Weimar cantata (Bach)

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Johann Sebastian Bach worked at the ducal court in Weimar from 1708 to 1717. The composition of cantatas for the Schlosskirche (court chapel) on a regular monthly basis started with his promotion to Konzertmeister in March 1714. [1]

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Church cantatas

From 1714 to 1717 Bach was commissioned to compose one church cantata a month. His goal was to compose a complete set of cantatas for the liturgical year within four years. In the course of almost four years there he thus covered most occasions of the liturgical year. [2]

The first version of Liebster Gott, vergisst du mich, BWV 1136 (formerly BWV Anh. 209), a lost cantata the libretto of which was written by Georg Christian Lehms and published in 1711 for the seventh Sunday after Trinity, may have been composed in Weimar. [3]

Before 1714

Apart from some Weimar cycle cantatas which may have been composed before they were adopted into that cycle (BWV 18, 21, 54 and 199):

Weimar cycle

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). [7] [8]

Cantatas 54 and 199 were performed within the cycle but possibly composed earlier. BWV 18 and 21 [9] may also have been composed before 1714.

Other sacred music and cantatas of Bach's Weimar period

In the Bach-Jahrbuch of 2015, Peter Wollny wrote that Bach likely encountered several of the old-school contrapuntal sacred compositions, which were going to play a seminal role in the composer's output of the 1740s, for the first time in Weimar. [16] Among these compositions are,

Passions

Passions performed in the Weimar period, however not considered to be passion cantatas, thus not generally listed in the Weimar (cantata) cycle:

Strophic aria, BWV 1127

In 1713 Bach composed a sacred aria, "Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn' ihn", for a secular occasion, the birthday of William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar. [24] [25]

Secular cantatas

Bach composed the first version of his secular cantata Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, BWV 208 (Hunting Cantata) for performance on 23 February 1713. [26]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn' ihn, BWV 1127</span>

"Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn' ihn", BWV 1127, is Johann Sebastian Bach's October 1713 setting of a poem in 12 stanzas by Johann Anton Mylius, Superintendent of Buttstädt, a town in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar. The poem is an acrostic dedicated to Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar, on his birthday. Bach, at the time employed as court organist by the Duke, set Mylius's ode as an aria in strophic form, that is a melody for soprano accompanied by continuo for the stanzas, alternated with a ritornello for strings and continuo. When all stanzas are sung, a performance of the work takes around 45 to 50 minutes.

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The cantatas composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, known as Bach cantatas, are a body of work consisting of over 200 surviving independent works, and at least several dozen that are considered lost. As far as known, Bach's earliest cantatas date from 1707, the year he moved to Mühlhausen, although he may have begun composing them at his previous post in Arnstadt. Most of Bach's church cantatas date from his first years as Thomaskantor and director of church music in Leipzig, a position which he took up in 1723.

SalomonFranck, 6 March 1659 – 11 July 1725), was a German lawyer, scientist, and poet. Franck was working at Weimar at the same time as the composer Johann Sebastian Bach and he was the librettist of some of the best-known Bach cantatas.

<i>Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält</i>, BWV 1128

Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält is a chorale fantasia for organ composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in the early 18th century, likely between 1705 and 1710. The Zahn 4441a hymn tune for Justus Jonas's 1524 hymn "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält", a paraphrase of Psalm 124, is the basis of the composition.

<i>Komm, du süße Todesstunde</i>, BWV 161 Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Komm, du süße Todesstunde, BWV 161, in Weimar for the 16th Sunday after Trinity, probably first performed on 27 September 1716.

<i>Ach! ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe</i>, BWV 162

Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Ach! ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe, BWV 162, in Weimar for the 20th Sunday after Trinity and first performed it in 1715 or 1716.

<i>Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!</i> BWV 70

Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! is the title of two church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed a first version, BWV 70a, in Weimar for the second Sunday in Advent of 1716 and expanded it in 1723 in Leipzig to BWV 70, a cantata in two parts for the 26th Sunday after Trinity.

<i>Alles, was von Gott geboren</i>, BWV 80a

Alles, was von Gott geboren, BWV 80.1, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Weimar for Oculi, the third Sunday in Lent, and first performed it on 24 March 1715 or 15 March 1716. The music is lost, but Bach expanded on it in about 1730 to create his chorale cantata for Reformation Day, Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80.

