The final, triumphal portion of Bachs's Christological Cycle begins with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which symbolically represents the final part of the Great Parabola of descent-ascent, or the Uplifting in glory, also known as the anabasis or fulfillment, embracing the in-dwelling inhabitatio of unio mystica (mystical union) involving the sacred and divine, the eternal reincarnation of spirit and flesh? (source, ). The Easter season/time of 50 days (six Sundays) is a unique period in the church year which, in Bach's Leipzig involved Easter Sunday to Misericordias Domini (second after Easter), designated de tempore (Proper Time) of the life of Jesus Christ, followed by the Gospel of John's Jesus' Farewell Discourse to His Disciples in the omnes tempore (Ordinary Time) tradition of the life of the church, embracing both times simultaneously in the paradoxes of humanity that is both sacred and profane and the Christ who is both truly man and God. The end of Easter is the eschatological celebration of God's eternal Time on Pentecost Sunday signifying God for us, with us, and within us in the Trinitarian divine dance, as Father Richard Rohr says,¹ as well as the birthday of the church. ?
Three-Day Easter Festival, Easter Season
The Easter season/time in Bach's Leipzig began and ended with two three-day festivals at Easter and Pentecost when Bach, following his annual presentation of an oratorio Passion on Good Friday — the fulcrum or rest/pivot of the Great Parabola — was required to present a cantata musical sermon also on Easter Monday and Tuesday.? For Bach in his first years in Leipzig presenting three cycles of church year music, usually cantatas, this period theologically signified the centrality of Johannine theology with two versions of his St. John Passion that were followed by the St. Matthew Passion in 1727.? Meanwhile, because Bach's Lenten endeavors were focused on the Passion sacred drama concluding Holy Week, he modified his compositional activities during Easter Season, which required six days of Easter and Pentecost festive cantatas, the Ascension Feast and the Trinity Festival. In his first Easter Season of 1724, Bach was able to present repeats of Weimar works on the two festive Sundays and then parodied C?then congratulatory vocal serenades for the two festive Mondays and Tuesdays of Easter and Pentecost.? During the final period of his second cycle (), also requiring 14 cantatas for eight festival days, Bach in the 1725 Easter Season ceased composing new chorale cantatas, substituting works conceived possibly the previous year and followed by new works using commissioned texts of Leipzig poet Mariane von Ziegler from Jubilate to Trinity Sunday.? The next year in the 1726 Easter Season (), Bach substituted cantatas of cousin Ludwig Bach while composing the St. Matthew Passion. ?
Bach's Cantor Demands, Chorale Cantata Cycle Terminated
A second factor motivated Bach's Easter period Grand Design.? As cantor at St. Thomas church and school, Bach focused these seven weeks on his cantor duties at the close of the school year on Trinity Sunday.? In addition to his teaching duties, he gave final exams, auditioned new chorus members, chose assistants and special students for the coming school year, accounted for the musical and educational resources, and compiled annual reports involving a well-appointed church music for which he was steward. A third factor during the Easter Season and the termination of the chorale cantata cycle may have been because of the paucity of designated chorales in the Lutheran hymnbooks for the specific Sundays after Easter. "We possess a rich store of Passion music , but relatively few outstanding pieces of Easter music," observes Alfred Dürr.² "Such a disproportion is also perceptible in Bach's output. Settings of the Passion apparently laid such a strong claim on his creative power that no original Easter Sunday music survives from his mature years" after 1725.?
Easter Saxon Reformation Traditions?
The Leipzig observance of the Easter Season in Bach's time as music director involved a great tradition beginning with the city's acceptance of the Reformation in 1539 as part of its official establishment in Saxony through Duke Heinrich's Agenda, the same year it was published in Wittenberg as the governing document of the Lutheran church for almost 300 years. The services with music in the church year, first found in Valentin Schumann's hymn book published in Leipzig in 1539 and expanded in Valentin Bapst's edition in 1545, determined Bach's response with a well-ordered church music. "During Bach's tenure, the Dresden Hymnal served as a kind of model for others to follow," observes Martin Petzoldt.³ In addition, Johannes Bugenhagen's Evangeliumharmonie of the accounts of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ were prescribed for Holy Week and Easter.^4? Along with the development of the Lutheran chorales central to Bach's calling was the unique Saxon Court tradition of musical Historia settings for the major observances of Christmas, the Passion, and Easter, particularly as found in the music of Kapellmeister Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672), with his first publication, Historia der Auferstehung Jesu Christi (Resurrection Story), SWV 50, Op. 3 (Dresden 1623) which uses the Bugenhagen text.⁵ The tradition of the liturgical-musical Passion was still found in Bach's Passion settings, observes Petzoldt (, 3:10).? The tradition of an Easter setting began with the "Osterhistorie by Jacobus Haupt, singer at the Dresden chapel," followed by the Auferstehungshistorie of Antonio Scandello (1517–1580), says Wolfram Steude in "Passions, Resurrection History and Dialogues" (: 19, text 83-88). Schütz's setting was performed annually until 1675, replacing Scandello's Easter History and eventually succeeded by Easter Historiae of younger musicians of the Dresden chapel (Johann Müller, Johann Wilhelm Furchheim and Nikolaus Adam Strungk), as the Dresden Catholic Chapel Easter tradition from until 1700. These Easter works, with instruments, choruses and multiple voices singing the roles of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and the Angel at the Tomb, had no model in Catholic tradition, being part of a post-Lutheran German vernacular historia genre specific to Dresden and best known throughout Germany as oratorio Passions. Meanwhile, the Italian sacred vulgate oratorio tradition of Carissimi, Stradella, Scarlatti, Mazzocchi, Federici, Pistocchi, Caldara, and Colonna flourished from 1660 to 1720, particularly in palaces in Rome where the Papacy had forbidden opera at any time of the year. It was a frank substitute for opera, with elaborate sets and numerous da capo arias, but no staging or choruses -- thus being a closet or static drama.
Bach's Leipzig Master Plan?
Bach the well-intentioned, resourceful, and calculating musical architect and recycler had a master plan (source, ). The first group of cantatas from Weimar, composed for the church year primarily from texts of court poet Salomo Franck, had all the ingredients of Bach's sacred musical sermons: choruses, arias, recitatives, ariosi, closing plain chorales, and chorale tropes with poetry. In most cases Bach would reperform them virtually unchanged. Church year pieces initially composed for the Weimar closed periods of Advent and Lent would be adapted with additional free-verse recitatives and closing chorales using texts appropriate for the new occasions (BWV 70a, 186a, 147a, 80a). The C?then works, all composed for profane occasions or non-liturgical Calvinist church services, contained da-capo arias and recitatives as well as ensembles that with new texts could be tailored to sacred services of the church year in Leipzig as well as special occasions. In particular, Bach could adapt celebratory music with appropriate affect for the festivals of Easter, Pentecost, and Trinity Sunday when he would be hard-pressed in late spring to compose a string of festive works while fulfilling his principal job as cantor and teacher at the Thomas School when completing the term on Pentecost Sunday and starting a new year. Bach also could add new commentary recitatives and select chorales settings emphasizing the specific sacred occasion. From the group of C?then sacred works, Bach selectively salvaged choruses and arias for new, occasional sacred compositions, such as the annual Town Council installation with Cantatas 119, 69a, and 193.?
"Bach's official inauguration was originally planned for Pentecost [Sunday, 16 May] 1723 but had to be postponed by two weeks for unknown reasons, says Christoph Wolff.⁶ Given the time pressure, Bach had reworked as parodies three C?then works for the three-day Pentecost Festival: BWV 59, 173 and 184. When the inauguration was moved back to the 1st Sunday after Trinity, he set the music aside for performance a year later to complete the first cycle. It is possible that Cantata 59 was presented on Pentecost Sunday 1723 at the University Church of St. Paul, says Wolff and Robin A. Leaver (Dok 5: B 137a).⁷ Bach's family arrived in from C?then on 22 May, says Leaver (Ibid.: Dok 2: 138; NBR 102). Meanwhile Bach's performance schedule during this first cycle shows that he used C?then parodies for Cantata 69a for the 12th Sunday after Trinity and Cantata 119 for the Town Council election, says Wolff (Ibid.) as well as C?then serenade parodies for Easter Monday and Tuesday festivals, BWV 66 and 134, and BWV 194 for Trinity Sunday Festival. ?
Easter Festival Liturgy, Appropriate Music
Easter Sunday in the 3-year Revised Common Lectionary has three events to observe in this year's (B) for March 31:? 1.? Easter Vigil, readings ; 2. Resurrection of the Lord, readings ; 3. Easter Evening (optional), readings (includes Luke 24:13-49, Walk to Emmaus, Communion with Disciples.? Bach also composed music for the three-day Easter festival:? Easter Sunday (Resurrection, BWV 4, 31, 249.4 , ), Easter Monday (Road to Emmaus, BWV 6, 66, Anh. 190 (Picander 1729 , ; Easter Tuesday (Jesus appears to the twelve, BWV 134, 145, ?158 , ). The three-day festival is established in the Leipzig Church Year and Agenda (:? 5, "the three high feasts Christmas, Easter and Pentecost each had three days devoted to them."? However, by Bach’s time, the Third Day of Easter (Easter Tuesday) was becoming less important because the same event, Jesus’ appearance before the disciples, in Luke 24:36-47, "Der Friede sei mit dir," also is found on “Quasimodogeniti" (1st Sunday after Easter) in John’s Gospel, 20:19-31 () with Christ’s same greeting, “Friede sei mit euch!” (Peace be unto you, 20:19).? The previous Lukan text, 24:13-35, the unique Walk to Emmaus, was the gospel reading in Bach's Time for Easter Monday.? Now, the two readings are combined, Luke 24:13-49, and are the Gospel for Easter Evening while the Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal movement, called Upper Room ().
The first two days of the Easter Festival had highly structured liturgy while the third day used the ordinary liturgy.? Gradually since Bach's time, Easter Tuesday and then Monday disappeared from the festival celebration. Now, different gospel readings are retained in the three-cycle readings for Easter Monday and the next two Sundays, established by Vatican II a half-century ago and adopted by mainline Protestant denominations.? An accounting of the liturgy and music in Bach's time for Easter (:? scroll down to Easter) reveals a great range of music for Easter Sunday but considerably less for Easter Monday and Tuesday.? Two centuries of music available (1585-1785) are found at . Easter hymns in the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch of 1682 available to Bach are found at , Nos. 272-311).? Easter Sunday works of other composers with connections to Bach (Johann Ludwig Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, Christoph Graupner, Johann David Heinichen, Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel, Gottfried August Homilius, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach) are found at :? scroll down to Easter).? Easter Monday and Tuesday show fewer composers works, no designated chorales, but some works of Bach associates. ?
Easter Monday Walk to Emmaus
Throughout the day-long Walk to Emmaus, there is a sense of personal discovery, revelation, opportunity and commitment (source, ). The 20th Century Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonh?ffer speaks eloquently of this in his The Cost of Discipleship, of taking up the practice of unconditional, unquestioning "followship," especially in the pursuit of "costly grace" instead of "cheap grace." Today, mainline Protestant churches, particularly the Methodists, have an "Upper Room" renewal movement four-day program called, "Walk to Emmaus."? The original serenade BWV 66a may have opened with a sinfonia, possibly later used to open Cantata BWV 42, "But in the evening of the same Sabbath, for the First Sunday in Easter (Quasimodogeniti) in the 1725 second cycle, according to Joshua Rifkin as cited in Dürr (p. 296). Norman Carrell in <Bach the Borrower> (1967, pp. 118, 185, said the sinfonia must have been written for a (lost) cantata which dealt with the walk to Emmaus." W. Gillies Whittaker in <Cantatas of JSB> I: 296, says the sinfonia, origin possibly as a double-chorus da capo concerto, "is a heavenly picture of evening. The throbbing chords remind one of the first chorus of (Cantata) No. 6, "Abide with us, for the Evening is far spent." It is possible that Bach in planned to retain this six-minute-long sinfonia in D Major, in the same key as Cantata 66a, but set it aside because Cantata 66, even without the omitted three movements from Cantata 66a, was too long, running a half an hour. While there is no "Lost Emmaus Cantata" there exist a sinfonia with a link to and a serenade later used for the Walk to Emmaus.
Easter Festival Text Booklets
Since Bach in already had on hand virtually all the music and original text of Cantata BWV 66, he easily could have assembled the new text, possible using the services of Picander and Pastor Christian Wei? Sr. It would have been relatively easy to assemble the printed text booklets containing cantatas for the three-day Easter Festival to the Second Sunday After Easter (Misericordias Domini), delivered to the printer no later than four weeks before . Two such libretti booklets exists for that early Easter season period of five services in (first cycle) and in (, BWV 66, , , and new). For the initial cycle, Bach already had on hand the texts of repeat Weimar , Cantatas BWV 4 and 31, and duplicated the parody process for Cantata for using the same resource team as BWV 66 for . For the first two Sundays following Easter, Bach composed new cantatas and , possibly to texts of Christian Wei? Sr. Bach would have repeated this same libretto process for succeeding Easter festivals, since he had much material already on hand and would rely on reperformances of his as well as the cantatas of Telemann and Johann Ludwig Bach.
Bach Substitutions, Revisions
In 1726, as Bach was working on the St. Matthew Passion, he used some 18 works of cousin Johann Ludwig, notably three works for the Easter Festival, 21-23 April ():? Cantata "Denn du wirst meine Seele," for Easter Sunday, BWV 15=JLB-21 (Text: Rudolstadt); Cantata "Es ist aus der Angst und Gericht," for Easter Monday, JLB-10 (Text: Rudolstadt); and Cantata "Er machet uns lebendig," JB-11, for Easter Tuesday (Text: Rudolstadt).? Bach was content to present three cantatas for each of the three-day Easter Festival services while in 1729 he may have been involved in the Picander cycle works for Easter Monday and Tuesday (Nos. 29-30), April 18 and 19, respectively, fragment "Ich bin ein Pilgrim auf der Welt" (I am a pilgrim in the world, Z. Philipp Ambrose trans.; ), BWV Anh.190, and pasticcio, "Ich lebe, mein Herze, zu deinem Erg?tzen" (I live now, my spirit, to purest pleasure, Ambrose trans.; , . ?Bach's music survives in five serenades parodied as sacred cantatas in in , Bach's first known efforts at text substitution: BWV 66 for , for , BWV 173 for Pentecost Monday, BWV 184 for Pentecost Tuesday, and BWV 194 for Trinity Sunday.? In addition, Bach materials from C?then BWV 66a, 134a, 173a, 184a, and 194a (the first three extant) — enabled him to create five sacred cantatas — as well as possible sources for as many as seven sacred cantatas (BWV 32, 59, 69a, 75, 97, 119, and 193) through the process of parody or new-text underlay. This music of sheer joy had brought happiness to Bach in a transition from faithful and prospering court servant to fulfill his calling of a "well-regulated church music to the glory of God."
Bach the well-intentioned, resourceful, and calculating musical architect and recycler had a master plan. The first group of cantatas from Weimar, composed for the church year primarily from texts of court poet Salomo Franck, had all the ingredients of Bach's sacred musical sermons: choruses, arias, recitatives, ariosi, closing plain chorales, and chorale tropes with poetry. In most cases Bach would reperform them virtually unchanged. Church year pieces initially composed for the Weimar closed periods of Advent and Lent would be adapted with additional free-verse recitatives and closing chorales using texts appropriate for the new occasions (BWV 70a, 186a, 147a, 80a). The C?then works, all composed for profane occasions or non-liturgical Calvinist church services, contained da-capo arias and recitatives as well as ensembles that with new texts could be tailored to sacred services of the church year in Leipzig as well as special occasions. In particular, Bach could adapt celebratory music with appropriate affect for the festivals of Easter, Pentecost, and Trinity Sunday when he would be hard-pressed in late spring to compose a string of festive works while fulfilling his principal job as cantor and teacher at the Thomas School when completing the term on Pentecost Sunday and starting a new year. Bach also could add new commentary recitatives and select chorales settings emphasizing the specific sacred occasion. From the group of C?then sacred works, Bach selectively salvaged choruses and arias for new, occasional sacred compositions, such as the annual Town Council installation with Cantatas 119, 69a, and 193.
Postscript:? The Passion Holy Week and the three-day Easter Festival were the most important compositional period for Bach.? As a bridge from the Epiphany and pre-Lenten cantatas to the Christological culmination of the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth, the Passion oratorios and festive oratorio and cantatas provided Bach with a springboard to a "well-ordered church music," culminating in the revival and alteration of his St. John Passion, BWV 245.2 with chorales and the cantatas for Spring 1725 of Leipzig poetess Christiane Mariane von Ziegler ( in Eric Chafe's J. S. Bach's Johannine Theology.⁸
ENDNOTES ? ? ? ? ? ??
¹ Richard Rohr, Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (New Kensington PA: Whitaker House,2016: 117), .
² Alfred Dürr, The Cantatas of J. S. Bach, ed. and trans. Richard D. P. Jones (Oxford University Press, 2005, 263), . ?
³ Martin Petzoldt: “Liturgy and Music in Leipzig’s Main Churches” in Die Welt der Bach Kantaten, ed. Christoph Wolff, vol. 3: Johann Sebastian Bachs Leipziger Kirchenkantaten (Metzler/B?renreiter, Stuttgart/Weimar, Kassel, 1999) pp. 68-93, Translated by Thomas Braatz ? 2013, Bach Cantata Website, . See also, "Theology," BCW Articles, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/Theology[Hoffman].htm.
⁴ Johannes Bugenhagen, Historia Domini nostri J Chr. Passi et glorificati, ex Evangelist fideliiter contracta, et annotationibus aucta (Wittenberg 1526), Historia des lydendes unde upstandige unses Heren Jesu Christi uth den veer Euangelisten = Niederdeutsche Passionsharmonie von Johannes Bugenhagen, ed. Norbert Buske, facsimile print after d. Barther Edition of 1586. Berlin and Altenburg 1985.
⁵ Historia der Auferstehung, , , .? ? ? ?
⁶ Christoph Wolff, Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician, Updated ed. (New York: W. W.Norton & Company, 2013: xxiiif).
⁷ Robin A. Leaver, Part 6, Chronology, Chapter 20, "Life and Works 1685-1750," The Routledge Research Companion to Johann Sebastian Bach (London, New York: Routledge, 2017: 500).? ? ? ?
8?Eric Chafe,?J. S. Bach's Johannine Theology: The?St. John Passion?and the Cantatas for Spring 1725 (Oxford GB:??Oxford University Press, 2013),?; see also?:??scroll down to "Easter Season Johannine Farewell Settings."

