Table of Contents
-
Preface to the Revisions of 2020
Since Catherine Winkworth first published her Lyra Germanica in 1855, (reprinted last in 2016), the German chorale tradition has found a home in standard English hymnbooks from which we have become familiar with her gracefully rhymed translations. Even the distinguished Bach translators Charles Sanford Terry, J.S. Bach, Cantata Texts (London, 1926; reprinted 1964) and Henry Sandwith Drinker, Texts of the Vocal Works of J.S. Bach (New York, 1942-1943) sometimes use her versions of the chorales.
The present translations of the vocal texts of Johann Sebastian Bach first appeared as liner notes for Helmut Rilling's recordings of the sacred cantatas in 1983. In 1984 H�nssler-Verlag included in book format the translations along with detailed performance particulars of Rilling's work. In 2005, I went beyond the sacred cantatas to publish translations of virtually all of Bach's extant vocal texts. A second edition appeared in 2006 with the addition of some new material. This revision now includes most of Bach's existing vocal texts, the sacred and secular cantatas, motets, oratorios, passions, magnificats, texts of works for which the music has been lost, and other works from various sources. I have included some works no longer attributed to Bach.
The translations are primarily based upon Werner Neumann, S�mtliche von Johann Sebastian Bach vertonte Texte (Leipzig, 1974). The works are numbered and ordered according to Wolfgang Schmieder's catalogue, Bach Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV) (1950, 1990, and 1998) or, for the texts whose music is lost, with Neumann's Roman numerals and BWV Anhang (Anh.) numbers. When the German texts are not easily available, I have transcribed these texts from Neumann's facsimiles and maintained their original orthography in order to show how they differ from modernized German spelling.
The following information is found in the introductory material to each work:
Sacred Occasion
Author, if known
Printed source, if any
Facsimile, if any
Biblical Text (Dictum)
Parody: ← left arrow from other Bach works; → right arrow to other Bach works.
Chorale Text with verses used and modern printed sources.
Date and place of first performance.
Bach Gesellschaft (BG) and Neue Bach Ausgabe (NBA) editions
Subtitles such as Dramma (sic) in Musica, Dialogus, or Serenata.
Dramatis Personae such as Soul, Jesus, mythical characters with Bach's vocal assignments to each.
Footnotes to each work report scriptural passages cited, historical allusions to persons and events, various poetical and rhetorical features, and parallel passages both from within Bach's corpus and from such classical authors as Vergil, Horace, and Ovid. For historical and critical information on each work I have consulted both Neumann's edition of the texts and his Handbuch der Kantaten Johann Sebastian Bachs (Leipzig, 1971); also Alfred D�rr's invaluable Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach(Kassel, 1971); and the Critical Commentaries (Kritischer Bericht) of the NBA.
The Table of Occasions lists the Epistle and Gospel lections for each sacred occasion.
At the end of the volume there is an alphabetical list of work titles.
The librettos of many cantatas are of unknown authorship. Others are by published poets like Salomo Franck of Weimar, Christian Friedrich Heinrici (Picander), Prof. Johann Christoph Gottsched and his student Christiane Mariane von Ziegler (n�e) Romanus, all three of Leipzig, to name just a few. The printed texts (PT) of the cantatas of such poets were available to audiences. The concepts of the cantatas were appropriate to the church year, and usually expressed in the librettos as direct passages from scripture and traditional hymns
Translation comes in various styles and purposes. Bach's compositions themselves are translations of the printed texts into music, indeed, translations from one language into another, for the language of Baroque music had its own grammar and syntax in the so-called Doctrine of the Affections (Affektenlehre). My purpose was to make as clear as possible Bach's treatment of critically important words while maintaining the metrical pattern and word and line divisions in the texts of his librettists. My translations can therefore be sung, but my purpose was not that of Catherine Winkworth, who wanted to enrich English hymnody with the German tradition. Because today the vocal works of Bach are rarely performed in English, my intent is to lead performers and hearers back to the original language of the texts and to Bach's translation of those texts into music.
There are, admittedly, two unfortunate results of this style of translation: 1) normal English idiom, if not obscuring meaning, must sometimes be stretched; 2) rhyming becomes difficult. I do, here and there, find opportunities to introduce some rhyming and have rhymed, at least partially, several of the secular cantatas, including the Coffee Cantata(BWV 211) and Hercules at the Crossroads (BWV 213).
Some four decades ago, Prof. Christoph Wolff encouraged me to undertake the translation of Bach's works. He made the challenge seem more intriguing by suggesting that German speakers who read my English, namely singers, instrumentalists, and audience would pause to ponder concepts they had hitherto passed over without much thought simply because of familiarity. I hoped, in turn, that English performers and audience would gain a better understanding of the German original.
This present third revision will have benefited from the suggestions, corrections, and added material, kindly offered over the years by many friends of Bach. Questions and comments are still welcome via e-mail at philip.ambrose@uvm.edu.