<i>Nur jedem das Seine</i>, BWV 163 Church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach

Nur jedem das Seine, BWV 163, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the work in Weimar for the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 24 November 1715.

In Johann Sebastian Bach's time, the election or inauguration of a new town council, normally an annual event, was celebrated with a church service. A cantata written for such occasion was indicated with the term Ratswahl or Ratswechsel. Bach composed such cantatas for Mühlhausen and for Leipzig. Five of these cantatas are entirely extant. One further cantata, BWV 193.2, lost part of its music, and there are another five that have only been known to exist, or for which only the text is extant.

<i>Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben</i>, BWV 147a

Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147.1, BWV 147a, is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Weimar in 1716 for the fourth Sunday in Advent, 20 December. It is uncertain if the work was performed then. He later expanded the work in 1723 as Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147.

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
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church cantatas of Bach's third to fifth year in Leipzig</span>

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.

Late church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach refers to 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Vetter</span> German organist and composer (1657–1721)

Daniel Vetter was an organist and composer of the German Baroque era.

References

  1. ↑ Koster, Jan. "Weimar 1708–1717". let.rug.nl. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  2. ↑ Dürr, Alfred (2006). The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text. Translated by Richard D. P. Jones. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-929776-4. pp. 13–20
  3. ↑ "Liebster Gott, vergisst du mich BWV 1136; BWV Anh. I 209". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-07-21.
  4. ↑ "Zweite Mühlhäuser Ratswahlkantate BWV 1138.1; BWV Anh. 192". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2018-08-07.
  5. ↑ "Dritte Mühlhäuser Ratswahlkantate BWV 1138.2". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2018-07-31.
  6. ↑ "Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele BWV 143". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-05-14.
  7. ↑ Joshua Rifkin (2001). Liner notes to Three Weimar Cantatas, Dorian 93231
  8. ↑ 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
  9. ↑ Work 00024 at Bach Digital
  10. ↑ Works 00024 and 00025 at Bach Digital
  11. ↑ Work 00079 at Bach Digital
  12. ↑ Work 00021 at Bach Digital
  13. ↑ Work 00100 at Bach Digital
  14. ↑ BWV2a, p. 454
  15. ↑ Work 01502) at Bach Digital
  16. ↑ Wollny, Peter (2015). "Vom "apparat der auserleßensten kirchen Stücke" zum "Vorrath an Musicalien, von J. S. Bach und andern berühmten Musicis": Quellenkundliche Ermittlungen zur frühen Thüringer Bach-Überlieferung und zu einigen Weimarer Schülern und Kollegen Bachs". Bach-Jahrbuch 2015. Bach-Jahrbuch (in German). Vol. 101. Neue Bachgesellschaft. Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt. pp. 99–154. doi:10.13141/bjb.v2015. ISBN   978-3-374-04320-0. ISSN   0084-7682 – via Qucosa  [ de ].
  17. ↑ Wollny 2015, pp. 127–130.
  18. ↑ "Missa sine nomine BWV deest (NBA Serie II:1)". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2021-03-05.
  19. ↑ "Missa "Ecce sacerdos magnus"". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2021-03-05.
  20. ↑ Wollny 2015, pp. 131–132.
  21. ↑ "Magnificat in C BWV Anh. 30". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2021-03-04.
  22. ↑ Wollny 2015, pp. 132–133.
  23. ↑ "Missa (Kyrie and Gloria), G BWV Anh. 167". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2021-03-04.
  24. ↑ "Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn' ihn (aria) BWV 1127". Bach Digital . Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 30 March 2020.
  25. ↑ Maul, Michael (2005). "'Alles mit Gott und nicht ohn' ihn' – Eine neu aufgefundene Aria von Johann Sebastian Bach". In Wollny, Peter (ed.). Bach-Jahrbuch 2005 [Bach Yearbook 2005]. Bach-Jahrbuch (in German). Vol. 91. Neue Bachgesellschaft. Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt (published 2006). pp. 7–34. doi:10.13141/bjb.v2005. ISBN   3-374-02301-0. ISSN   0084-7682.
  26. ↑ BDW 00261 at Bach Digital
Church cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach by chronology
Preceded by Weimar cantatas
1708–17		Succeeded by
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