To Come:? Easter Season:? Jesus' Farewell Discourse to His Disciples

Bach's first cycle of music for the church year (1723-24), neared completion with the de tempore Christological double service of Palm Sunday and the Marian Feast of Annunciation (: Page 4, also ), which was the beginning of Holy Week and the annual Passion oratorio at Good Friday afternoon vespers.? It was a fruitful time for Bach as he pursued his calling of a "well-regulated church music to the glory of God," with the first cycle of church pieces for the closing season of Easter-Pentecost, some of which were delayed a year. ? He used the Leipzig tempus clausum (closed period) of Lent to complete his first full Passion, according to John, BWV 245.1, and to plan for his second (homogeneous) cycle of chorale cantatas and his second annual Passion, according to Matthew, BWV Anh. 169 with a published libretto of Picander (.
Early Music of Joy, Sorrow
Bach had extensive experience with both music of joy and sorrow from his earliest days in Arnstadt, c.1706 with joyous works for weddings — Quodlibet BWV 224 (, Cantata 196, ), and Cantata 195 (), as well as town council installations (Cantata 71, ), Cantata BWV 1138.1=Anh. 192, ), and Cantata BWV 1138.2, which may be early versions of Cantata 143, and , and Cantata 21, fugal choruses Nos. 2, 6, 9, 11 (; also Peter Wollny has an NBArev edition, BA 5940-01, of Pre Weimar Cantatas BWV 21, 106, 131, 150, .? Music of sorrow involved memorial Cantata 150 (); Cantata 106 (), Cantata 131 (de profundis, Psalm 130; ), Missa Kyrie “Christe du Lamm Gottes” in F Major, BWV 233a, dated to 6 April 1708, Good Friday Service of Confession and General Absolution; and Easter Sunday chorale Cantata 4 ().
Holy Week, Annunciation Feast
One entire week, Holy Week, a moveable observance, "is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity," says Wikipedia ().? "Holy Week begins with the commemoration of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednesday), climaxing with the commemoration of the Mystical or Last Supper on Maundy Thursday and the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. Holy Week concludes with Christ's rest in death and descent into hell on Holy Saturday.? One fixed date observance during Lent is the Marian Feast of the Annunciation¹ of Our Lord (Mariae Verkündigung) on March 25 (Gospel Luke 1:26-38 (), which also occurred in 1724 on Palm Sunday for dual services with two cantatas, "Siehe eine Jungfrau ist schwanger"² (Lo now, there a virgin is pregnant, Philip Z. Ambrose trans.), BWV?1135 (previously BWV?Anh.?199; music lost; )[2] and Weimar cantata "Himmelsk?nig, sei willkommen" (King of heaven, thou art welcome, Ps. 40:8-9, Ambrose trans.), BWV?182 restaged ().? An extensive discussion of Annunciation double bill Cantatas 182 and 1135 is found at .? The most appropriate Bach works for the Annunciation feast, says John S. Setterlund,³ are the Visitation feast chorus Cantata 147.2, "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben" (Heart and mouth and deed and living, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Annunciation feast chorale Cantata 1, "Wie sch?n leuchtet der Morgenstern" (How beauteous beams the morning star, Ambrose trans.; ).? The incipit, "Siehe, eine Jungfrau ist schwanger," also is found in Telemann's cantata, TWV?1:1326 (; Neumeister 1716–17 cantata cycle, Concerten- Jahrgang).
Palm Sunday
The closed season of Lent in Leipzig did not observe Palm Sunday although when it fell on March 25, the fixed date of the Annunciation Feast,⁴ both events were observed.? In Bach''s one-year lectionary, Palm Sunday⁵ (Sunday of the Passion) falls on 24 March (see .? The current 3-Year Revised Common Lectionary identifies two observances on the 6th Sunday in Lent, 24 March 2024, Liturgy of the Palms and Liturgy of the Passion.? The current Year B Liturgy of the Palms readings are limited () to the Introit Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 and alternate Gospel readings, Mark 11:1-11 (Preparation and Jesus entry into Jerusalem) or John 12:12-16 (Jesus entry) with no Old Testament or Epistle readings, as well as Year C, 13 April 2025 (Psalm 118 and Luke 1928; ), and Year A, 29 March 2026 (Psalm 118 and Matthew 21:1-11; .? 2023-24 Church Year Calendar:? Three-Year Series (B) Readings:? Old Testament, Zech. 9:9–12; Introit, Ps. 118:19– 29 or Ps. 31:9–16; Epistle, Phil. 2:5–11; and Gospel Passion account Mark 14:1—15:47 or Mark 15:1–47 or John 12:20–43 (Son of Man is glorified).? The full liturgy with Gospel readings for the Liturgy of the Passion (same dates 2024-2026) are Year B (); Mark Chapter 14 and 15, Bethany preparation and Passion or March Chapter 15 Good Friday; Year C (; Luke 22:14-23:56, Last Supper, Passion, Day of Preparation or Luke 23:1-19 Passion); Year A (.
Passion Sunday ?
Palm Sunday, now known as the "Passion Sunday" for its current 3-year Revised Common Lectionary with Gospel readings of Bach's Passions (source, ), has designated chorales in Bach's time in the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (NLGB) of 1682: Hymn of the Day, "Aus tiefer Not schrei' ich zu dir" (From deep affliction I cry out to you), Wolfgang Dachstein's 1525 paraphrase of penitential Psalm 130 (, ); and "Christus, der uns selig macht" () and "Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht" ().? Other appropriate hymns were Johann Walther's chanted Passion setting of Matthew's Passion gospel (, ), NLGB 179, as well as other Passiontide hymns (). By 1766, the Passion hymns were sung on Palm Sunday in one of two Leipzig main churches, either St. Nikolaus or St. Thomas, while the Stockman hymn "Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod," was sung in the other, says Günther Stiller.⁶? The Palm Sunday Readings in the one-year lectionary in Bach's time were:? Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11 (The humility of Christ) or 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 (The Last Supper); Gospel: Matthew 21:1-9 (Christ’s entry into Jerusalem). The German and English texts are found at BCW . The Introit Psalm is Psalm 92, Bonum est confiteri (It is a good thing to give thanks). The alternative Introit Psalm is Psalm 22, Deus, Deus meus "God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? ), says Paul Zeller Strodach in his one-year lectionary study,⁷ which also is the sermon text, or Isaiah 53, Suffering Servant (), at the Leipzig Good Friday vespers alternating with a Passion oratorio between the two main churches since 1722. Psalm 22, a psalm of lament, characterizes the entire Holy Week, he says. There are no polyphonic motet settings extant for Palm Sunday.
3-Year Revised Common Lectionary:? Bach Works
A range of Bach's works is available in the current 3-year Revised Common Lectionary for the Sunday of the Passion, says Setterlund (Ibid:? 46f):? Year B, 24 March 2024, readings (, Gospel Mark Chapters 14-15), St. Mark Passion, BWV 247.1 (), alternate, Trinity 19 bass solo Cantata 56, "Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen" (I will the crosier gladly carry, Ambrose trans.; ). Year C, 13 April 2025, readings (), Gospel Luke 22:14-23:56 (Last Supper, Crucifixion, Preparation) or Luke 23:1-49 (Trials, Crucifixion), Mühlhausen funeral Cantata 106, "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit" (God's own time is the very finest time, Adaptation of Acts 17:28, Ambrose trans.; ), which is a mini-Lukan Passion with its two references to the Last Words from the Cross, (3a. "Into your hands I commit my spirit," Luke 23:46 and 3b. "Today you will be with me in paradise," Luke 23:43. Year A, 29 March 2025, readings (), Gospel Matthew 26:14-27:66 (Judas' betrayal, Passion) or Matthew 27:11-54, (Trial, Passion, Earthquake), St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.1 (), alternate, Palm Sunday/Annunciation Cantata 182, "Himmelsk?nig, sei willkommen" (King of heaven, thou art welcome; ).? Various works for Palm Sunday also were available ():? Johann Walter's Passio Secundum Matth?um, NLGB 179; Telemann's "Wer ist der, so von Sodom kommt" TWV?1:158 in the Bach "Graun Pasticcio," "Wer ist der, so von Sodom kommt," BWV 1167 (), performed in 1748 and 1750; and Picander's 1728-29 cycle cantata "Machet die Tore weit (Psalm 24.7; same text as Advent 1, ).
Holy Week Daily Observances
Setterlund's Bach Through the Year (Ibid.:? 47-51) shows alternate cantatas available for all the Holy Week days, Monday through Saturday, 25-30 March 2024 (readings, ).? Bach's One-Year lectionary Holy Week readings, according to Strodach (Ibid.: 135-48) have for Monday through Friday the Introit Psalm, Gloria, Collect, Epistle (from Isaiah), Gospel (John except Luke 22:1-23:42 on Wednesday). Saturday in Holy Week lists the Epistle Col. 3:1-4, and Gospel Matt. 28:1-7).? The Gospel for the other four days is John 12:1-13, 12:24-43, 13:1-15, and chapters 18 and 19.? John's Gospel in the 3-year lectionary is appropriate for the following services:?
+Monday of Holy Week (), John 12:1-11 (Bethany, ); +Tuesday of Holy Week (), John 12:20-36 (Son of Man glorified, );
+Wednesday of Holy Week (), John 13:21-32 (Judas betrayal, );
+Maundy Thursday (), John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (Jesus washes disciples feet, );
+Good Friday (), John 18:1-19:42 (Jesus' arrest, Peter's denial, );
+Holy Saturday (), Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42 (Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus bury Jesus, ). ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Bach''s Holy Week Appropriate Music
Bach's music appropriate for the Monday through Friday of Holy Week with John's gospel cites only one work and alternate for each of the five days: +Monday in Holy Week (John 12:1-11), Motet "Jesu, meine Freude" (Jesus, my joy, : scroll down to "Discussions in the Week of June 19, 2016 (4th round), alternate Trinity 1 chorus Cantata 39, "Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot" (Break with hungry men thy bread, Is. 58:7-8, Ambrose trans.; );
+Tuesday in Holy Week (John 12:20-36), Estomihi chorus Cantata 22, "Jesus nahm zu sich die Zw?lfe" (Jesus took aside the twelve then, Lk. 18:31, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Estomihi solo Cantata 159, "Sehet! wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem" (See ye! We're going up to Jerusalem, Lk. 18:31, Ambrose trans.; );
+Wednesday in Holy Week (John 13:21-32), Jubilate chorus Cantata 12, "Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen" (Weeping, wailing, grieving, fearing, Acts 14:22, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Exaudi chorus Cantata 44, "Sie werden euch in den Bann tun I" (In banishment they will cast you, John 16:2; );
+Maundy Thursday (John 13:1-17, 31b-35), 20 Trinity chorale chorus Cantata 180, "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele" (Deck thyself, O soul beloved, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Pentecost Tuesday chorus Cantata 184, "Erwünschtes Freudenlicht" (O welcome light of joy, Ambrose trans.; );