Finally, I must express my gratitude to Rubin Goldberg for his patient, diligent, and competent revisions to this website.
Z. Philip Ambrose
Lyman-Roberts Professor Emeritus
of Classical Languages & Literature
The University of Vermont
26, June, 2020
63 Robinson Parkway
Burlington, VT 05401� Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose
-
Excerpts from the Introduction of 1984
Two lessons from antiquity have influenced my approach to the translation of the works of Bach. The first has to do with the reliability of translation; the second, with the value and purpose of translation. One of the greatest concerted efforts of literary translation in antiquity was the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, the so-called Septuagint. Its value today rests partly on the fact that the sources it translates are older than any extant Hebrew versions. But the Septuagint had a certain negative result in the Greek-speaking Jewish and early Christian communities: Naive confidence in its reliability tended to suppress knowledge of the Hebrew original. Legends grew up about the veritably divine inspiration and miraculous agreement of the 72 (or 70) scholars thought to have been summoned to the island of Pharos near Alexandria by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (308-246 B.C.) for the task of translating the Jewish Law. Even though I have attempted to adhere closely to the word-order, metaphorical language, and sense of Bach's original texts, I would not tout the literalness of my translations. For my intention is not to leave readers content with the English version but to encourage them to consider the original.The second example, from somewhat later antiquity, suggests to me the efficiency of translation as philology, by which I mean literary interpretation in the broadest sense. Lucius Apuleius, born c. 123 A.D. in North Africa in a Greek-speaking family, explains in his introduction to the Metamorphoses that he first studied in Athens and then went to Rome to learn Latin. He continues: "Behold I first crave and beg pardon lest I should happen to displease or offend any of you by the rude and rustic utterance of this strange and foreign language. Indeed this very change of language corresponds to the inconstant (i.e. changing) subject matter we undertake with our pen: we begin here a Grecian tale; reader attend; you will be delighted." In 1566 Apuleius' translator William Adlington writes: "But as Lucius Apuleius was changed into his human shape by a rose, the companions of Ulysses by great intercession, and Nebuchadnezzar by the continual prayers of Daniel, whereby they knew themselves and lived after a good and virtuous life: so can we never be restored to the right figure of ourselves, except we taste and eat the sweet rose of reason and virtue."(1) The transformation of Lucius from human to ass was for the purpose of enlightening the human. Apuleius implies that this movement through change to self-enlightenment is akin to his treatment of a Greek tale: its movement from Greek through the "rude and rustic utterance" of Latin for the purpose of illuminating the Greek mind of the author. To parody Adlington, a foreign language is the "sweet rose of reason" which returns Apuleius to his original form. Thus, with this translation of the vocal texts of Bach, the purpose is not to supplant, certainly not to upstage or obscure, but to enhance the original. And therewith let it be hoped that these translations of Bach's works may offer some service not only to the American or English or Japanese but even to the German listener, interpreter, or performer.
Several general problems posed by Bach's texts deserve special attention. First, their stylistic and formal variety: not only do they spring from over a dozen known and probably as many unknown poets, they also have the internal variety of their Biblical texts, chorales, recitatives, and arias. Second, many of the texts themselves, such as the hymns of Luther and Biblical passages, are translations from works which are known to English-speakers in other versions. A related difficulty is posed by the fact that at every moment Bach is himself translating these texts. Bach's music helps the translator understand the text, but in attempting to translate both the text and Bach's own musical translation of it I have been persuaded to depart sometimes from the most idiomatic English in order to maintain Bach's treatment of key words, the original meter, accent, and word- and phrase-breaks. I have thought the observance of these features more essential than the preservation of the rhyme-scheme, except in some of the secular cantatas. In the Evangelist's narrative in the Passions and the Christmas Oratorio exact syllabic equivalence with the original is impossible without doing violence to the familiar English form of the Biblical text. In the Latin texts of the Masses, without attempting syllabic equivalence with the original, I follow the style of the American Book of Common Prayer (1928), but translate directly from Bach's text since it differs occasionally from the Missale Romanum.
While the translation itself is intended to constitute a commentary on the original, I explain in footnotes many proper and place names, historical allusions to persons and events. Mere enthusiasm for the texts has inspired me frequently to note subtle intentions of the poets, rhetorical figures, or parallel passages both from within Bach's corpus and from without, especially from such classical authors as Vergil, Horace, and Ovid.
The inspiration for this whole undertaking came from Professor Christoph Wolff. Since first suggesting the project in the late summer of 1979, he has helped me generously in both broad design and many details. I hope that others will yet find solutions to those passages in which I have not been up to the philological ideal he represents. Finally, I must confess that I would not have accepted Professor Wolff's challenge to wander awhile from the mainstream of classical studies without the encouragement of my companion in music, Professor Jane Ambrose. To her I dedicate this project. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to my daughter Julia Ambrose Viazmenski and her husband Dr. Alexei Viazmenski my thanks for the original design of and frequent updates to this website.
