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.
It was common during the liturgical season of Ordinary Time for Bach's cantatas to be related to the theme of the proscribed readings in only a tangential way. One such case is Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BWV 135. First performed on the 25th of June, 1724, the proscribed readings for that Sunday included a portion of 1 Peter and the exhortation to "cast thy burden on the Lord." Bach seized on the idea of asking for God's intervention and set a chorale by Lutheran composer Cyriakus Schneegas, a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 6, a prayer for devine deliverance.
Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder (Ah Lord, Poor Sinner That I Am), BWV 135
Johannes Agricola (1494-1566) was a friend and regular antagonist to Martin Luther. They most often clashed over the necessity of preaching the law to Christians after their conversion, a position that Luther supported by Agricola denied. He wrote hundreds of proverbs as well as hymns. Bach used one of Agricola's hymns in this cantata, first performed on July 6th, 1723.
Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (I Call to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ), BWV 177
Georg Neumark was an 18th century composer of both sacred and secular music. One of his best-loved chorales is Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, still popular today, and usually identified with the English title, If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee. Bach set Neumark's chorale for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity, first performerd on July 9th, 1724.
Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten (Ah Lord, poor sinner that I am), BWV 93