+Good Friday (John 18:1-19:42), St. John Passion:? "Herr, unser Herrscher," BWV 245.1 (Lord, thou our master, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate, Cantata 159 (see alternate in Tuesday in Holy Week);
+Holy Saturday (Vigil of Easter, John 20:1-18):? Year B, 30 March 2024 (readings, ; Gospel [John 20: 1-18, Easter morning]), Easter Tuesday solo Cantata 145, "Ich lebe, mein Herze, zu deinem Erg?tzen" (I live now, my spirit, to thy purest pleasure, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Trinity 12 chorale chorus Cantata 137, "Lobe den Herren, den m?chtigen K?nig der Ehren" (Praise the Almighty, the powerful king of all honor, Ambrose trans.; ).? Year C, 19 April 2025 (readings, ; Gospel [John 20:1-18, Easter morning]), Easter Sunday Oratorio, BWV 249.3:? "Kommet, eilet und laufet" (Come, hasten and hurry, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate, Easter Sunday chorale Cantata 4, "Christ lag in Todesbanden" (Christ lay to death in bondage, Ambrose trans.; ).? Year A, 4 April 2026 (readings, ; Gospel [J ohn 20:1-18, Easter morning]); Easter Monday chorus Cantata 66, "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" (Rejoice, all ye spirits, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Easter Sunday Cantata 31.2, "Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret" (The heavens laugh! The earth doth ring with glory, Ambrose trans.; ).? ?
Holy Week Passion Preparation
Following Palm Sunday, Holy Week in Bach's time in Leipzig focused on the Christological Passion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, central to Christian belief, with music dating to the Middle Ages that accompanied the accounts in the canonical Gospels (source: ). Gospel readings in Holy Week in Leipzig appointed the Passion accounts as follows: Palm Sunday, St. Matthew, Chapters 26 and 27; Tuesday, St. Mark, Chapters 14 and 15; Wednesday, St. Luke, Chapters 22 and 23; and Good Friday, St. John, Chapters 18 and 19. Johann Walther's setting of Matthew (NLGB 179) was presented on Palm Sunday () and John (NLGB 227) on Good Friday (), source, Gottfried Vopelius' Das Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (NLGB) of 1682, Passion chorales, .? Lutheran tradition built on this with congregational chorales that emphasized both the theology and the biblical accounts, most notably in the multi-stanza settings Passion Gospel harmony of Siebald Heyden's 23-stanza 1530 "O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gro?" (O man, bewail thy sins so great, Ambrose trans., ), emphasizing the satisfaction atonement sacrificial model. Paul Stockmann's 34-stanza 1633 "Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod" (Jesus suffering, pain, and death), the Johannine Christus Victor concept ().?
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday ("Gründonnerstag"), which commemorates the Last Supper and the institution of Communion, was a Lenten exception half-day feast with organ and figural music in Bach's Leipzig "with a traditional, full-main service," "the Communion liturgy was embellished in an unusual way, and the sermon was based on [Paul's account of] the Words of Institution at the Last Supper, that is the Epistle for Mundy Thursday" (1 Cor. 11:23-32, ), says Stiller (Ibid.:? 62).? It must be assumed that Bach left a prefect in charge at the service in order prepare to rehearse the annual Passion performance in the afternoon, preceded by the Thomaner boys distributing the Passion libretto book throughout Leipzig. The Gospel was John 13:1-15 (Jesus' symbolically washing disciples' feet) and the Introit was Psalm 116:12-19 "What shall I return to the Lord / for all his goodness to me?" ().? The Hymn of the Day for Maundy Thursday in Bach's Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (NLGB) of 1682 was Martin Luther's "Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der von uns den Gotteszorn wandt," (Jesus Christ, our Savior, turned God's wrath from us; No. 184, Catechism Communion, ). The NLGB pulpit/communion hymns for Maundy Thursday were: "Wir wollen singen Heut von grossen Dingen" (NLGB 189) Johann Heermann's "Als Jesus Christus in der Nacht" (NKGB 188) and "Ich danke dem Herrn von ganzem Herzen" (NLGB 186), Psalm 111 setting, none of which Bach set.? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Good Friday
Good Friday () in Leipzig became the venue for annual performances of Passion musical settings of Bach while in Hamburg, Georg Philipp Telemann presented annual settings of the four gospels from 1722 to 1768, succeeded by Emanuel Bach (. Sebastian Bach about 1728 presented in succession four settings: John, Matthew, Luke, and Mark and repeated all of them in the 1740s. The NLGB has Good Friday settings of Walther's St. John Passion (NLGB 84) and Jacob Handl's Ecce quomodo moritur justus motet (, ), as well as "Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund" (Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross, ) and other hymns related to the Passion of Christ . Various composers Passion settings are listed at .? German composers with cantatas for Lent involved music consistently presented at the Gotha Court (Christian Friedrich Witt, Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel, Wolfgang Carl Briegel, and Georg Benda), as well as Georg Philipp Telemann in Frankfurt and Hamburg and Christoph Graupner in Darmstadt.?
Leipzig Good Friday Vespers
For the annual Leipzig Good Friday Vespers, Bach had considerable materials available to present three original gospel Passion oratorios, BWVV 244, 245, 247 (Matthew, John, Mark), and two Pasticcio assemblages, "Kaiser"/Handel, Pasticcio, BWV 1166.3 and Graun Pasticcio, BWV 1167, as well as works of other composers, "Kaiser" St. Mark Passion, 1726; Telemann Seliges Erw?gen, TWV 5:2, 1728, 1735; St?lzel, "Ein L?mmlein geht und tr?gt die Schuld," 1734; and an anonymous "St. Luke Passion," BWV 246, 1732 and 1743 or 1745. Earlier, Bach in Weimar performed the first version of the "Kaiser" Markus-Passion, BWV 1166.1 (1710-11, ) and the Weimar-Gotha Passion (1717, ).? There are various versions of all three Bach Passions of John, Matthew and Mark.? The four versions of Bach’s St. John Passion, BWV 245 (SJP), represent variants of the biblical and theological perspectives as found in Bach’s selection of biblical narrative texts, use of chorales, and lyrical chorus and aria commentaries: 1724, John Chapters 18 and 19, the usual version with the addition from Matthew gospel Passion account of Peter weeping at his betrayal of Jesus (Matthew 26:75 after John 18:27) and the rending of the veil of the temple (Matthew 27:51-52 after John 19:30); 1725 version with the substitution of chorale choruses and arias that emphasized more the theological theme of Satisfaction as Atonement; 1728 or 1732, return to 1724 version but removal of non-Johannine references to Peter weeping and temple veil rending, for a John-only Christus Victor emphasis; 1739/1749, return to 1724 version with changes to the poetic texts and richer chorale harmonization.? The St. Matthew Passion has at least two and possibly three versions:? 1727 (possibly for single chorus), 1729 (double chorus), 1735 (definitive version), and 1742 (last performing version, Jesus recit. revisions with sustained notes, not string accompaniment, ).? The St. Mark Passion has the original version of 1731 and an expanded version with two additional arias (1740, 1744).
Bach's 3 Oratorio Passions
The core major works in Bach's Christological cycle of vocal music are the oratorio Passion settings of Matthew and Mark, BWV 244 and 247, emphasizing the satisfaction atonement sacrifice, and the John Passion, BWV 245, emphasizing the Christus Victor concept. In 1734, Bach presented Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel's poetic Passion Oratorio "Ein L?mmlein geht und tr?t die Schuld," on Good Friday, 23 April 1734. This broke the oratorio Passion mold for Bach. While still presenting annual oratorio gospel Passion settings, beginning in 1735 and continuing in the 1740s, Bach ventured into two parody and two pasticcio settings appropriate for the Leipzig Good Friday vespers with four works: 1. Motet parody "Der Gerechte k?mmt um" (The righteous perishes), BWV deest, BC C-8; 2. About 1746-47, motet parody, "Tilge, H?chester, meine Sünden" (Blot out, Highest, My Sins), a transcription of Giovanni Pergolesi's Stabat Mater of 1735 (; 3. About 1747 he created a pasticcio version of the "Keiser" St. Mark oratorio Passion, adding seven arias from Handel's "Brockes oratorio Passion (details, see Wikipedia , ); and 4. sometime in the 1740s, Bach may have assembled a pasticcio setting of C. H. Graun's 1730 poetic Passion cantata, "Ein l?mmlein geht und tr?gt die Schuld," with music of Bach, Telemann, Johann Christoph Altnikol, and the motet "Der Gerechte k?mmt um" (, ).?
Bach Leipzig Passion Performances
The new BWV3 works catalogue has a list of the Leipzig Passion performances (: drag bottom bar 1/94 right or click on > right to 20-21/94).^? Bach also was familiar with various settings of the Brockes Passion (), notably Telemann, TWV 5:1 and Handel, HWV 48, although neither can be assigned a Bach performance year during his tenure in Leipzig, while the Brockes text is used in the St. John Passion, BWV 245.1: eight movements, Nos. 7, 19, 20, 24, 32, 34, 35 (partial), and 39 (: borrowings).? The Leipzig Good Friday vespers, while the platform for Bach's Passion creations, was steeped in Lutheran tradition. On Good Friday afternoon in Leipzig the bells at the Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) began to ring at 1:15 p.m. The congregation of as many as 3,000 assembled and the Vespers service with its simple liturgical form began at 1:45 p.m. The service order was probably: Ancient Passion hymn, "Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund" (There Jesus on the cross hung); Part 1 of the Passion; Hymn "O Lamm Gottes unschuldig" (O Lamb of God, guiltless), the text being the metrical version of Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) written by Nikolaus Decius (1531); Pulpit hymn "Herr Jesus Christ, dich zu uns wend" (Lord Jesus Christ, Thee to us turn around); Sermon; Part 2 of the Passion; Motet such as Jacob Gallus' Ecce quomodo moritur justus ("Behold how dies the righteous"); Verse and Passion Collect intoned; Rinhart's hymn "Nun danket alle Gott" (Now thank we all Our God"); Blessing (Benediction). [The hymn O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid ("O darkest woe, o heart's pain") followed the motet.? The best available recording of the 1724 Good Friday Vespers with the St. John Passion is John Butt's Dunedein Consort:? contents, , ; recording, (); liner notes, .

