The literary qualities of the libretti are not under discussion here. They have a characteristic, however, on which one cannot forbear from remarking. Indifferent literature as, for the most part, they are—children of their period and blemished with its imperfections—they enshrine an extraordinarily interesting anthology of the religious poetry of the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries. They expose the evangelical thought of Germany from the age of Luther to that of Bach, [pg 186] and are particularly rich in the lyrical fervour of the Reformation itself. Of the seventy-seven hymn-writers whom Bach includes in his collection, so many as forty-four belong to the sixteenth century. Only thirteen of them touch Bach's own period. And a similar bias to the Reformation epoch is observable in his choice of the tunes of the Chorals, which are absent from only twenty-one of the Cantatas. By far the greater number of them are coeval with the hymns themselves; that is, they date from the Reformation and behind it.

Here clearly is the source of Bach's inspiration, the master-key of his art. He touches Luther, is in a sense his complement, his art builded on the foundations Luther laid, consecrated to the ends Luther vindicated, inspired by a dedication of himself to God's service not less exalted—a great artist, a great Protestant, a great man.[476]

NOTE.—Cantatas distinguished by an asterisk (*) are for Soli voices only (S.A.T.B. unless the particular voices are stated); those marked (†) include, in addtion, simple four-part Chorals: the rest contain concerted Choruses.

[pg 187]

(1) COMPOSED AT ARNSTADT (see also Nos. 150, 189.)

No. Date. Title. Author of Libretto. Composition of the Text.
15 1704. Easter Day (revised for subsequent performance). Den du wirst meine Seele nicht in der Hülle lassen (Psalm xvi. 10). ?Bach Part I. Psalm xvi. 10; St. Mark xvi. 6; Part II. seven (six) stanzas of the anonymous hymn, “Auf freue dich, Seele, du bist nun getröst”; Stanza iv. of Nikolaus Hermann's hymn “Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist.” The rest of the libretto perhaps is by Bach.

(2) COMPOSED AT MÜLHAUSEN (see also Nos. 150, 189.)

No. Date. Title. Author of Libretto. Composition of the Text.
131 1707. ? for llth, 19th, 21st, or 22nd S. after Trinity. Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, Herr, zu dir (Psalm cxxx.) Georg Christian Eilmar. Psalm cxxx.; Stanzas ii. and v. of Bartholomäus Ringwaldt's hymn, “Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut.” T. B. Soli.
71 1708. Feb. 4. Town Council Inauguration. Gott ist mein Konig (Psalm lxxiv. 12). Bach (or Eilmar). Psalm lxxiv. 12, 16, 17, 19; 2 Sam. xix. 35, 37; Deuteronomy xxxiii. 25; Gen. xxi. 22; Stanza vi. of Johann Heermann's hymn, “O Gott, du frommer Gott”; rest of libretto original. A. T. B. Soli.
196 1708. June 5. Wedding of Johann Lorenz Stauber (at Dornheim). Der Herr denket an uns (Psalm cxv. 12). Psalm cxv. 12-15. The libretto consists exclusively of the Psalm verses. S. T. B. Soli.

(3) COMPOSED AT WEIMAR. (See also Nos. 12, 72, 80, 164, 168, 186.)

