Bach Cantatas

Sundays at 12:03pm

During the 18th century, the musical centerpiece of Lutheran worship services was the cantata, a multi-movement piece featuring chorus, orchestra, and vocal soloists. Johann Sebastian Bach composed over 200 cantatas during his long career as a Lutheran church musician. Listen to a complete Bach cantata every Sunday afternoon on Discover Classical.

8/2

Based on a Bußpsalmen, Luther's translation of the seven penitential psalms, this cantata begins with a quotation of Psalm 143, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." The penitential nature of the cantata contineus with allusions to Psalm 51 and Malachi 3:5, both of which are meditations on God's righteous judgement. Bach uses suspended, falling dissonances to imagine the Christian sighing before God. The result is described by Bach scholar, Alfred Dürr, as one of "...the most sublime descriptions of the soul in Baroque and Christian art."

Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht mit deinem Knecht (Lord, do not pass judgment on Your servant), BWV 105

 

8/9

The proscribed readings for this Sunday are taken from Luke's account of Christ's prophecy of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, as well as his cleansing of the temple from the money-changers. Bach quotes the book of Lamentations in this work, which includes laments for ruined Jerusalem and the first temple. 

Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgendein Schmerzi sei (Behold and see, if there be any sorrow), BWV 46

 

8/16

While most of his cantatas were written during his 27 years as Kantor in Liepzig, a number date from earlier in Bach's career. This work is originally from 1714, when Bach was employed by the Ducal Court of Weimar. The court was controlled by two brothers, who often bickered over money, and Bach, not being as well-known as in his later years, was often left without the resources he requested for his compositions. You can hear that reflected in this work, written for a soprano soloist without choir, and a small orchestra, athough Bach would revise this work at least twice, the second time in Leipzig in 1723.

Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (My Heart Swims in Blood), BWV 199