The University of Vermont
Whitsuntide 1984
Burlington, Vermont1. Reprinted in Apuleius, The Golden Ass, being the Metamorphoses of Lucius Apuleius, revised by S. Gaselee (Cambridge, U. S. A., and London: The Loeb Classical Library, 1915), p. xvii.
� Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose
-
A = Alto
Anh. = Anhang (Supplement)
B = Bass
BG = Bach-Gesamtausgabe, published by the Bachgesellschaft, 1851-1899.
BJ = Bach-Jahrbuch, published by the Neue Bachgesellschaft (Leipzig, 1904ff.)
BWV = Wolfgang Schmieder, Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der Werke Joh. Seb. Bachs (Leipzig, 1950)
[Dictum] = A Biblical text which provides a principal theme or idea of a cantata. This indication is not used for the Evangelist's Biblical narrative in the Passions or in such works as the Christmas Oratorio.
Dürr = Alfred Dürr, Die Kantaten von Johann Sebastian Bach (Kassel, 1971)
Facs = Facsimile
Fischer-Tümpel = Albert Fischer and W. Tümpel, Das deutsche evangelische Kirchenlied des 17. Jahrhunderts (Gütersloh, 1904-1916; reprint, Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1960), Vols. I-VI
Krit. Bericht = Kritischer Bericht (see NBA)
NBA = Johann Sebastian Bach, Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke, published by the Johann-Sebastian-Bach- Institut Göttigen and by the Bach-Archiv Leipzig (Kassel and Leipzig, 1954ff.)
NBG = Publications of the Neue Bachgesellschaft
Neumann Hb= Werner Neumann, Handbuch der Kantaten Johann Sebastian Bachs, 4th rev. ed. (Leipzig, 1971)
Neumann T = Werner Neumann, Sämtliche von Johann Sebastian Bach vertonte Texte (Leipzig, 1974)
OP = Originalpartitur (Original Score)
OSt = Originalstimmen (Original Parts)
PT = Printed Text
S = Soprano
Spitta = Philipp Spitta, Johann Sebastian Bach (Leipzig, 1873 and 1880); translated by Clara Bell and J. A. Fuller-Maitland (London, 1899; reprint New York: Dover, 1951).
T = Tenor
[Verse] = Movement in a chorale cantata based upon more than one movement of the same hymn. The number of the verse will be indicated, e.g. [Verse 6].
Wackernagel = Carl Eduard Philipp Wackernagel, Das Deutsche Kirchenlied (Leipzig, 1862-1877; reprint, Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1964), Vols. I-IV.
---> = Parody from ... to
<--- = Parody to ... from
BIBLICAL ABBREVIATIONS
Acts = The Acts
Am. = Amos
1 Chr. = 1 Chronicles
2 Chr. = 2 Chronicles
Col. = Colossians
1 Cor. = 1 Corinthians
Dan. = Daniel
Dt. = Deuteronomy
Ec. = Ecclesiastes
Ecclus. = Ecclesiasticus
Eph. = Ephesians
Est. = Esther
Ex. = Exodus
Ezek. = Ezekiel
Ezra = Ezra
Gal. = Galatians
Gen. = Genesis
Hab. = Habakkuk
Hag. = Haggai
Heb. = Hebrews
Hos. = Hosea
Is. = Isaiah
Jas. = James
Jer. = Jeremiah
Jg. = Judges
Jl. = Joel
Jn. = John
1 Jn. = 1 John
2 Jn. = 2 John
3 Jn. = 3 John
Job = Job
Jon. = Jonah
Jos. = Joshua
Jude = Jude
1 Kg. = 1 Kings
2 Kg. = 2 Kings
Lam. = Lamentations
Lev. = Leviticus
Lk. = Luke
Mal. = Malachi
Mic. = Micah
Mk. = Mark
Mt. = Matthew
Nah. = Nahum
Neh. = Nehemiah
Num. = Numbers
Ob. = Obadiah
1 Pet. = 1 Peter
2 Pet. = 2 Peter
Phil. = Philippians
Philem. = Philemon
Pr. = Proverbs
Ps. = Psalms
Rev. = Revelation
Rom. = Romans
Ru. = Ruth
1 Sam. = 1 Samuel
2 Sam. = 2 Samuel
S. of S. = Song of Solomon
1 Th. = 1 Thessalonians
2 Th. = 2 Thessalonians
1 Tim. = 1 Timothy
2 Tim. = 2 Timothy
Tit. = Titus
Zech. = Zechariah
Zeph. = Zephaniah© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose
-
A TABLE OF OCCASIONS FOR THE SACRED WORKS
This table gives with a brief summary the Epistle and Gospel for each Sunday and festival for which Bach composed a vocal work. The works performed appear in relative chronological order after each occasion.
SUNDAYS AND MAJOR HOLY DAYS
Rom. 13:11-14: Our Salvation is near.