No. Date. Title. Author of Libretto. Composition of the Text.
*189 c. 1707-10. Visitation of the B.V.M. Meine Seele rühmt und preist. Author unknown. ?Composed at Muhlhausen. A paraphrase of the “Magnificat.” Tenor Solo.
150 c. 1710. ?Occasion. Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (Psalm xxv. 1). ?Bach. ?Composed at Mühlhausen. Psalm xxv. 1, 2, 5, 15; rest of libretto perhaps by Bach. See Bach-Jahrbuch for 1913, p. 39, on authenticity of Cantata.
106 ?1711. Funeral of Rector Philipp Grossgebauer (Weimar); or ?1707 (Sept.) funeral of Thomas Lammerhirt (Erfurt). Gottes Zeit ist die aller-beste Zeit (Actus tragicus). ?G. C. Eilmar (or Bach). ?Composed at Mühlhausen. Acts xvii;. 28; Psalm xc. 12; Isaiah xxxviii. 1; Ecclesiasticus xiv. 17; Rev. xxii; 20; Psalm xxxi. 5; St. Luke xxiii. 43; Stanza i. of Luther's hymn, “Mit Fried' und Freud' ich fahr' dahin”; Stanza vii;. of Adam Reissner's hymn, “In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr.” A. B. Soli.
18 1714 (or 1713). Sexagesima. Gleich wie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt (Isaiah lv. 10-11). Erdmann Neumeister “Fünffache Kirchen-Andachten” (Leipzig, 1716) (Ser. iii.). Isaiah lv. 10, 11; four clauses of the Litany; Stanza viii. of Lazarus Spengler's hymn, “Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt”; rest of libretto original. S. T. B. Soli.
*160 1714 (or 1713). Easter Day. Ich weiss, dass mein Erlöser lebt. Erdmann Neumeister (Ibid., Ser. I.). Slight verbal alterations by Bach. Original throughout. Tenor Solo.
21 1714. Third S. after Trinity and General Use. Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (Psalm xciv. 19) Spitta (i. 531) attributes text to Salomo Franck. Part I,: Psalm xciv. 19; Psalm xlii. 5. Part ii.: Psalm cxvi. 7; Rev. v. 12, 13; Stanzas ii. and v. of Georg Neumark's hymn, “Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten”; rest of libretto original.
*199 N.B.G. c. 1714. Eleventh S. after Trinity. Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut. The title is from a Neumeister text for this Sunday. ?By Bach. Stanza iii. of Johann Heermann's hymn, “Wo soll ich fliehen hin”; rest of libretto original. Soprano solo.
61 1714. First S. in Advent. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. Erdmann Neumeister, “Fünffache Kirchen-Andachten” (Leipzig, 1716), (Ser. IV). Stanza i. of Luther's hymn, “Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland”; Rev. iii. 20; part of stanza vii. of Philipp Nicolai's hymn, “Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern”; rest original. S. T. B. Soli.
142 1714 (or 1712). Christmas Day. Uns ist ein Kind geboren (Isaiah ix. 6). Erdmann Neumeister (Ibid., Ser. I.). Textually, the last three movements are altered, perhaps by Bach, whose authorship of the Cantata, however, is questioned (Bach-Jahrbuch, 1912, p. 132). Isaiah ix. 9; Psalm lxix. 30; Stanza v. of Caspar Fuger's hymn, “Wir Christenleut”; rest of libretto original (see Spitta i. 630 on Bach's emendations). A. T. B. Soli.
182 1715 (or l714).Palm Sunday (used also for the Annunciation). Himmelskönig, sei wilkommen. Spitta (i. 539) suggests Salomo Franck, whose characteristics it displays. Psalm xl. 7, 8; Stanza xxxiii. of Paul Stockmann's hymn, “Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod”; rest of libretto original. A. T. B. Soli.
31 1715. Easter Day. Revised in ?1723. (Schweitzer, ii. 141n). Der Himmel lacht, die Erde jubiliret. Salomo Franck (“Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer” Weimar, 1715, p. 75). Stanza v. (posthumous) of Nikolaus Herman's hymn, “Wenn mein Stündlem vorhanden ist”; rest of libretto original. S. T. B. Soli.
†l85 1716. Fourth S. after Trinity. Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe. Salomo Franck (Ibid.,p. 128). Stanza i. of Johannes Agricola's hymn, “Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ”; rest of libretto original.
161 1715. Sixteenth S. after Trinity (also for Purification). Komm, du süsse Todesstunde. Salomo Franck (Ibid., p. 162); verbal alterations by Bach. Stanza iv. of Christoph Knoll's hymn, “Herzlich thut mich verlangen”; rest original. A. T. Soli.
†162 1715. Twentieth S. after Trinity. Ach, ich sehe, jetzt da ich zur Hochzeit gehe. Salomo Franck (Ibid., p. 172). Stanza vii. of Johann Georg Albinus' hymn, “Alle Menschen müssen sterben”; rest of libretto original.
†163 1715. Twenty-third S. after Trinity. Nur Jedem das Seine. Salomo Franck (Ibid., p. 182). Stanza xi. (suggested by Spitta i. 557) of Johann Heermann's hymn, “Wo soll ich fliehen hin”; rest of libretto original.
*132 1715. Fourth S. in Advent. Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn. Salomo Franck (Ibid., p. 8) Stanza v. of Elisabethe Cruciger's hymn, “Herr Christ, der einig' Gott's Sohn”; rest of libretto original.
*152 1715 (or 1714). S. after Christmas Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn. Salomo Franck (Ibid., p. 19). Original throughout. S. and B. Soli.
†155 1716. Second S. after the Epiphany. Mein Gott, wie lang', ach lange. Salomo Franck (Ibid., p. 32). Stanza xii. of Paul Speratus' hymn, “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her”; rest of libretto original.
†59 1716. WhitSunday Expanded in ?1736 (No.74 infra). Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten (St. John xiv. 23). Erdmann Neumeister (“Funffache Kirchen-Andachten,” Ser. IV.). St. John xiv. 23; Stanza i. of Luther's hymn, “Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott”; rest of libretto original. S. and B. Soli.
70 1716. Second S. in Advent; later (c. 1723). Twenty-sixth S. after Trinity. Wachet, betet, betet, wachet. Salomo Franck (“Evangelische Sonn- und Fest-Tages Andachten,” Weimar, 1717, p. 4) (opening chorus and Arias only). Recitativi added by a later (c. 1723) hand (? Bach). Part I.: Stanza x. of the anonymous hymn, “Freu' dich sehr, O meine Seele.” Part. ii.: Stanza v. of Christian Keimann's hymn, “Meinen Jesum lass' ich nicht.” Rest of libretto, both parts, original.
147 1716. Fourth S. in Advent; later (c. ?1727). Feast of the Visitation. Herz und Mund und That und Leben. Salomo Franck (Ibid.). (Opening chorus and first three Arias only). Recitativi and fourth Aria added by a later hand (?Bach). Part I.: Stanza vi. of Martin Janus' hymn, “Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne.” Part II.: Stanza xvii. of the same hymn. Rest of libretto, both parts, original.
†158 c. 1708-16. Purification of the B.V.M.; later (at Leipzig) adapted to Easter Tuesday Der Friede sei mit dir. Spitta (ii. 688) suggests Franck as author of the Aria and following Recitativo, both of which bear on the Gospel for the Purification. The opening Recitative and choice of the concluding Choral, both of which are relevant to the Gospel for Easter Tuesday, must be attributed to a later hand (?Bach). Stanza i. of Johann Georg Albinus' hymn, “Welt, ade! ich bin dein müde”; Stanza v. of Luther's hymn, “Christ lag in Todesbanden”; rest of libretto original. S. and B. Soli.