 1704. 3rd edition (1719): Sonntags- Und Fest-Andachten Über Die ordentliche EVANGELIA, Auß Gewissen Biblischen Texten Alten und Neuen Testaments In der Hoch-Fürstl. Sachsen-Coburg Meinungisch. Hof-Capelle zur Heiligen Dreyfaltigkeit Deroselben zu Ehren abgesungen
  29. ↑ Christoph Birkmann. GOtt-geheiligte Sabbaths-Zehnden bestehend aus Geistlichen Cantaten auf alle Hohe Fest- Sonn- und Feyer-Täge der Herspruckischen Kirch-Gemeinde zu Gottseeliger Erbauung gewiedmet. Nürnberg: Lorenz Bieling, 1728
  30. ↑ Texte Zur Leipziger Kirchen-Music, Auf den Dritten Sonntag nach Trinitatis, Das Fest Johannis des Täufers, Ingleichen Den fünfften Sonntag Trinitatis, Das Fest der Heimsuchung Mariä, Und Den sechsten Sonntag Trinitatis. Leipzig: Immanuel Tietzen, 1725
  31. 1 2 3 Erdmann Neumeister. Geistliches Singen und Spielen – Das ist: Ein Jahrgang von Texten Welche dem Dreyeinigen GOTT zu Ehren bey öffentlicher Kirchen=Versammlung in Eisenach musicalisch aufgeführet werden von Georg. Philip. Telemann, F. S. Capellmeister und Secr. Gotha: 1711.
  32. ↑ Breitkopf catalogue of 1770
  33. 1 2 Salomo Franck. Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer Auf des Durchlauchtigsten Fürsten und Herrn Wilhelm Ernstens [...] Christ-Fürstl. Anordnung in geistlichen CANTATEN welche auf die ordentliche Sonn- und Fest-Tage in der F. S. ges. Hof-Capelle zur Wilhelmsburg A. 1715. zu musiciren angezündet von Salomon Francken. Weimar: 1715
  34. ↑ Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici). Sammlung erbaulicher Gedancken über und auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und Festtage. Leipzig: 1724–25
  35. ↑ Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici). Ernst-Scherzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte, Volume I. Leipzig: 1727; 2nd printing 1732; 3rd printing 1736.
  36. ↑ Picander (=Christian Friedrich Henrici). Cantaten auf die Sonn- und Fest-Tage durch das gantze Jahr . Leipzig: 1728
  37. ↑ Georg Christian Lehms. Gottgefälliges Kirchen-Opffer in einem gantzen Jahr-Gange Andächtiger Betrachtungen/ über die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und Festtags-Texte GOtt zu Ehren und der Darmstättischen Schloß-Capelle zu seiner Früh- und Mittags-Erbauung. Darmstadt: 1711.
  38. ↑ Hermann Max (editor). Johann Ludwig Bach: Ja, mir hast du Arbeit gemacht. Carus, 1982

Sources

Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach by chronology
Preceded by Church cantatas of Bach's third to fifth year in Leipzig
1725–28		Succeeded by
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