Mt. 21:1-9: Entrance into Jerusalem.
Second Sunday in Advent: BWV 70a.
Rom. 15:4-13: The Ministry to the Gentiles.
Lk. 21:25-36: The Second Coming of Christ.
Third Sunday in Advent: BWV 186a.
1 Cor. 4:1-5: The Stewardship of the Apostles.
Mt. 11:2-10: John in Prison.
Phil. 4:4-7: Joy in the Lord.
Jn. 1:19-28: The Testimony of John the Baptist.
Tit. 2:11-14: The Grace of God is manifest.
Or: Is. 9:2-7: To us a Child is born.
Lk. 2:1-14: The Birth of Christ.
Tit. 3:4-7: The Washing of Regeneration.
Or: Acts 6:8ff. and 7:54-59: The Martyrdom of Stephen.
Lk. 2:15-20: The Shepherds at the Manger.
Or: Mt. 23:34-39: The Slaying of the Prophets.
Heb. 1:1-14: Christ is higher than the angels.
Jn. 1:1-14: In the beginning was the Word.
Sunday after Christmas Day (Last Sunday of the Civil Year, not present in every year): BWV 152, 122, 28.
Gal. 4:1-7: Christ frees us from the Law.
Lk. 2:33-40: Simeon and Anna's Words to Mary.
New Year's Day (Feast of the Circumcision and Naming of Christ, 1 January): BWV 190, 41, 16, 171, 248IV, 143, XVIII.
Gal. 3:23-29: By Faith we are children of God.
Lk. 2:21: The Circumcision and Naming of Christ.
1 Pet. 4:12-19: The Sufferings of Christ.
Mt. 2:13-23: The Flight into Egypt.
Is. 60:1-6: The Conversion of the Gentiles.
Mt. 2:1-12: The Wise Men from the East.
Rom. 12:1-6: The Christian Rules of Life.
Rom. 12:6-16: The Christian Rules of Life.
Jn. 2:1-11: The Marriage Feast at Cana.
Rom. 12:17-21: The Christian Rules of Life.
Mt. 8:1-13: The Healing of a Leper and a Man with Palsy.
Rom. 13:8-10:� Love is the Fulfilment of the Law.
Mt. 8:23-27: Jesus calms the storm.
1 Cor. 9:24-10:5: Preparation for the Footrace; The Baptism of Moses in the Red Sea.
Mt. 20:1-6: The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.
2 Cor. 11:19-12:9: The Perfection of God's Power in Weakness.
Lk. 8:4-15: The Parable of the Sower.
1 Cor. 13:1-13: The Praise of Charity.
Lk. 18:31-43: The Journey to Jerusalem and Healing of a Blind Man.
Eph. 5:1-9: Exhortation to a Pure Life; the Children of Light.
Lk. 11:14-28: The Casting Out of a Devil. Palmarum (Palm Sunday): BWV 182.
Phil. 2:5-11: Be of one mind with Jesus.
Or: 1 Cor. 11:23-32: The Last Supper.
Mt. 21:1-9: Entrance into Jerusalem.
The Passion of Christ.
1 Cor. 5:6-8: Christ, our Paschal Lamb.
Mk. 16:1-8: The Resurrection of Christ.
Acts 10:34-43: Peter's Sermon to the Centurion Cornelius on Christ's Resurrection.
Lk. 24:13-35: The Journey of the Disciples to Emmaus.
Acts 13:26-33: Paul's Sermon in Antioch.
Lk. 24:36-47: Jesus appears to the Disciples in Jerusalem.
1 Jn. 5:4-10: Faith overcomes the World.
Jn. 20:19-31: Jesus appears to the Disciples and Doubting Thomas.
1 Pet. 2:21-25: Jesus, the Shepherd of the Lost Sheep.
Jn. 10:12-16: The Good Shepherd.
1 Pet. 2:11-20: The Duties of God's Servants to God and to Human Ordinance.
Jn. 16:16-23: Your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy. Cantate (Fourth Sunday after Easter): BWV 166, 108.
Jas. 1:17-21: All perfect Gifts come from above.
Jn. 16:5-15: Jesus departeth, the Comforter cometh.
Jas. 1:22-27: Be not Hearers, but Doers of the Word.
Jn. 16:23-30: On Prayer in Jesus' Name.
Acts 1:1-11: The Final Commission and Ascension of Jesus.
Mk. 16:14-20: The Commandment to Baptize and the Ascension.
1 Pet. 4:8-11: On Christian Service in Good Works.
Jn. 15:26-16:4: The Prediction of the Persecution of the Disciples.
Acts 2:1-13: The Descent and Appearance of the Holy Ghost.
Jn. 14:23-31: If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Acts 10:42-48: The End of Peter's Sermon to Cornelius and the Baptism of the Gentiles.
Jn. 3:16-21: God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son.
Acts 8:14-17: The Reception of the Holy Ghost in Samaria.
Jn. 10:1-11: The Good Shepherd.
