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.

7/26

Justus Jonas was a German theologian who lived during the Reformation; he was with Luther at his deathbed and preached the sermon at his funeral. He also was a hymnwriter, and this week we'll hear Bach's setting of Jonas' paraphrase of Psalm 124.

Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns haelt (Where God the Lord Stands with Us Not), BWV 178

 

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