Leipzig Passion Performances (full accounting, see )
1723 ? ? none
1724 ? ? NK St. John Passion, BWV 245.1 (1st version)
1725 ? ??TK St. John Passion, BWV 245.2 (2nd version)
1726. ? ?NK "Kaiser," St. Mark Passion, BWV 1166.2 (2nd version)
1727 ? ? TK St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.1 (1st version)
1728. ?? NK Telemann Seliges Erw?gen, TVW 5:2
1729 ? ? TK St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.1(a) (?2nd version)
1730. ?? NK St. John Passion, BWV 245.3 (3rd version, handed down incompletely)
1731. ? ?TK St. Mark Passion, BWV 247.1
1732 ? ? NK Anon. St. Luke Passion, BWV 246? ?
1733 ? ? TK none (National Mourning)
1734 ? ? TK St?lzel, Ein L?mmlein geht und tr?gt die Schuld
1735 ? ? NK Telemann Seliges Erw?gen, TVW 5:2
1736.? ? TK St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.2 (?3rd version)
1737 ? ? NK St. John Passion, BWV 245 (or 1739)
1738.? ? TK ?
1739 ? ? NK ?St. John Passion, BWV 245.4 (unfinished revision, see 1737)
1740 ? ? TK St. Mark Passion, BWV 247.2 (2nd version)
1741 ? ? NK ?
1742. ? ?TK St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.2 ? ? ?
1743. ? ?NK Anon. St. Luke Passion, BWV 246
1744? ? ?TK St. Mark Passion, BWV 247.2
1745 ? ??NK (see 1743)
1746 ? ? TK St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244.2
1747 ? ? NK "Kaiser"/Handel Pasticcio, BWV 1166.3
1748 ? ? TK Graun Pasticcio:? "Wer ist der," BWV 1167
1749 ? ??NK St. John Passion, BWV 245.5 (4th version)
1750. ? ?TK Graun Pasticcio:? "Wer ist der," BWV 1167
Abbreviations:? TK=Thomas Church, NK=Nikolai Church

Extended Passion Chorales
Bach also made extensive use of extended Passion chorale settings found in various hymn books.? Besides Siebald Heyden's "O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gro?" (23 stanzas) and Paul Stockmann's "Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod" (34 stanzas), there were the Paul Gerhardt () 10-stanza "Ein L?mmlein geht und tr?gt die Schuld" (A Lambkin goes and bears the guilt, ), which had a profound influence on Bach's colleagues, and the 16-stanza “O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben” (O World, see here thy life; text, , which is the only chorale appearing in all three Bach original Passions (BWV 244/10, 37; BWV 245/11, and BWV 247/7).?
An early Reformation Passion chorale setting is Johann B?schenstein's "Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund"⁸ (There Jesus on the cross hung), to the associated melody, Adam Reusner's "In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr."? Another early Reformation Passion chorale is Bohemian Brethren Michael Wei?e's eight-stanza "Christus, der uns selig macht," based on the 14th c. Latin hymn Patris Sapientia (Christus wahrer Gottes Sohn) for the Canonical Hours of Good Friday (German text and Matthew Garver English translations, ).? In 1630, Johann Heermann (), did a 15-stanza chorale, "Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen" (O dearest Jesus, how hast thou offended, Ambrose trans.), based on Luke 23:20-24 as a miniature trial drama (), found in the John, Matthew (), and Luke Passions.
Post-Script:? For details of the Good Friday Vespers liturgy and music, particularly the hymns and the chorales used in Bach's three Passions and lesser-known Passion hymns, see .? The original version of the St. Matthew Passion in Picander's text, Passionsoratorium, BWV Anh. 169,⁹ Sammlung erbaulicher Gedancken ueber und auf die gewoehnlichen Sonn- und Festtage (Collection of uplifting thoughts about and on the usual Sundays and holidays, Google Trans.), which provided six movements for BWV 244.1.? The reconstruction and completion of BWV Anh. 169 by Alexander Grychtolik is part of his extensive realizations, .
For Bach Mailing List Discussions of Bach's Passions, see:
+BWV 245, Details, :? 245.2 discussion, ; "Literary Origins of Bach’s St. John Passion": 1704-1717 [by William L. Hoffman], ; "Bach’s Passion Pursuit" [by William L. Hoffman], .
+BWV 244, Details, :? articles: "Matth?us-Passion BWV 244 - Early History (A Selective, Annotated Bibliography) [by William Hoffman]," ; "The Genesis of Bach's `Great Passion': 1724-29 [by William Hoffman] [PDF], ; and "Spiritual Sources of Bach's St. Matthew Passion [by William Hoffman]," .
+BWV 247, Details, : discussion,? ; article, Narrative Parody In Bach's St. Mark Passion (by William L. Hoffman) [PDF], .

ENDNOTES
¹ Annunciation Feast:? description, ; 3-year Revised Common Lectionary (Year B) readings, ; music & liturgy, ; Neu Leipiger Gesangbuch? Annunciation chorales,? : Nos. 112-121; possible works Bach performed, ; Bach performance calendar, . ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
² "Siehe eine Jungfrau ist schwanger," BWV 1135:? details, ; description, ; text (Ambrose, ); Bach Digital description, .
³ John S. Setterlund, Bach Through the Year: The Church Music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Revised Common Lectionary (Minneapolis MN: Lutheran University Press, 2013: 36), . ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
⁴Annunciation Feast:? description, ; 3-year Revised Common Lectionary (Year B) readings, ; music & liturgy, ; Neu Leipiger Gesangbuch? Annunciation chorales,? : Nos. 112-121; possible works Bach performed, ; Bach performance calendar, . ().? Bach could have performed nine works on Annunciation in Leipzig: BWV 182, 1135=Anh. 199, 1; Johann Ludwig Bach "Ich habe meinen Konig," Picander P-27, J. F. Fasch's "Gottes und Marien Kind," G. H. St?zel 1736, 1737 cantatas, and Telemann Cantata BWV Anh 156, "Herr Christ der einge Gottessohn," TVWV 1:732 (). ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
⁵ Palm Sunday:? description, ; music and liturgy, ; Bach performance calendar, .? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
⁶ Günther Stiller, Johann Sebastian Bach and Liturgical Life in Leipzig, ed. Robin A. Leaver, trans. Herbert J. A. Bouman etc (St. Louis MO: Concordia Publishing, 1985: 158). ⁷ Paul Zeller Strodach, The Church Year: Studies in the Introits, Collects, Epistles, and Gospels (Philadelphia PA: United Lutheran Publication House, 1924:? 132ff).
?⁸ "Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund," BWV 1089: music, ; a nine-stanza setting (German text, ; English text, :? scroll down to Page 133); melody & text, ; Bach Digital, ; recordings, , ; Johann Hermann Schein settings, , ; ; . ??
⁹ Passionsoratorium, BWV Anh. 169:? details, ; commentary, ; text, ; Bach Digital, . ? ?
__________

To Come:? Easter-Pentecost Season 1724, end of first Church Year cycle.?

*Am Sontag Judica (3 April 1729), BWV 209a (: scroll down to "4th, 5th Sundays in Lent, Judica Cantata BWV 209a"), text Picander, Google trans., original .

?

1. Aria?

B?se Welt, ich schm?h immerhin,? ? ? Bad world, I insult after all,

Ich will dulden, ich will ich weigen, ? ? I want to tolerate, I want to refuse,

?? ? Mein Gewissen wird mir zeigen, ? ? ? ? ??My conscience will show me

?? ? Da? ich nicht zu la?tern bin.? Da Capo ? ? ?That I'm not too bad.

?

2. Recit.

Welt, ?age, was du wilt, von mir,? ? ? World, say what you want from me,

Es steht dir fren, ? ? ? ? ? ??You are free to

Und mir gilts einersen, ? ? ? ? ? ??And I feel one way,

Die Wahrheit ist doch nicht ben dir: ? ? ?The truth is not with you:

Die Lu?gen ist dein Element,? ? ? Lying is your element,

Und wer ben dir die Wahrheit nennt,? ? ? And whoever tells you the truth

Der hei?t ein Samariter, ? ? His name is a Samaritan,?
Ward Jesus doch von dir auch so gescha?ndt, ? Even though Jesus was so violated by you,?

Wie soll denn ich, sein Jünger besser seyn?? ? ? How can I, his disciple, be better?

Es geht zwar bitter Jedoch gedultig ein, ? ? ? ? Although it is bitter but patient,

?

3. Aria

Errette mich von meinen Feinden, ? ? ? Deliver me from my enemies,

?? ? Die mir geha??ig ?eyn,? ? ? ? ? ? Those who are hateful to me

Ich will die Wahrheit nicht verspahren, ? ? ? I don't want to block the truth, ? ? ?

Dein Ehre wilt ich offenbahren, ? ? ? I want to reveal your honor,

?? ? Gott, sich mir bey, die Sach Ist dein. Dc God, be with me, the matter is yours.?

?

4. Recit.?

Recht mu? doch recht verbleiben, ? ? ? Right must remain right,

Dem h?ngen alle Frommen an; ? ? ? All pious people adhere to this;

Ist es der Welt nicht recht gethan, ? ? ? Isn't it right for the world?

So mag sie mich von ?ich vertreiben, ? ? ? So let her drive me away from her,

Ihr Grimm und ihre Hand voll Stein. ? ? ? Her anger and her hand full of stone.

Jaget mich fr?lich zum Himmel hinein. ? ? ? Chase me happily into heaven.

?

5. Choral

Mir hat die Welt trüglich gericht't ? ? ? The world has judged me deceitfully,
Mit Lügen und mit falschem G'dicht ? ? ? with lies and false words,

Viel' Netz' und heimlich' Stricke; ? ? ? with many snares and secret ropes.
Herr, nimm mein wahr in dieser G'fahr, ? ? ? Lord, pluck me from these dangers,
B'hüt' mich vor falscher Tücke! ? ? ? protect me from lying malice!

Stanza 5, "In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr"? (In you I have placed my hope, Lord),

, English trans. Francis Browne;? BWV 244/32, 247/34 .

?

?

*Cantata 203

Gustav Adolf Theil assembled a four-movement Picander-parodied sacred cantata using the music of profane bass solo Cantata 203, "Amore traditore" (Treacherous love) arias (Movements Nos. 1 and 3) as well as the recitative (No. 2), “Nun, falsche Welt! (Now, false world!) from Cantata BWV 95, Christus, der ist mein Leben (Christ is my life), for the 16th Sunday after Trinity 1723, and the closing chorale, “Jesu, der du meine Seele” (Jesus, by whom my soul), BWV 354, for a parody arrangement of the 1728 Picander Lenten cantata text, “Valet will ich dir geben” (I want to bid you farewell) in a score with forward, published by Forberg Verlag in Bonn, 1984 (Source, Schmieder BWV [203] catalog 1990: 328).

?

1.? Aria 203/1

Amore traditore, Treacherous love
Tu non m'inganni più. you will not deceive me any more.
Non voglio più catene, I no longer want chains,
Non voglio affanni, pene, I no longer want anxieties, pains,
Cordoglio e servitù. dc heartache and slavery.

?

3.? Aria 203/3

Chi in amore ha nemica la sorte, If someone has destiny for his enemy in love
? follia, se non lascia d'amar, it is madness, not to cease from loving.
Sprezzi l'alma le crude ritorte, His soul should despise the cruel bonds
Se non trova mercede al penar. dc if he does not find a reward for his suffering.

*6th Sunday after Epiphany 13 February 1729 replaces Septuagesimae Sunday (Ich bin vergnügt mit meinem Stande)

?

1.? Chorale with Recit.?

?? ? Valet will ich dir geben I want to bid you farewell,
?? ? Du arge falsche Welt, You evil, false world,
Was hat ein Schrift vor Luft ben dir, ? ? ? ? What's the point of writing to you?? ? ?
Verfolgung, Angst und Noth, ? ? ? persecution, fear and distress,
Und endlich noch der Tod,? ? ? ? And finally death,
Was wollt ich l?nger hier. ? ? ? What longer did I want here?

?? ? Dein sündlich b?ses Leben Your sinful, wicked life ?

?? ? Durchaus mit nicht gef?llt. It is not all pleasing to me.

Du bist nicht weit? ? ? ? ? You're not far

Von deinem Untergange,? ? ? ? ? Of your downfall,
Die Wollust ist dein Ruhm,? ? ? ? ? Lust is your glory,

Die Laster sind dein Eigenthum,? ? ? ? ? The vices are yours,

Die Welt vergeht in ihrer Luft,? ? ? ? ? The world passes away in its air,?

In aller ihrer Herrlichkeit, ? ? In all her glory, ? ? ? ? ?

Bedencke, was du thust? Consider what you are doing

Mir ist in deinen Hütten bange. I am afraid in your huts.

?? ? Im Himmel ist gut wohnen, ? ? ? ? ? ? ? In heaven it is good to dwell,

?? ? Hinauf zieht mein Begier;? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? My longing is set on what is above.

Ach w?r nur schon im Himmel war, Oh, if only it were already in heaven,

Da geht es besser her, Things are better there,

?? ? Da wird Gott herrlich lohnen ? ? There God will reward forever

?? ? Dem, der ihm dient allhier. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? The person who serve him here.

?

(Chorale, Valerius Herberger, BWV 95/3 soprano, Oboe d'amore I/II all' unisono? .? Recitative, Picander ), Francis Browne English trans.

?

?

No. 2. Recit. (S)?

Nun, falsche Welt! Now, false world!
Nun habe ich weiter nichts mit dir zu tun; now I have nothing more to do with you;
Mein Haus ist schon bestellt, my house has already been arranged,
Ich kann weit sanfter ruhn, I can rest far more calmly
Als da ich sonst bei dir, than I once did with you
An deines Babels Flüssen by your waters of Babylon . . .