Rom. 11:33-36: God's Wisdom.
Jn. 3:1-5: Jesus's Conversation with Nicodemus.
1 Jn. 4:16-21: God is Love.
Lk. 16:19-31: Dives and Lazarus.
1 Jn. 3:13-18: On Brotherly Love.
Lk. 14:16-24: The Parable of the Great Supper.
1 Pet. 5:6-11: Cast your care upon God.
Lk. 15:1-10: The Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
Rom. 8:18-23: Salvation through the Hope of the Holy Spirit.
Lk. 6:36-42: Be merciful; Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.
1 Pet. 3:8-15: Patience in Suffering.
Lk. 5:1-11: Peter's Miraculous Draught of Fishes.
Sixth Sunday after Trinity: Neumeister's Wer sich r�chet, an dem wird sich der Herr wieder r�chen, BWV 170, 9.
Rom. 6:3-11: Deliverance from Sin through Christ's Death.
Mt. 5:20-26: Christ's Reinterpretation of the Law.
Rom. 6:19-23: The Fruits of the Service of God.
Mk. 8:1-9: The Feeding of the Four Thousand.
Rom. 8:12-17: Those led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
Mt. 7:15-23: The Warning against False Prophets.
1 Cor. 10:6-13: Warning against Idolatry and Smugness.
Lk. 16:1-9: The Parable of the Unjust Steward.
1 Cor. 12:1-11: Concerning Spiritual Gifts.
Lk. 41-48: The Prophecy of the Destruction of Jerusalem; the Driving-out of the Merchants from the Temple.
1 Cor. 15:1-10: The Resurrection of Christ and the Apostolic Mission of Paul.
Lk. 18:9-14: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.
2 Cor. 3:4-11: The Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
Mk. 7: 31-37: The Healing of the Deafmute.
Gal. 3:15-22: The Promise to Abraham and the Law.
Lk. 10:23-37: The Good Samaritan.
Gal. 5:16-24: The Works of the Flesh and the Fruits of the Spirit.
Lk. 17:11-19: The Healing of Ten Lepers.
Gal. 5:25-6:10: Exhortation to Gentleness and Goodness.
Mt. 6:24-34: Be not anxious for the morrow.
Eph. 3:13-21: Paul prays for the strengthening of the faith of the Ephesians.
Lk. 7:11-17: The Young Man of Nain Brought Back to Life.
Eph. 4:1-6: Exhortation to Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.
Lk. 14:1-11: The Healing of the Man with the Dropsy.
1 Cor. 1:4-9: Paul's Thanksgiving for the Grace of God Given to the Corinthians.
Mt. 22:34-46: The First and Great Commandment; David's "Son" and David's "Lord."
Eph. 4:22-28: The Renewal in the Spirit of the Mind.
Mt. 9:1-8: The Healing of the Man with the Palsy.
Eph. 5:5-21: Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Mt. 22:1-14: The King's Wedding Banquet for his Son; Many are called, but few are chosen.
Eph. 6:10-17: Put on the whole armor of God.
Jn. 4:47-54: The Healing of the Son of a Nobleman at Capernaum.
Phil. 1:3-11: Paul's Prayer for the Philippians.
Mt. 18:23-35: The Parable of the Unfaithful Servant.
Phil. 3:17-21: Our citizenship is in heaven.
Mt. 22:15-22: Deceitful Pharisees; the Parable of the Tribute Penny of Caesar.
Col. 1:9-14: Paul's Prayer for the Colossians.
Mt. 9:18-26: The Raising of Jairus' Daughter.
1 Th. 4:13-18: The Coming of Christ and the Raising of the Dead.
Mt. 24:15-28: The Coming of Christ, the End of the World.
Twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity: BWV 70.
2 Pet. 3:3-13: The Certainty of Christ's Coming.
Mt. 25:31-46: Jesus' Description of the Last Judgment.
Twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity: BWV 140.
1 Th. 5:1-11: Preparation for the Last Judgment.
Mt. 25:1-13: The Parable of the Ten Virgins.
FEASTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
The Purification (The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, 2 February): BWV 161 (also 16 Sunday after Trinity), 83, 125, 82, 157,200, 158 (also 3rd Day of Easter).
Mal. 3:1-4: The Lord shall suddenly come to his temple.
Lk. 2:22-32: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Song of Simeon.
Is. 7:10-16: The Prophecy of the Birth of the Messiah.
Lk. 1:26-38: The Angel Gabriel announces the birth of Jesus to Mary.
Is. 11:1-5: The Prophecy of the Messiah.
Lk. 1:39-56: Elizabeth's Salutation to Mary and Mary's Song of Praise.
FEASTS OF THE SAINTS AND OTHER SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Is. 40:1-5: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness.
Lk. 1:57-80: The Birth of John and Zacharia's Song of Praise.
Rev. 12:7-12: Michael's Battle with the Dragon.
