Internationally recognized Bach authority Hans-Joachim Schulze authored a 225-part series on the cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach. In this collection, James A. Brokaw II translates a selection of the essays, illuminating a wide range of biographical and cultural features of Bach’s life and creative milieu. Schulze’s lively and engaging discussions provide a wealth of rewarding insights and perspectives focusing on individual cantatas, their texts, and the questions of chronology and context that attend them.

The University of Illinois Press has paired the volume with a special web-based companion overseen by the translator and hosted by the Illinois Open Publishing Network. This online resource includes Brokaw’s translations of all 225 of Schulze’s essays alongside digital tools for searching, sorting, and bundling the commentaries according to date of composition, position within the liturgical church year sequence, and librettist.

Hans-Joachim Schulze is the leading authority on the music of Bach and its source traditions, on which he has authored over 500 books and articles. James A. Brokaw II is an independent scholar and translator.

Translator’s Note

Abbreviations

1    Bach at Arnstadt and Mühlhausen from 1703 to 1708

Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir (BWV 131)

Penance Service, 1707

Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (BWV 150)

Homage, ca. 1707

Christ lag in Todes Banden (BWV 4)

Easter Sunday, April 24, 1707?

Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (BWV 106)

Memorial Service, ca. 1707–1708

Gott ist mein König (BWV 71)

Mühlhausen City Council Inauguration, February 4, 1708

2    Bach at Weimar and Köthen from March 25, 1708, to Trinity Sunday 1723

Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd (BWV 208)

Court of Saxe-Weissenfels, 1713

Widerstehe doch der Sünde (BWV 54)

Oculi, 1708–1717

Himmelskönig, sei willkommen (BWV 182)

Palm Sunday, March 25, 1714

Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (BWV 12)

Jubilate, April 22, 1714

Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (BWV 21)

Third Sunday after Trinity, June 17, 1714

Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (BWV 61)

First Sunday of Advent, December 2, 1714

Der Himmel lacht, die Erde jubilieret (BWV 31)

Easter Sunday, April 21, 1715

Komm, du süße Todesstunde (BWV 161)

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 27, 1716

3    Bach’s First Year at Leipzig from the First Sunday after Trinity 1723 to Trinity Sunday 1724

Die Elenden sollen essen (BWV 75)

First Sunday after Trinity, May 30, 1723

Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes (BWV 76)

Second Sunday after Trinity, June 6, 1723

Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (BWV 147)

Visitation of Mary, July 2, 1723

Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht mit deinem Knecht (BWV 105)

Ninth Sunday after Trinity, July 25, 1723

Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn (BWV 119)

City Council Inauguration, August 30, 1723

Christus, der ist mein Leben (BWV 95)

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 12, 1723

Wachet! betet! betet! wachet (BWV 70)

Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Trinity, November 21, 1723

Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen (BWV 65)

Epiphany, January 6, 1724

Jesus schläft, was soll ich hoffen? (BWV 81)

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, January 30, 1724

4    Bach’s Second and Third Years at Leipzig from the First Sunday after Trinity 1724 to Trinity Sunday 1726

O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (BWV 20)

First Sunday after Trinity, June 11, 1724

Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein (BWV 2)

Second Sunday after Trinity, June 18, 1724

Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten (BWV 93)

Fifth Sunday after Trinity, July 9, 1724

Was willst du dich betrüben (BWV 107)

Seventh Sunday after Trinity, July 23, 1724

Jesu, der du meine Seele (BWV 78)

Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 10, 1724

Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen (BWV 123)

Epiphany, January 6, 1725

Herr Jesu Christ, wahr’ Mensch und Gott (BWV 127)

Estomihi, February 11, 1725

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (BWV 1)

Annunciation, March 25, 1725

Ihr werdet weinen und heulen (BWV 103)

Jubilate, April 22, 1725

Unser Mund sei voll Lachens (BWV 110)

Christmas Day, December 25, 1725

5    Bach’s Fourth Year at Leipzig from the First Sunday after Trinity 1726 to Trinity Sunday 1727

Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot (BWV 39)

First Sunday after Trinity, June 23, 1726

Es erhub sich ein Streit (BWV 19)

St. Michael’s Day, September 29, 1726

Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende (BWV 27)

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 6, 1726

Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen (BWV 56)

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 27, 1726

Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten (BWV 207.1)

University of Leipzig, December 11, 1726

Ich bin in mir vergnügt (BWV 204)

For Various Purposes, 1726 or 1727

Ich habe genung (BWV 82)

Purification of Mary, February 2, 1727

O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe (BWV 34)

Pentecost, June 1, 1727

6    Bach at Leipzig after Trinity 1727

Schwingt freudig euch empor (BWV 36)

First Sunday of Advent, 1726–1730

Laß, Fürstin, laß noch einen Strahl (BWV 198)

Funeral, Electress Christiane Eberhardine, October 17, 1727

Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem (BWV 159)

Estomihi, February 27, 1729

Geschwinde, geschwinde, ihr wirbelnden Winde (BWV 201)

For Various Purposes, Autumn 1729

Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten (BWV 202)

Secular Wedding, before 1730

Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen (BWV 51)

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 17, 1730

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 140)

Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Trinity, November 25, 1731

Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht (BWV 211)

For Various Purposes, mid-1734

Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage (BWV 248 Part I)

Christmas Day, December 25, 1734

Gott ist unsere Zuversicht (BWV 197.2)

Secular Wedding, 1736–1737

Kommt, eilet und laufet, ihr flüchtigen Füße (BWV 249.4)

Easter Sunday, April 6, 1738

Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (BWV 11)

Ascension Day, May 15, 1738

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (BWV 80)

Reformation Day, 1739?

Mer han en neue Oberkeet (BWV 212)

For Members of the Aristocracy, August 30, 1742

Notes

References

Index