No. 3.? Aria
Im Himmel ist gut wohnen, It's good to live in heaven,

Da da ist gut zu ?eyn. It's good to be there

Da will ich mir Hütten bauen, I want to build myself huts there

Und in dem verkl?rten Licht And in the transfigured light

Meinem Gott von Ungelicht My God of unbalanced

?? ? In der Fu?lle shauen.? ? ? See in the abundance.

?? ? Heute zieh ich noch hinein. Da Capo? ? ? I'm moving in today.

?

No. 4. Chorale?

Jesu der du meine Seele Jesus, it is by you that my soul

Hast durch deinen bittern Tod through your bitter death
Aus des Teufels finstern H?hle from the devil’s dark hell
Und der schweren Seelennot and the heavy pain of sin
Kr?ftiglich herausgerissen has been mightily snatched away,
Und mich solches lassen wissen and you have made this known to me
Durch dein angenehmes Wort, through your delightful word:
Sei doch itzt, o Gott, mein Hort! be now, oh God, my stronghold.

(Chorale, Johann Rist, BWV 354, )

?

No. 4 Chorale (alt)

Dar wird sein das Freudenleben, There will be the joyful life
Da viel tausen Seelen schon where many thousand souls already
Sind mit Himmelsglanz umgeben, surrounded with heavenly splendour
Dienen Gott vor seinem Thron, serve God before his throne,
Da die Seraphinen prangen where the Seraphim are resplendent
Und das hohe Lied anfangen: and begin the lofty song:
Heilig, heilig, heilig hei?t Holy holy holy call
Gott der Vater, Sohn und Geist. God the Father, son, and spirit.
(Chorale, Johann Georg Albinus, BWV 262, "Alle Menschen mü?en sterben" (Everybody must die, score , music ), Stanza 4, "Dar wird sein das Freudenleben" (There will be the joyful life), full chorale text .

?

?

*Am Sontag Laetare (27 March 1729)

?

1.? Aria

Wer nur den lieben Gott la??t walten, Whoever lets the good God rule,

Und la??t die Sorgen Sorgen seyn, And let worries be worries,

Der ich la?ffet reich bey seiner Vermuth ein, I am rich in his suspicions,

Gott wei? es schon was uns gebricht. God already knows what breaks us.

?? ? Und brauchet unsrer Vorschrifft nicht,? ? ? And doesn't need our instructions,? ? ?

?? ? Er hat schon lange Hau? gehalten. dc ? ? He's been keeping house for a long time.

?

2. Recit.

Mein Hertz befiehl Gott deine Sachen,? ? ? My heart command God your things,

Und hoff auf ihn,? ? ? And hope for him

Er wirds wohl machen,? ? ? He'll probably do it

Und dich aus allen Sorgen siehn. ? ? And see you out of all your worries.

Es geht die ganze Welt bey zu Tische ? ? The whole world comes to the table

Er speist die V?gel in der Lusst. ? ? He feeds the birds in pleasure

Er sa?ttiget im Meer die Fische,? ? ? He feeds the fish in the sea,

Die Thiere, so die Erde hat,? ? ? The animals that the earth has

Macht seine Hand des Tages drey mahl satt, ? ? Satisfies his hand three times a day

Wie solt er nicht der Menschen Hunger stillen,? How can he not satisfy people's hunger?

Das alles schafft er ja! um unsert will. ? ? ? He can do all of that! for our sake

?

?

3.? Aria

Gott, mein Heil,? ? ? God, my salvation,

Gieb mir mein bescheiden Theil, ? ? Give me my humble portion,

Uberfluss will ich nicht haben, ? ? I don't want to have excess,

?? ? Mache mich nur heute satt, ? ? ? ? ? Just make me today instead,

?? ? Was der Morgen N?tig hat, dc ? ? ? ? ? What the morning needs

Ist in deiner Hand vergraben.? ? ? Is buried in your hand.

Wird meinem Magen nicht ? ? It won't suit my stomach

Voll auf und reichlich zugereicht, ? ? Fully open and abundantly submitted,

So ist mein Hertz mit Gott recht angefüllt,? ? ? So my heart is filled with God,

Der ist die rechte Kost, die meine Seele stillt;? ? This is the right food that calms my soul;

Drauf die nur nicht die Hungers=Roth empfinden,? Only those who don't feel the hunger

Ich will vor meinen ?eib schon Rahrung sinden. I want to find support for my body.

?

4

?

5. Choral

Dein Seel bebendt, bewahr dein Leib, ?

La? Gott den Vater sorgen.

?The Johannine emphasis during Lent is on Jesus' life on earth as the mid-point in the Great Parabola of descent (anabasis) through incarnation in his kenosis (emptying, Phil. 2:5-11, ) and the ascent or "lifting up" (catabasis) in glory referred to in today's lectionary Gospel B (John 3:14). His "lifting up" is "the root of the connection between [the St. John Passion] "Herr unser Heerscher" and "Es ist vollbracht"; it is bound up with Jesus's descent/ascent character, his coming, from above and oneness with the Father, to whom he ultimately returns," says Eric Chafe.^1? The 4th Sunday in Lent, Laetere, emphasizes "Rejoice," from Introit Psalm 122:1, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord" (kjv) in Bach's time as well as the gospel of John, still used in today lectionary but with different Gospel readings. The fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare (), signifies "Laetere Jerusalem" ("Rejoice, O Jerusalem"), which is from Isaiah 66:10: "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her" (NRSV).
Last 3 Sundays in Lent, John's Gospel
While the Lenten season in six Sundays moves from Jesus tempted in the desert to his ministry in the world and eventually to his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Passiontide culminates in his sacrificial atonement in his Passion on the cross on Good Friday.? The 4th and 5th Sundays in Lent before the final Palm Sunday and Holy Week of the Passion focus on John's Gospel in Bach's single lectionary, as well as in today's three-year lectionary, although the readings are different. In Bach's day the Gospel of John readings involved Jesus affirming his identity through the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 with bread and fish (John 6:1-15, ) on Laetare Sunday, and in his confrontation with the Pharisees saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:58f, ) on Judica Sunday. This was a "pattern that centers on Jesus's divine identity and his manifesting his glory in the form of 'signs' (miracles) of highly symbolic character," says Chafe (Ibid.:? 102), "associated with the discourse in which Jesus identifies himself as the 'bread of life'" (John 6:25-59, ). These were two of the Jesus "I am" proclamations, that culminated in his final acknowledgement during his Passion where his identity was the central issue, when asked if he was Jesus of Nazareth.? The current three-year Revised Common Lectionary offers readings from John's Gospel for the following services in Lent:? +3^rd Sunday in Lent, John 2:13-22 (); +4^th Sunday in Lent, John 12:20-33 (); Palm Sunday, Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16 (); +Monday in Holy Week, John 12:1-11 (); Tuesday in Holy Week, John 12:20-36 (); +Wednesday in Holy Week, John 13:21-32 (); +Maundy Thursday, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (); Good Friday, John 18:1-19:42 ();?+Holy Saturday, Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42 ().
The three-year Revised Common Lectionary for Laetare 4th Sunday in Advent, says John S. Setterlund,² suggests the most appropriate cantata the Laetare Gospel (John 6:1-15) is anytime chorus Cantata 21.1, Part 1, "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis" (I harbored so much distressing woe, Ps. 94:19; Ambrose trans.; ).? In today's 3-year lectionary Year B, Laeteri, 10 March 2024, readings (), the Gospel reading Jn. 3:14-21 uses the? Pentecost Monday chorus Cantata 68, "Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt" (In truth hath God the world so loved, Jn. 3:16, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Pentecost Monday solo Cantata 174, "Ich liebe den H?chsten von ganzem Gemüte" (I love the Almighty with all of my spirit, Ambrose trans.; ).? For Year C, Laeteri, 30 March 2025; readings, ), the Gospel, Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 (), Prodigal Son), Trinity 19 chorale Cantata 5, "Wo soll ich fliehen hin?" (Where shall I refuge find, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Trinity 22 tenor solo Cantata 55, "Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht" (I, wretched man, I, slave to sin, Ambrose trans.; ).? For Year A, Laeteri, 15 March 2026; readings, ), the Gospel, John 9:1-41 (), Jesus healing blind man); Trinity 21 chorale chorus Cantata 38, "Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir" (In deep distress I cry to thee, Penitential confession Psalm 130, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Estomihi chorus Cantata 23, “Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn” (Thou, very God and David's Son, Ambrose trans. , Jesus as Messiah).?
Laeteri, Judica Lenten Sundays, Prescribed Chorales
The single-year readings in Bach's time for Laetare Sunday were Introit Psalm 122, a trust psalm In Praise of Jerusalem, full kjv text .? Midway in the six-week Lenten period, Laeteri () signifies a change from sorrow to three-fold joy as a moveable feast through the day's Collect "comfort of God's grace," the Epistle (Galatians 4:21–31, Two Covenants) of the true freedom of the "children born after the spirit," and the Gospel refreshment in the "giving of the bounteous Christ," says Paul Zeller Strodach.³? Laeteri Sunday also is known as "Refreshment Sunday" for the Gospel, John 6:1-15, the Miracle of the Feeding of the 5000 with bread and fish ().⁴ ? Because of the Laeteri and Judica Sundays emphasis on affirmation, Bach's Neu Leipziger Gesangbbuch prescribed the following chorales: Hymn of the Day, "Herr Jesu Christ, wahr Mensch und Gott" (Lord Jesus Christ, true man and God, NLGB 338, Death & Dying); and the Communion/Pulpit Hymns, "O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht" (O Jesus Christ, my life's light, NLGB 374, Death & Dying), "In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr" (In you I have placed my hope, Lord, NLGB 254, Psalm 31), "Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht" (Christ, you are the day and light, NLGB 205 Catechism evening song) and its Latin version, "," as well as Hymns related to the (e.g. the NLGB.? These also were the same designated chorales for the 5th Sunday in Lent, Judica, in the NLGB.? Cantatas for the 4th Sunday in Lent (Lateri) in Bach's time are found at .? Other cantatas are Georg Philipp Telemann:? "Du bist verflucht, o Schreckensstimme," TWV?1:385 (Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, Hamburg 1726); Christoph Graupner:? ; and Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel:? "Danke für alles dem der dich geschaffen" (1738).? German composers with cantatas for Laeteri that were consistently presented at the Gotha Court and in Hamburg included Christoph Graupner in Darmstadt with "Alle Fülle aller Segen," GWV 1123/22 (1722); "Befiehl dem Herrn deine Wege," GWV 1123/36 (1736), and "Aus Gottes reichen Allmachtsh?nden" (1744); Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel in Gotha, "Jesus von Nazareth war ein Prophet, m?chtig von Taten und Worten" (String Cycle, ?Leipzig 11 March 1736), "Ich bin arm und elend" (c1750), and "Danke für alles dem der dich geschaffen (c1760); Johann Philipp K?fer in Baden, "Siehe des Herren Auge" (d.1728); Wolfgang Carl Briegel, "Evangelische Gespr?che" (Gotha 1660), and Georg Benda "Du ?ffnest deine Hand, L.541" (Gotha c1780).
Bach Lenten Cantatas, Motets
There are only a handful of Bach cantatas extant for the Lenten season:? for Oculi (3rd Sunday) in Weimar are alto solo Cantata 54, "Widerstehe doch der Sünde" (Stand steadfast against transgression, Ambrose trans.; ), and SATB solo Cantata 80.1(a), "Alles, was von Gott geboren" (All those of whom God is father, Ambrose trans.; .? About the same time, Bach produced the first of three versions of Francesco Bartolomeo Conti's Latin soprano motet, "Languet anima mea amore tu" (My soul languishes for love of you), performed by J.S. Bach in Weimar 1716, in K?then 1718-1722, and in Leipzig 1724 (). Near the end of his life c.1746-47, Bach created an arrangement BWV 1083⁵ of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, a Latin motet for soprano, alto, violin, and strings, set as a German contrafaction to Penitential Psalm 51, Miserere mei, Deus (Have mercy on me, O God, verses 3-20), "Tilge, H?chester, meine Sünden" (Blot out, Highest, My Transgressions, Ambrose trans.), translator unknown, possibly Picander.? These cantatas and motets could have been performed during Lent in Leipzig at the progressive Paulinerkirche University Church or the New Church.
Gustav Adolf Theill 3 Bach Lenten Time Cantatas
Other recent research, especially by the Bach scholar, composer and arranger Gustav Adolf Theill (1924-97), "attracted particular attention with the reconstruction of works by Johann Sebastian Bach that were lost or only preserved as fragments. His most important work in this respect has become the reconstruction and completion of Bach's St Mark Passion" (), says Wikipedia (), followed by three Bach cantatas for Lent time.? Extant are Theill realizations of pre-Lenten Cantata “Valet will ich dir geben” (I want to bid you farewell) for the 6th Sunday after Epiphany (, which fell on 13 February 1729 on Septuagesimae Sunday, which uses musical material from bass solo profane Cantata 203,⁶ "Amore traditore" (O Love, thou art a traitor), first aria and third aria, "Chi in amore ha nemica la sorte" (To all lovers who have an enemy in fortune), soprano recitative "Nun, falsche Welt!" (Now, treach'rous world!, Ambrose trans.) from Trinity 16 chorale chorus Cantata 95, "Christus, der ist mein Leben" (Lord Christ, he is my living), and closing chorale, “Jesu, der du meine Seele” (Jesus, by whom my soul), BWV 354 or BWV 262, "Alle Menschen mü?en sterben" (Everybody must die), Theill's score, “Valet will ich dir geben,” with forward, published by Forberg Verlag in Bonn, 1984 (Source, Schmieder BWV [203] catalog 1990: 328).? Theill also borrowed Lenten Sunday texts from Picander's 1728-29 full cycle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picander_cycle_of_1728–29: copy, Google paste), for Laetare Sunday (4th in Lent, 27 March 1729), "Wer nur den lieben Gott l??t walten"⁷ (Whoever lets only the dear God reign, Francis Browne English? trans.; text, ), and for the next Lenten? Sunday (5th), Judica (3 April 1729), "B?se Welt, schm?h immerhin" (Bad world, I insult after all, Google trans.), BWV 209a,⁸ based on Cantata 209,⁹ text .? The Laeteri and Judica 4th and 5th Lenten Sundays are discussed at length, as well as the Italian Cantatas 203 and 209 as materials for Lenten Cantatas BWV 209a and "Valet will ich dir geben" (see "Cantatas for Lent Sunday," : scroll down to "4th, 5th Sundays in Lent, Judica Cantata BWV 209a").
Judica (5th Sunday in Lent)
In Bach's one-year lectionary, the 5th Sunday in Lent,.Judica, is held on March 17 with the readings¹⁰ of the Old Testament, Jer. 31:31–34; Psalm Introit 119: 9-16; Epistle, Heb. 5:1-10; and Gospel, Mark 10:(32– 34) 35–45 (Son of Man comes to serve.? The 5th Sunday in Lent, also known as "Passion Sunday" (), Judica, takes its name from the first word of the Introit Psalm 43, Judica me, Deus (Judge me, O God), a prayer to God in time of trouble (). The two readings in Bach's time in the one-year lectionary were Hebrews 9:11–15 (Heavenly Sanctuary) and John 8:46–59, Jesus last words in debate with the Pharasees, "Before Abraham was, I am."? The Gospel (John 8:46-59 is not found in today's three-year lectionary.? Today's Year B three-year lectionary Gospel for Judica, 17 March 2024, is John 12:20-33 (Son of Man glorified; servanthood, ). The Epistle is Hebrews 5:5-10 (Jesus glorified, ). The First Reading is God's fifth and final covenant, Jeremiah 31:31-34 (). The Psalm reading is penitential Psalm 51, Miserere mei, Deus (Have mercy on me, O God). Bach's most appropriate setting for this Sunday is the motet, BWV 1083,¹¹ "Tilge, H?chester, meine Sünden" (Blot out, Highest, My Sins), was composed in Leipzig 1746/47 as a transcription of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, in a paraphrase of Psalm 51 (, ). It was appropriate for Lent and Good Friday Services and was performed March 15 in Albuquerque ().?
Today's 3-year Revised Common Lectionary for the Fifth Sunday in Lent (Judica) has the following:? Year (B), 17 March 2024, readings (), Gospel John 12:20-33 (), Son of Man glorified), Cantata BWV 1083, alternate Trinity 11 chorale Cantata 114, "Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost" (Ah, fellow Christians, be consoled, Ambrose trans.; ). Year C, 6 April 2026; readings (), Gospel John 12:1-8 (), pure-hyymn Motet BWV 227, "Jesu, meine Freude"" (Jesus, my true pleasure, Ambrose trans.; : scroll down to "Discussions in the Week of June 19, 2016 (4th round"), alternate penitential Cantata 150, "Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich" (For thee, Lord, is my desire, Ps. 25:1-2, Ambrose trans.; .? Cantatas for the 5th Sunday in Lent (Judica) are found at ; specific works Bach may have known are Georg Philipp Telemann:? "Wer ist, der dort von Edom k?mmt?" TWV?1:1584 (Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, Hamburg 1726); Christoph Graupner: see List of cantatas by Christoph Graupner#GWV 1124; and Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel:? "Ihr Heiligen lobsinget dem Herren" (1738).? The 3-year lectionary also has special services such as Martin Luther, Renewer of the Church, 18 February18, Gospel John 15:1-11 (, I am the true vine), Purification solo Cantata 82, "Ich habe genug" (I have now enough, Ambrose, trans,; ), and Joseph, Guardian of Jesus, 19 March, Gospel Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a (), 1 Advent chorus Cantata 36, "Schwingt freudig euch empor" (Soar joyfully aloft, Ambrose trans.; .?
(Editor''s Note: ?Texts. for the Theill Bach Cantata adaptations follow.)
?ENDNOTES?
¹ Eric Chafe, J. S. Bach's Johannine Theology: The St. John Passion and the Cantatas for Spring 1725 (Oxford University Press, 2014: 331).
² John S. Sutterlund, Bach Through the Year: The Church Music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Revised Common Lectionary (Minneapolis MN: Lutheran University Press, 2013: 43f), .
³ Paul Zeller Strodach, The Church Year: Studies in the Introits, Collects, Epistles, and Gospels (Philadelphia PA: United Lutheran Publication House, 1924: 121).
⁴ Laetare readings: Epistle (Galatians 4:31-31), English kjv 1612 () Luther German 1545 (); and Gospel (John 6:1-15), , ); Luther Gospel sermon, .??
⁵ BWV 1083, ; text, ; Bach Digital, ; description, ; score, ; recording, ; performance, .
⁶ BWV 203, Amore traditore (O Love, thou art a traitor, Ambrose trans; ); description , text ; score ; liner notes, https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Suzuki-Rec5.htm#S7; recording, ; Bach Digital .
⁷ Laetare Cantata "Wer nur den lieben Gott l??t walten" (Whoever lets only the dear God reign), with the closing chorale, "Dein Seel lebend, bewahr dein Leib" (text, ), research suggests that this work may have been a partial parody of Bach's Italianate bass sole Cantata 203, "Amore traditore" (O Love, thou art a traitor, Ambrose trans.; ).
⁸ BWV 209a, B?se Welt, schm?h immerhin, the of , a 1983 reconstruction by , based on music of the secular cantata , publication .
⁹ Cantata 209, "Non sa che sia dolore" (He knows not what true grief is, Ambrose trans.); description, ; text, ; score, ; liner notes, ; recording, ; Bach Digital, .
¹⁰ Judica readings, Epistle (Hebrews 9:11-15), English, ; German, . Gospel (John 8:46-59), English, ; German, ); Luther's Sermon, ).
¹¹ Cantata BWV 1083, "Tilge, H?chester, meine Sünden" (Blot out, Highest, My Sins); description, ; discussion, ; text, ; score, ; music, .
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To Come:? Palm Sunday, Marian Annunciation feast (March 25), Holy Week.