Mt. 18:1-11: The Angels of Children in Heaven.
2 Th. 2:3-8: Steadfastness against the Lawless One.
Rev. 14:6-8: Exhortation to Fear God.
LOCAL OCCASIONS
Dedication of an Organ: BWV 194.
Jubilee of the 200th Anniversary of the Augsburg Confession (25- 27 June 1730): BWV 190a, 120b, XVIb (Anh. 4).
Funeral: BWV 106, 157 (also The Purification), 198, 244a, XXVII(Anh. 16), XX (Anh. 17), 226, ?227, ?228.
Unspecified Occasion: BWV 131, XIX (223), 150, XIII (Anh. 5), XXI(Anh. 15), 192, 100, 97, 117, 118, 225, ?227, ?228, 229, 230, 232,233, 234, (242), 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241.
A TABLE OF OCCASIONS FOR SECULAR WORKSThe works performed for each type of occasion are listed in relative chronological order.
Inauguration of the New Town Council.
-
A TABLE OF OCCASIONS FOR THE SACRED WORKS
This table gives with a brief summary the Epistle and Gospel for each Sunday and festival for which Bach composed a vocal work. The works performed appear in relative chronological order after each occasion.
SUNDAYS AND MAJOR HOLY DAYS
Rom. 13:11-14: Our Salvation is near.
Mt. 21:1-9: Entrance into Jerusalem.
Second Sunday in Advent: BWV 70a.
Rom. 15:4-13: The Ministry to the Gentiles.
Lk. 21:25-36: The Second Coming of Christ.
Third Sunday in Advent: BWV 186a.
1 Cor. 4:1-5: The Stewardship of the Apostles.
Mt. 11:2-10: John in Prison.
Phil. 4:4-7: Joy in the Lord.
Jn. 1:19-28: The Testimony of John the Baptist.
Tit. 2:11-14: The Grace of God is manifest.
Or: Is. 9:2-7: To us a Child is born.
Lk. 2:1-14: The Birth of Christ.
Tit. 3:4-7: The Washing of Regeneration.
Or: Acts 6:8ff. and 7:54-59: The Martyrdom of Stephen.
Lk. 2:15-20: The Shepherds at the Manger.
Or: Mt. 23:34-39: The Slaying of the Prophets.
Heb. 1:1-14: Christ is higher than the angels.
Jn. 1:1-14: In the beginning was the Word.
Sunday after Christmas Day (Last Sunday of the Civil Year, not present in every year): BWV 152, 122, 28.
Gal. 4:1-7: Christ frees us from the Law.
Lk. 2:33-40: Simeon and Anna's Words to Mary.
New Year's Day (Feast of the Circumcision and Naming of Christ, 1 January): BWV 190, 41, 16, 171, 248IV, 143, XVIII.
Gal. 3:23-29: By Faith we are children of God.
Lk. 2:21: The Circumcision and Naming of Christ.
1 Pet. 4:12-19: The Sufferings of Christ.
Mt. 2:13-23: The Flight into Egypt.
Is. 60:1-6: The Conversion of the Gentiles.
Mt. 2:1-12: The Wise Men from the East.
Rom. 12:1-6: The Christian Rules of Life.
Rom. 12:6-16: The Christian Rules of Life.
Jn. 2:1-11: The Marriage Feast at Cana.
Rom. 12:17-21: The Christian Rules of Life.
Mt. 8:1-13: The Healing of a Leper and a Man with Palsy.
Rom. 13:8-10:� Love is the Fulfilment of the Law.
Mt. 8:23-27: Jesus calms the storm.
1 Cor. 9:24-10:5: Preparation for the Footrace; The Baptism of Moses in the Red Sea.
Mt. 20:1-6: The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.
2 Cor. 11:19-12:9: The Perfection of God's Power in Weakness.
Lk. 8:4-15: The Parable of the Sower.
1 Cor. 13:1-13: The Praise of Charity.
Lk. 18:31-43: The Journey to Jerusalem and Healing of a Blind Man.
Eph. 5:1-9: Exhortation to a Pure Life; the Children of Light.
Lk. 11:14-28: The Casting Out of a Devil. Palmarum (Palm Sunday): BWV 182.
Phil. 2:5-11: Be of one mind with Jesus.
Or: 1 Cor. 11:23-32: The Last Supper.
Mt. 21:1-9: Entrance into Jerusalem.
The Passion of Christ.
1 Cor. 5:6-8: Christ, our Paschal Lamb.
Mk. 16:1-8: The Resurrection of Christ.
Acts 10:34-43: Peter's Sermon to the Centurion Cornelius on Christ's Resurrection.
Lk. 24:13-35: The Journey of the Disciples to Emmaus.
Acts 13:26-33: Paul's Sermon in Antioch.
Lk. 24:36-47: Jesus appears to the Disciples in Jerusalem.
1 Jn. 5:4-10: Faith overcomes the World.
Jn. 20:19-31: Jesus appears to the Disciples and Doubting Thomas.
1 Pet. 2:21-25: Jesus, the Shepherd of the Lost Sheep.
Jn. 10:12-16: The Good Shepherd.
1 Pet. 2:11-20: The Duties of God's Servants to God and to Human Ordinance.
Jn. 16:16-23: Your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy. Cantate (Fourth Sunday after Easter): BWV 166, 108.
Jas. 1:17-21: All perfect Gifts come from above.
Jn. 16:5-15: Jesus departeth, the Comforter cometh.
Jas. 1:22-27: Be not Hearers, but Doers of the Word.
Jn. 16:23-30: On Prayer in Jesus' Name.
Acts 1:1-11: The Final Commission and Ascension of Jesus.
Mk. 16:14-20: The Commandment to Baptize and the Ascension.
1 Pet. 4:8-11: On Christian Service in Good Works.
Jn. 15:26-16:4: The Prediction of the Persecution of the Disciples.
Acts 2:1-13: The Descent and Appearance of the Holy Ghost.
Jn. 14:23-31: If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Acts 10:42-48: The End of Peter's Sermon to Cornelius and the Baptism of the Gentiles.
Jn. 3:16-21: God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son.
Acts 8:14-17: The Reception of the Holy Ghost in Samaria.
Jn. 10:1-11: The Good Shepherd.
Rom. 11:33-36: God's Wisdom.
Jn. 3:1-5: Jesus's Conversation with Nicodemus.
1 Jn. 4:16-21: God is Love.
Lk. 16:19-31: Dives and Lazarus.
1 Jn. 3:13-18: On Brotherly Love.
Lk. 14:16-24: The Parable of the Great Supper.
1 Pet. 5:6-11: Cast your care upon God.
Lk. 15:1-10: The Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
Rom. 8:18-23: Salvation through the Hope of the Holy Spirit.
Lk. 6:36-42: Be merciful; Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.
1 Pet. 3:8-15: Patience in Suffering.
Lk. 5:1-11: Peter's Miraculous Draught of Fishes.
Sixth Sunday after Trinity: Neumeister's Wer sich r�chet, an dem wird sich der Herr wieder r�chen, BWV 170, 9.
Rom. 6:3-11: Deliverance from Sin through Christ's Death.
Mt. 5:20-26: Christ's Reinterpretation of the Law.
Rom. 6:19-23: The Fruits of the Service of God.
Mk. 8:1-9: The Feeding of the Four Thousand.
Rom. 8:12-17: Those led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
Mt. 7:15-23: The Warning against False Prophets.
1 Cor. 10:6-13: Warning against Idolatry and Smugness.
Lk. 16:1-9: The Parable of the Unjust Steward.
1 Cor. 12:1-11: Concerning Spiritual Gifts.
Lk. 41-48: The Prophecy of the Destruction of Jerusalem; the Driving-out of the Merchants from the Temple.
1 Cor. 15:1-10: The Resurrection of Christ and the Apostolic Mission of Paul.
Lk. 18:9-14: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.
2 Cor. 3:4-11: The Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
Mk. 7: 31-37: The Healing of the Deafmute.
Gal. 3:15-22: The Promise to Abraham and the Law.
Lk. 10:23-37: The Good Samaritan.
Gal. 5:16-24: The Works of the Flesh and the Fruits of the Spirit.
Lk. 17:11-19: The Healing of Ten Lepers.
Gal. 5:25-6:10: Exhortation to Gentleness and Goodness.
Mt. 6:24-34: Be not anxious for the morrow.
Eph. 3:13-21: Paul prays for the strengthening of the faith of the Ephesians.
Lk. 7:11-17: The Young Man of Nain Brought Back to Life.
Eph. 4:1-6: Exhortation to Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.
Lk. 14:1-11: The Healing of the Man with the Dropsy.
1 Cor. 1:4-9: Paul's Thanksgiving for the Grace of God Given to the Corinthians.
Mt. 22:34-46: The First and Great Commandment; David's "Son" and David's "Lord."
Eph. 4:22-28: The Renewal in the Spirit of the Mind.
Mt. 9:1-8: The Healing of the Man with the Palsy.
Eph. 5:5-21: Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Mt. 22:1-14: The King's Wedding Banquet for his Son; Many are called, but few are chosen.
Eph. 6:10-17: Put on the whole armor of God.
Jn. 4:47-54: The Healing of the Son of a Nobleman at Capernaum.
Phil. 1:3-11: Paul's Prayer for the Philippians.
Mt. 18:23-35: The Parable of the Unfaithful Servant.
Phil. 3:17-21: Our citizenship is in heaven.
Mt. 22:15-22: Deceitful Pharisees; the Parable of the Tribute Penny of Caesar.
Col. 1:9-14: Paul's Prayer for the Colossians.
Mt. 9:18-26: The Raising of Jairus' Daughter.