The Lenten Season of five Sundays in Leipzig during Bach's tenure (1723-1750), as well as the last four? Sundays in Advent, were closed periods (tempus clausum) in the church year (), although many other German Lutheran communities observed them in a full church year of some 72 Sundays and feast days (), .Always seeking opportunities to expand his Lutheran calling of a "well-regulated church music to the glory of God," Bach as he did at Advent (), often exploited his existing materials for new compositions through the processes of transcription, transformation, or parody (new text underlay), or as he did at Advent, or repurposed the music for a? different service or activity beyond his usual 60 annual church year cantatas. ?

Lenten Season:? 40 Days, Six Sundays

This Lenten period of 40 days (Quadragesima) observes Jesus Christ in the desert wilderness experiencing fasting and the temptation of Satan in the synoptic Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke (see ), prior to beginning his three-year public ministry at the mid-point of the six Sundays in Lent.? The Lent period entails Ash Wednesday beginning prayer, fasting, and sacrifice, then the five Sundays in Lent with Latin incipit (Invokavit, Reminiscere, Oculi, Laetare, and Judika).? Passion tide is the last two weeks in Lent, know as Passiontide () from the week beginning the Fifth Sunday (Judika), also known as Passion Sunday,? followed by Palm Sunday and Holy Week (,) ending with the three-day Easter Tridium (Maundy Thursday [Last Supper], Good Friday [Crucifixion], and Holy Saturday).? Although figural music was banned from the Lenten Sunday services in Leipzig (no weddings were permitted), a rich tapestry was found in the designated Lenten Hymns and Passion chorales for all four Lenten Sundays (see ).? Most significant is Sebald Heyden''s 1530 23-stanza Passion hymn, "O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gro?" (O man, bewail thy sins so great, ), settings of the four evangelists in a harmony of the 14 Stations of the Cross ().? Each of the five Lenten Sundays has specific meaning based on its Latin incipit, as well as its designated Introit Psalm and the Hymn of the Day.? Holy Week begins with the sixth and final Sunday, Palm Sunday with designated motets and chorales for that day as well as Holy Week (). ?

Marian Annunciation Feast Cantatas

In addition, the Marian Feast of the Annunciation ("Mari? Verkündigung") on March 25 was a major observance and Bach took advantage of various opportunities to present his own music, BWV 1135=Anh. 199, "Siehe, eine Jungfrau ist schwanger" (Lo now, there a virgin is pregnant, trans. Z. Philip Ambrose; Annunciation Cantatas BWV 182 and Anh. 199: Intro., :? scroll down to "Lost Cantata BWV Anh. 199).? Bach's performance calendar for March 25 also shows the collision date when Palm Sunday also fell on the same date as the Annunciation Feast (1714, 1725, 1736, enabling Bach to present double bills () with Weimar Cantata 182, "Himmelsk?nig, sei willkommen" (King of heaven, thou art welcome, trans. Ambrose), and Cantata 1, "Wie sch?n leuchtet der Morgenstern" (How beauteous beams the morning star, trans. Ambrose).? For the Marian feast, Bach also presented the cantatas of four colleagues:? 1725, Johann Ludwig Bach, "Ich habe meinen Konig eingesetzt" (I have installed my king, Google Trans.); 1732, Johann Friedrich Fasch, "Gottes und Marien Kind" (God's and Mary's child, Google), Gottfried Heinrich St?zel, "Ich habe dich zu Lichte der Heiden gemacht" (I have made you a light to the Gentiles, Google), and no date, Telemann, BWV Anh 156, "Herr Christ der einge Gottessohn" (Lord Christ, the only Son of God, Google; TVWV 1:732 (not known if performed by J. S. Bach).

Bach Three Lent Cantatas

At least three Bach cantatas are available for Sundays in Lent:? two for Oculi (Third Sunday, , ), 03/24/1715, Weimar, BWV 54, "Widerstehe doch der Sünde" (Stand Steadfast against Transgression, trans. Ambrose; ) and/or BWV 80.1(a), "Alles, was von Gott geboren"¹ (All that which of God is fathered, Ambrose trans.; ); and BWV 209a, "B?se Welt, schm?h immerhin" (Bad world, disgrace after all, Google Trans.), based on BWV 209 arranged by Gustav Adolf Theill, published in 1983, for Judica (5th Sunday) ().?

Bach Family:? Cantatas, Laments

Two Bach family members associated with Sebastian produced proto-cantatas for Lent:? Johann Michael Bach (1648-1694, ), "Liebster Jesu, h?r mein Flehen"² (Dearest Jesus,?hear my plea, Google trans.; ABA II:6, BDW , EDM 1,2) for Reminiscere and Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703, ), two "Lamentatio":? "Ach, dass ich Wassers genug hatte" (Oh, that I had enough water, Google trans.; , ) and "Wie bist du denn, o Gott, in Zorn auf michent brannt" (How then, O God, are you burning with anger against me?, Google trans.; , ).? Sebastian produced three versions of the Francesco Bartolomeo Cont (1681-1732, ) Lamento Cantata "Languet anima mea."³

Ash Wednesday, Day of Prayer

Lent season begins with Ash Wednesday, a holy day of prayer (.? There are no motets or chorales listed for this day in Bach's Leipzig and no music that he provided.? The most appropriate work is Jubilate Cantata BWV 12, "Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen" (Weeping, wailing, grieving, fearing, trans. Ambrose), see , ; BWV 12/2 is a contrafaction of the Crucifuxus in the B-Minor Mass ().? Today''s 3-year Revised Common Lectionary lists other cantatas appropriate for Ash Wednesday, 14 Feb. 2020, with the Year B (Gospel of Mark), readings ), preferred is Trinity 3 Penitential Psalm chorale Cantata 135, "Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder" (Ah Lord, me a poor sinner, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Sexagesimae solo Cantata 181, "Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister" (Insincere and fickle spirits, Ambrose trans; ).? Year C (Gospel of Luke, 5 March 2025, readings ), is solo dialogue for the 1st Sunday after Epiphany Cantata 32, "Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen" (Dearest Jesus, my desiring, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Trinity 8 chorus Cantata 136, "Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz" (Examine me, God, and discover my heart, Ps 139:23, Ambrose trans.; ).? Year A (Gospel of Matthew, 18 February 2026, readings ), Trinity 11 solo Cantata 199.3, "Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut" (My heart doth swim in blood, Ambrise trans.; ), alternate Trinity 24 Death & Dying chorale Cantata 26, "Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig" (Ah, how fleeting, ah, how empty, Ambrose trans.; ).

?

For the five designated Lenten Sundays, Bach's Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (NLGB) of 1682 includes chorales for the Lenten services and Good Friday vespers Bach presented in Leipzig, NLGB Nos. 61-88, : 122-272).? The NKGB lists for Invocavit, "Vater unser im Himmelreich" (Lord's Prayer); for Reminiscere and Oculi, "Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ," "Wenn wir in h?chsten N?ten sein,” "Gott der Vater wohn uns bei," "Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott," and "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"; for Laeteri and Judica, "Herr Jesu Christ, wahr Mensch und Gott," "Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht," and "In dich hab ich gehoffet Herr." German composers with cantatas for Lent involved music consistently presented at the Gotha Court (Christian Friedrich Witt, Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel, Wolfgang Carl Briegel, and Georg Benda), as well as Georg Philipp Telemann in Frankfurt and Hamburg and Christoph Graupner in Darmstadt. In Weimar, it is assumed that Kapellmeister Johann Samuel Drese and his son, Johann Wilhelm, alternated with Bach in the presentation of the Sunday cantatas each month between 1714 and 1717, with Bach as court organist presenting chorale preludes.? Lenten cantatas of Bach's contemporaries Georg Philipp Telemann, Christoph Graupner and Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel were performed during Lent and Bach in 1735-36 presented a St?lzel cycle which included works for Lent that Bach may have presented in the progressive University Pauliner Kirche or the New Church (source:? : 2nd paragraph beginning "An important thread . . . ."). ?

Invocavit or Quadregesima (lst Sunday in Lent)

The first 1st Sunday in Lent is known as Invocavit or Quadregesima Sunday (), the former for the Introit Psalm 91:15 (He shall call upon me, ) and the latter designating the 40th day of Lent ().? Scores:Category:Pieces for the 1st Sunday in Lent (Invocavit), .? The readings in Bach's time were Epistle 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 (We then, as workers together with him, kjv ), and the Gospel, Matthew 4:1-11 (Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, kjv ), the former referring to both the catechumen and the believers engaged in the Lenten fast, and the latter to Jesus' temptation in the wilderness of 40 days, says Paul Zeller Strodach,⁴ while the Introit is "a song of trusting faith." The appropriate Hymn of the Day in the NLGB (No. 175) is Luther's Catechism chorale, "Vater unser im Himmelreich" (Lord's Prayer, , which Bach set as plain chorale, BWV 416 (), and as chorale preludes BWV 636 (Baptism, 翱谤驳别濒产ü肠丑濒别颈苍), BWV 682-3 (Catechism, 颁濒补惫颈别谤ü产耻苍驳 III) and BWV 737 (miscellaneous chorales), further information, : "“Vater unser im Himmelreich.”? Other hymns for the 1st Sunday in Lent are "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,"

"Gott der Vater wohn uns bei," "Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht" and its Latin version, "Christe qui lux es et dies," and Hymns related to the Passion of Christ (e.g. pp.?122–177 in Vopelius' Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch.? Cantatas for this Sunday include Georg Philipp Telemann:

"Fleuch der Lüste Zauberauen," TWV?1:549 (Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, Hamburg 1726);?

Christoph Graupner:? see ; and Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel:? "Gelobet sei der Herr mein Hort (1738)."

In the current 3-year Revised Common Lectionary, John S. Sutterlund⁵ finds various timely Bach cantatas appropriate for the 1st Sunday in Lent (Invocavit/Quadregesimae):? Year B (Gospel of Mark, 18 February 2024; readings, ); Trinity 8 chorale Cantata 178, "Wo Gott derr Herr nicht bei uns h?lt" (Where God the Lord stands with us not, based on Ps. 124, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Reformation chorale Cantata 80.3, "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Got" (A mighty fortress is our God; .? Year C (Gospel of Luke), 9 March 2025; readings, ; Occuli solo Cantata 54, "Widerstehe doch der Sünde" (Stand steadfast against transgression, Ambrose; ), alternate Trinity 11 chorus Cantata 179, "Siehe zu, da? deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei" (Watch with care lest all thy piety hypocrisy be, and serve thy God not with feigning spirit!, Ambrose trans.; ); Year A (Gospel of Matthew, 22 February 2026; readings, ), New Year's chorale Cantata 41, "Jesu, nun sei gepreiset" (Jesus, be now exalted, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Trinity 10 chorale Cantata 48, "Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erl?sen" (A poor man am I; who will set me free, Rom. 7:24; ).

Remniscere (2nd Sunday in Lent)
The 2nd Sunday in Lent is called Reminiscere (, ), for "remembering," from the Introit Psalm 25:6, "Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving-kindnesses (kjv)," from Psalm 25, Ad te, Domine, levavi (O my God, I trust in thee, kjv . It is a reference to Misericordias Domini or the 2nd Sunday after Easter. It means the "Goodness (literally "tender mercies") of the Lord." It comes from the incipit of Psalm 89, "Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing." The 2nd Sunday after Easter is also called "Good Shepherd Sunday," referring to its Gospel of John 10: 12-16, "I am the Good Shepherd" ().? The pulpit readings for Reminiscere in Bach's single lectionary were the Epistle, 1 Thes. 4:1-7 (plea for Purity), urging the Christian "to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more," says Strodach (Ibid: 121). The Gospel is Matt. 15:21-28 (Jesus heals Canaanite woman's daughter. Her plea (Mat. 15:22b, "Have mercy on me, O God" Miserere mei, in German is the hymn "Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott," also found in Psalm 51, , and Bach's contrafaction setting, "Tilge, H?chester, meine Sünden" (Cancel, Highest, my sins, ), BWV 1083 (), composed in the 1740s. Other hymns for Reminiscere are:? "Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ," "Wenn wir in h?chsten N?ten sein," "Gott der Vater wohn uns bei," "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott," "Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht" and its Latin version, "Christe qui lux es et dies," And Hymns related to the Passion of Christ.? , .? Cantatas for this Sunday include:? Johann Michael Bach:? "Liebster Jesu, h?r mein Flehen, (BDW )

Georg Philipp Telemann:? "Der Reichtum macht allein beglückt, TWV?1:313 (Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, Hamburg 1726); Christoph Graupner:? see ; Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel: "Ich danke dir Herr dass du zornig bist gewesen" (1738).? ?

"Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott"
One the designated hymns for Reminiscere in the NLGB is the Erhard Hegenwald (16th c.) paraphrase setting of Penitential Psalm 51, "Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott, nach deiner gro?en Barmherzigkeit" (Have pity on me, O Lord God, according to thy great mercy). It was published in 1524 in the Erfurt Enchiridion, set to the Johann Walther? melody (Zahn 5851, ), as a five eight-line stanza Bar form liturgical Psalm hymn texts (). Hegenwald was a student at Wittenberg University and his hymn was known by Luther. The melody is reminiscent of "Es woll' uns Gott gen?dig sein" May God be gracious to us," the Luther/Matthias Greiter 1524 hymn, says Charles S. Terry.⁶ It is found in the NLGB as No. 256 (Psalm Hymn), also designated hymn for the Sundays in Trinity 3, 11, 14, and 22). It is listed in the 翱谤驳别濒产ü肠丑濒别颈苍 as No. 68 (Passiontide, Peintence), source Witt's Gotha Hymnal 1715, No. 258, but not set. It is found in Schmelli No. 70, Repentance Song.? Besides the aria "Erbarme dich, mein Gott" in the St. Matthew Passion (), Bach set "Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott" as an early Miscellaneous chorale, BWV 721 in f-sharp minor (), authenticity questioned, says Peter Williams (), and a plain chorale, BWV 305 in e minor (, ). The Neumeister Collection includes a setting of Fredrich Wilhelm Zachow (Thomas 58), No. 76, eschatological hymn (, LV 18). ?

Oculi (3rd Sunday in Lent):? Cantatas 54, 80a
In Bach's time, the 3rd Sunday in Lent, called Oculi () from Introit Psalm 25:15, "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord (kjv)" was a momentous time in the middle of Lent as Bach was able in Weimar to present two solo cantatas for this Sunday, BWV 54, "Widerstehe doch der Sünde" (Stand firm against sin), and BWV 80a, "Alles was von Gott geboren" (All that is born of God, 1 John 5:4), see .? Bach produced two intimate, striking church cantatas, BWV 54 a three-movement alto solo work with a two striking arias, and BWV 80a, a substantial four-voice work which includes a Bach chorale trope in the opening bass aria and closing with a plain chorale setting of the same Luther hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is our God," which was transformed into a hybrid chorale Cantata by 1740.? Both works did not become part of Bach's church-year cantata cycles but were available for copying in 1761 by the Leipzig published Breitkopf in the fall catalogue.? The Oculi Sunday readings show Bach's close attention to Luther's sentiments, source is the Common Service Book with Hymnal (United Lutheran Church in America, Philadelphia 1917: 73f).? "Oculi" means "look." It is alluded to in the initial Introit, "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord." The name of the 3rd Sunday in Lent, Oculi, comes from the first word of the Introit Psalm 25:16, "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord, kjv" Psalm 25, Ad te, Dominum, levavi (Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul, ). The 3rd Sunday in Lent is variously named as Dies scrutinii (day of scrutiny), Dominica abrennunciationis (Lord's day of the renunciation), and Dom. exorcisimi (Lord's day of the exorcism).? The succeeding Collect asks God to "look upon the hearty desires of the humble servants, and . . . be our defence against our enemies."? The Epistle, "Living in the Light," Ephesians 5:1-9, warns in verse 6: "Let no man deceive you with vain words." The Gradual affirms that "When mine enemies are turned back: they shall fall and perish at Thy presence." The Gospel, "Jesus and Beelzebub," Luke 11:14-28, is Christ's explanation of casting out devils. The most salient Gospel verses are Luke 20-22: "But if I with the finger (Word) of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his good are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils."
There is no closing chorale in Lehms' text for Cantata 54 in E-flat Major. A possibly is plain chorale BWV 353 in g minor (), says Martin Petzoldt,⁷ found in the Dresdener Gesangbuch 1725 , No. 287, Johann Rist 1662 melody (Zahn 6804), "Jesu, der du meine Seele" (Jesus, it is by you that my soul, ); Bar Form text stanza 16, "Jesum nur will ich lieb haben" (Only Jesus I shall hold dear); Martin Jahn 1661 "Jesu meiner Seele Wonne" (Jesus, delight of my so), . The same stanza to the Johann Schoop 1642 melody, "Werde munter mein Gemüte" (Be alert , my soul), closes chorus Cantata BWV 147, "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben" (Heart and mouth and deed and life), Feast of the Visitation 1723. The Bach Stiftung adds a closing four-part chorale (Mvt. No. 4) not in the Lehms Cantata 54 libretto: Martin Jahns’ text, “Jesum nur will ich liebhaben” (Only Jesus I shall hold dear), BWV 360 in B-flat Major (, ).? Appropriate hymns for Occuli include:? "Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ," "Wenn wir in h?chsten N?ten sein,""Gott der Vater wohn uns bei," "Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott," "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott," "Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht" and its Latin version, "Christe qui lux es et dies," and Hymns related to the Passion of Christ.? , .? Cantatas for this Sunday include:? Georg Philipp Telemann:? "Wandelt in der Liebe, TWV?1:1498 (Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, Hamburg 1726); Christoph Graupner:? see ; Johann Sebastian Bach (see also Church cantata (Bach) §?Oculi):

"Widerstehe doch der Sünde," BWV?54 (4 March 1714?), "Alles, was von Gott geboren," BWV?80a (24 March 1715; music lost); and Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel:? "Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (1738)." ?

Oculi 3-Year Revised Common Lectionary

Today's three-year Revised Common Lectionary uses John's Gospel in Lent, which is shared today and in Bach's time for the 3rd Sunday in Lent:? Year B (Mark's Gospel, 3 March 2024; readings, ), Trinity 10 chorus Cantata 102, "Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben!" (Lord, thine eyes look after true believing!, Jer. 5:3, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Trinity 25 solo Cantata 90, "Es rei?et euch ein schrecklich Ende" (To ruin you an awful ending, Ambrose trans.; ).? Year C (Luke's Gospel, 23 March 2026; readings, ), 1st Sunday after Epiphany chorale Cantata 124, "Meinen Jesum la? ich nicht" (My dear Jesus I'll not leave, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Trinity 10 chorus Cantata 46, "Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgendein Schmerz sei" (Look indeed and see then if there be a grief, Lam. 1:12; ).? Year A (Matthew's Gospel, 8 March 2026; readings, ), Trinity 6 solo Cantata 170, "Vergnügte Ruh', beliebte Seelenlust" (Contented rest, belove'd inner joy, Ambrose trans.; ), alternate Trinity 20 solo Cantata 162.2, "Ach! ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe" (Ah! I see now, As I go to join the marriage, Ambrose trans.; ).

ENDNOTES

¹ "Alles, was von Gott geboren": score, Foreword, ; discussion, ; recording, ; liner notes, https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Pic-Rec-BIG/Hesse-C-C01c[Christophorus-CD-booklet].pdf [scan & paste in browser]).

² "Liebster Jesu, h?r mein Flehen":? scores, , ); discussions, , , ); recording, , :? V-2.

³ "Languet anima mea" (My soul faints, Google trans.):? details, ; score & Preface, ; recording, ; BWV3 listing of original score in Bach's musical library (Notenbibliothek), Supplement 2:? 650.

⁴ Paul Zeller Strodach, The Church Year: Studies in the Introits, Collects, Epistles, and Gospels (Philadelphia PA: United Lutheran Publication House, 1924: 107ff).

⁵ John S. Sutterlund, Bach Through the Year: The Church Music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Revised Common Lectionary (Minneapolis MN: Lutheran University Press, 2013: 54f), .

⁶ Charles S. Terry, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works, Cambridge University Press, 1921, , 157).

⁷ Petzoldt, Bach Kommentar: Theologisch Musikwissenschaftlicke Kommentierung der Geistlichen Vokalwerke Johann Sebastan Bachs; Vol. 2, Die Geistlichen Kantaten vom 1. Advent bis zum Trinitatisfest; Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart (Kassel: B?renreiter, 2007: 640, 645).