1 Th. 4:13-18: The Coming of Christ and the Raising of the Dead.
Mt. 24:15-28: The Coming of Christ, the End of the World.
Twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity: BWV 70.
2 Pet. 3:3-13: The Certainty of Christ's Coming.
Mt. 25:31-46: Jesus' Description of the Last Judgment.
Twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity: BWV 140.
1 Th. 5:1-11: Preparation for the Last Judgment.
Mt. 25:1-13: The Parable of the Ten Virgins.
FEASTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
The Purification (The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, 2 February): BWV 161 (also 16 Sunday after Trinity), 83, 125, 82, 157,200, 158 (also 3rd Day of Easter).
Mal. 3:1-4: The Lord shall suddenly come to his temple.
Lk. 2:22-32: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Song of Simeon.
Is. 7:10-16: The Prophecy of the Birth of the Messiah.
Lk. 1:26-38: The Angel Gabriel announces the birth of Jesus to Mary.
Is. 11:1-5: The Prophecy of the Messiah.
Lk. 1:39-56: Elizabeth's Salutation to Mary and Mary's Song of Praise.
FEASTS OF THE SAINTS AND OTHER SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Is. 40:1-5: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness.
Lk. 1:57-80: The Birth of John and Zacharia's Song of Praise.
Rev. 12:7-12: Michael's Battle with the Dragon.
Mt. 18:1-11: The Angels of Children in Heaven.
2 Th. 2:3-8: Steadfastness against the Lawless One.
Rev. 14:6-8: Exhortation to Fear God.
LOCAL OCCASIONS
Dedication of an Organ: BWV 194.
Jubilee of the 200th Anniversary of the Augsburg Confession (25- 27 June 1730): BWV 190a, 120b, XVIb (Anh. 4).
Funeral: BWV 106, 157 (also The Purification), 198, 244a, XXVII(Anh. 16), XX (Anh. 17), 226, ?227, ?228.
Unspecified Occasion: BWV 131, XIX (223), 150, XIII (Anh. 5), XXI(Anh. 15), 192, 100, 97, 117, 118, 225, ?227, ?228, 229, 230, 232,233, 234, (242), 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241.
A TABLE OF OCCASIONS FOR SECULAR WORKSThe works performed for each type of occasion are listed in relative chronological order.
Inauguration of the New Town Council.
-
Cantatas
82. Ich habe genung
118 and 118b. O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht
163. Nur jedem das Seine!
166. Wo gehest du hin?
173a. Durchlauchtster Leopold
192. Nun danket alle Gott
194a. Gl�ckwunschkantate
203. Amore traditore
210a. O, angenehme Melodei!
Motets
227. Jesu, meine Freude
229. Komm, Jesu komm
Masses
232. Messe h-Moll
233. Messe F-Dur
234. Messe A-Dur
235. Messe g-Moll
236. Messe G-Dur
237. Sanctus C-Dur
238. Sanctus D-Dur
239. Sanctus d-Moll
240. Sanctus G-Dur
241. Sanctus D-Dur
242. Messe c-Moll
Magnificats
Passions
244. Matth�us-Passion
245. Johannes-Passion
246. Lukas-Passion
247. Markus-Passion
Oratorios
Three Wedding Chorales
252. Nun danket alle Gott
Pieces in the Clavierb�chlein for Anna Magdalena Bach
Quodlibets
524. Hochzeitsquodlibet
Lost and Fragmentary Works (as in Neumann T and Schmieder BWV Anhang)
XXII Geburtstagskantate
BWV Anh. 20 Lateinische Ode
BWV 224 Rei�t euch los
Lost works with preserved printed texts
-
Cantatas
82. Ich habe genung
118 and 118b. O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht
163. Nur jedem das Seine!
166. Wo gehest du hin?
173a. Durchlauchtster Leopold
192. Nun danket alle Gott
194a. Gl�ckwunschkantate
203. Amore traditore
210a. O, angenehme Melodei!
Motets
227. Jesu, meine Freude
229. Komm, Jesu komm
Masses
232. Messe h-Moll
233. Messe F-Dur
234. Messe A-Dur
235. Messe g-Moll
236. Messe G-Dur
237. Sanctus C-Dur
238. Sanctus D-Dur
239. Sanctus d-Moll
240. Sanctus G-Dur
241. Sanctus D-Dur
242. Messe c-Moll
Magnificats
Passions
244. Matth�us-Passion
245. Johannes-Passion
246. Lukas-Passion
247. Markus-Passion
Oratorios
Three Wedding Chorales
252. Nun danket alle Gott
Pieces in the Clavierb�chlein for Anna Magdalena Bach
Quodlibets
524. Hochzeitsquodlibet
Lost and Fragmentary Works (as in Neumann T and Schmieder BWV Anhang)
XXII Geburtstagskantate
BWV Anh. 20 Lateinische Ode
BWV 224 Rei�t euch los
Lost works with preserved printed texts
-
Item description
-
Item description