__________

To Come:? Last three Sundays in Lent (Laetare, Judika, Palm Sunday) and Holy Week with the Passion.

As the celebration J. S. Bach in Leipzig 300 Years, 1723/24, Leipzig Year One Church Year,¹ continues its tercentenary observance, the de tempore (Proper Time) of the 2nd half of the church year on the ministry of Jesus Christ moves beyond the initial Trinity Time omnes tempore (Ordinary Time) first half of the church year ( ) with its emphasis on the church's parables, miracles, and teachings ( ) to Jesus' Christ's Christological incarnation and early events shaping his ministry.? December began with the initial Advent season and related services (see ), followed by the Bachian Christmas Season (Turning Time) leading to Epiphany Time (, Year B Mark's gospel 2024, .? The Epiphany Time Sundays and appropriate cantatas are found at the following:? Epiphany 1, solo cantatas, ; Epiphany 2, 3, Epiphany Time Chorales, Jesus Hymns (); Epiphany Time Chorales ().

"Gesimae" Sundays ?

This Epiphany Time continues with the Pre-Lenten "gesima" Sundays (Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima; see and :? scroll down to "After Epiphany," "Pre-Lent," and "Fixed festivals within the Liturgical Year").? This period also has the first fixed Marian Feast of the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Simeon's Canticle), February 2 ().? In the current 3-year Revised Common Lectionary, the 1724 Epiphany Time (not a season, without established chorales) has the following services: 1st Sunday after Epiphany, January 7, Cantata 154 (; 2nd Sunday after Epiphany, January 14, Cantata 155 (); Third Sunday after Epiphany, January 21, Cantata 73 (); Septuagesimae (4th Sunday after Epiphany, 3rd Sunday before Lent), January 28, Cantata 144 (); Sexagesimae (5th Sunday after Epiphany, 2nd Sunday before Lent), February 4, Cantatas 181 () and 18.2 (); Estomihi (6th Sunday after Epiphany, 1st Sunday before Lent or Transfiguration Sunday), February 11; Cantata 22 (). and Cantata 23.2 ().? Lent 2024 () begins with Ash Wednesday, February 14.

First Four Sundays in Epiphany Time

The record shows that between 1723 and 1727 Bach composed/presented an average of three cantatas each for the first four Sundays after Epiphany (the early years of Jesus) in January (see :? scroll down to "After Epiphany"): ?

+1st Sunday, Luke 2:41-52, Jesus in the temple (BWV 154, 124, and 32; );?

+2nd Sunday, John 2:1-11 Jesus turns water into wine (first miracle) (BWV 155, 3, and 13; );?

+3rd Sunday, Matthew 8:1-13,? Cleansing of the leper (BWV 73, 72, 156; ); and?

+4th Sunday, Matthew 8: 23-27, Christ stills the tempest? (BWV 81, JLB-1, BWV 14; ). ?

+For the 4th and 5th Sundays after Epiphany, Bach also had available to perform cantata texts of Picander (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picander_cycle_of_1728–29, copy and paste in browser), cantatas of Johann Ludwig Bach ( , ), and church-year cycles of Gottfried Heinrich St?lzel ( ), as well as selective works of Georg Philipp Telemann (). ?

The one-year liturgical calendar that Bach performed () was limited to about 60 events in Leipzig for which Bach composed cantatas.? The length of Epiphany Time varied (from the 2nd to the 6th Sunday after Epiphany) with the length of the Sundays during Trinity Time (from the? 23rd Sunday after Trinity to the 27th Sunday), with the moveable calendar of the Last Sunday after Epiphany (), ranging from the 2nd to the 6th Sunday after Epiphany.? This brief period began on 6 January with the Feast of Epiphany and ran through the three moveable Shrove pre-Lenten "gesimae" Sundays (Septuagesimae, Sexagesimae, Quinquagesimae Estomihi) and the fixed Marian feast of "Mari? Reinigung" (Feast of Purification of Mary, Presentation of Our Lord; Simeon's Canticle) on the date of February 2 (), chorales and calendar ().

Today's 3-Year Lectionary

Today's three-year Revised Common Lectionary () offers often on different dates almost three times as many New Testament readings from the three synoptic Gospels of Mark Year B, Luke Year C, and Matthew Year A, as well as the same selections from John's Gospel, often in all three years. The non-synoptic, unique Gospel of John in Bach's day and today has appointed readings for the feasts of the 2nd day of Christmas (December 26), the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany, two Sundays in Lent (3rd and 4th), and the Sundays in the Easter/Pentecost Season from the 2nd Sunday after Easter to Trinity Sunday (now called the Sunday after Pentecost).²? One early, major event in Jesus' life is his baptism in the river Jordan by cousin John the Baptist, observed in Bach's day on the fixed Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist (), June 24, best observed in Martin Luther''s baptismal chorale Cantata 7, “Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam” (Christ our Lord came to the Jordan, trans. Z. Philip Ambrose³).? Luther’s Catechism doctrinal baptism chorale () celebrates Jesus’ adult baptism and the beginning of his earthly ministry leading to his sacrifice for the redemption of the believer (see .

Bach's Church Year Music

The current three-year lectionary offers a wealth of early Jesus events and themes in Bach cantatas, as explored in John S. Sutterlund's study of Bach''s church year music:⁴?

+1st Sunday after Epiphany (Baptism of Our Lord):? current Year B 1/7/2024, Mark 1:4-11 (), Ascension baptism justification Cantata 37, “Wer da glaubet und getauf wird” (Who there believes and baptizes, Mark 16:15, the gospel dictum; : scroll down to "Personal Themes: Baptism, Faith"), alternate Epiphany Feast Chorale Cantata 123, “Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen, Du, meiner Seele Heil” (Dearest Immanuel, leader of the righteous, salvation of my soul, ); Year C, 1/12/2025, Baptism of Our Lord, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22, ), Epiphany chorale Cantata 123, "Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen" (Dearest Emanuel, Lord of the faithful), alternate baptismal chorale Cantata 7, "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam" (Christ did, our Lord, to Jordan come); Year A, 1/11/2026, Matthew 3:13-17 (Baptism of our Lord, ), alternate Ascension chorus Cantata 37, "Wer da gl?ubet und getauft wird" (Who believeth and is baptized, will obtain salvation, Mk. 16:16).

+2nd Sunday after Epiphany: ?

Year B 1/14/2024 (Jesus calls? disciples Philip, Nathaniel) John 1:43-51 (), Reformation Cantata 79, “Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild (God the Lord is sun and shield, Psalm 84:12, , the disciples celebrate thanksgiving and praise), alternate Easter festival Cantata 145, “Ich lebe, mein Herze, zu deinem Erg?tzen” (I live, my heart, for your delight, , John's Christus Viktor is proclaimed to the believers); Year C, 1/19/2025, John 2:1-11 (Jesus turns water into wine (first miracle), Epiphany 2 Cantata 155, “Mein Gott, wie lang, ach lange?” (My God, how long, ah how long?, , sorrow's tears become wine's joy), alternate Epiphany 2 Cantata 13, “Meine Seufzer, meine Tr?nen” (My sighs, my tears, Psalm 56:9b, , awaiting God's time and Eschatological waiting for best wine last); Year A, 1/18/2026, John 1:29-42 (Jesus calls the disciples, ), Trinity 6 justification chorale Cantata 9, “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her” (Salvation has come to us, , emphasizes Epistle 1 Cor. 1:1-9, , justification through grace with faith alone), alternate Estomihi Cantata 23, “Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn” You true God and son of David, ; Jesus as the Messiah).

+3rd Sunday after Epiphany:? Year B, 1/21/2024 (Jesus calls Simon and Andrew,? Mark 1:14-20, ), Trinity 9 Cantata 168, “Tue Rechnung! Donnerwort” (Give an account of yourself! [Luke 16:2] Word of thunder; ), alternate Trinity 9 chorale Cantata 94, Was frag ich nach der Welt” (What do I ask for from the world, ); Year C, 26 Jan. 2025 (Jesus preaches in the Nazareth synagog, Luke 4:14-21, ), New Year's chorus Cantata 143, "Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele [II]" (Praise thou the Lord, O my spirit, Ps. 146:1), alternate Trinity 8 chorus Cantata 136, "Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz" (Examine me, God, and discover my heart, Ps 139:23; ); Year A, 1/25/2026 (Jesus chooses Simon, Andrew, James, John, Mat., Mat. 4:12-23; ), Motet BWV 230, "Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden" (Praise ye the Lord, all ye nations, Ps. 117:1, 2), alternate New Year's chorale? Cantata 41, "Jesu, nun sei gepreiset" (Jesus, be now exalted, ).?

+4th Sunday after Epiphany, Year B 1/28/2024 (Miracle of unclean spirit, Mark 1:21-28, ),? Trinity 14 chorus Cantata 78, "Jesu, der du meine Seele (Jesus, thou who this my spirit; ), alternate Trinity 12 chorus Cantata 69.1(a), "Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele" (Praise thou the Lord, O my spirit, Ps. 103:2; ; Year C, 2/2/2025 (collison with Presentation of the Lord; Jesus preaching at Nazareth, Luke 4:21-30; ), Sexagesimae solo Cantata 181, "Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister" (Insincere and fickle spirits; ), alternate John's Day chorale chorus Cantata 167, "Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe" (Ye mortals, praise ye God's devotion; ); Year A 2/1/2026 (Beatitudes, Mat. 5:1-12; ); Trinity 7 chorale chorus Cantata 107, "Was willst du dich betrüben" (Why wouldst thou then be saddened; ), alternate Trinity 14 chorus Cantata 78.

+Presentation of the Lord (fixed Marian Feast of Purification of Mary with Simeon's canticle), fixed date of February 2, Luke 2:22-40, ):? Year B 2/2/2024, Year C 2/2/2025, Year A 2/2/2026; Motet BWV 1165=Anh. 159, "Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn" (I will not let you go, until you bless me, Gen. 32:26; , , Weimar-Leipzig Occasional Music of Sorrow scroll down to "Motet BWV Anh. 159"), alternate, "Mari? Reinigung" bass solo Cantata 82.1, "Ich habe genug" (I have now enough; ).

+Gesimae Pre-Lenten Sundays (last three before Lent): ? Septuagesima ():? 1/28/2024 Year B, 2/16/2025 Year C, 2/1/2026 Year A);? Sexagesimae (), 2/4/2024 Year B, 2/23/25 Year C, 2/8/2026 Year A; Estomihi ():? 2/11/2024 Year B, 3/2/2025 (Transfiguration Sunday), 2/15/2026 (Transfiguration Sunday).? Setterlund in his supplement of the Lutheran Service Book (Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, St. Louis:? Concordia 2006:? 150f) cites the one-year lectionary for Septuagesimae, Matthew 20:1-16 (Labourers in the Vineyard, ), Cantata 144, "Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin" (Take what is thine and go away, Mat.20-14, Septuagesimae); Sexagesimae, Luke 8:4-15 (Parable of the sower, ), Cantata 18.2, "Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel f?llt" (Just as the showers and snow from heaven fall, Is. 15:10f, , Sexagesimae); and Quinquagesimae Estomihi, Luke 18:31-43 (to Jerusalem, blind man sees; ), Cantata 22, "Jesus nahm zu sich die Zw?lf" (Jesus took aside the twelve then and said, Luke 18:31, ).

+Transfiguration of the Lord (last Sunday before Lent, not observed in Bach's calendar):? Year B Mark 9:2-9 (2/11/2024, Transfiguration, ); Year C Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a) (3/2/2025, Transfiguration, ); Year A Mat. 17:1-9 (2/15/2026, Transfiguration, ).? Setterlund (Ibid.:? 150) cites the three-year lectionary of the Transfiguration for the following:? Year B, Mark 9:2-9, Motet BWV 225, "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" (Sing unto the Lord a new song, Ps. 149:1-3, ); Year C, Luke 9:28-36, St. Michael's chorus Cantata 50, "Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft" (Now is the health and the strength, Rev. 12:10, ); Year A, Mat.17:1-9, St. Michael's chorale Cantata 130, "Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir" (Lord God, we praise thee every one, ).

Other Services in 3-Year Lectionary

Setterlund outlines from the 3-year Revised Common Lectionary other fixed-date services that commemorate saint's birthdays as well as special events and alternate observances:

+St. Thomas, Apostle (December 21), John 20:24-29 (Thomas' post-Easter presence), Easter Tuesday chorus Cantata 134,? "Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend wei?" (A heart which doth its Jesus clearly know; ); St. Stephen, Martyr (December 26, ), Acts 6:8-7:60, solo Cantata 57 (Dialogus), "Selig ist der Mann" (Blessed is the man, Jas. 1:12, );?

+St. John''s Day, apostle & evangelist (December 27, ), John 21:20-25 (Jesus & John), chorus Cantata 64, "Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget" ( Mark ye how great a love this is that the Father hath shown us, John 3:1, );?

+Holy Innocents, Martyrs (December 28), Matthew 2:13-18 (Flight into Egypt), Sunday after New Year''s (Matthew 2:13-23, Flight into Egypt), solo Cantata 58 (Dialogus), "Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [II]" (Ah God, how oft a heartfelt grief; );?

+Confession of St. Peter (January 18), Mark 8:27-9:1 (Jesus fortells his Passion), Septuagesimae chorale chorus Cantata 92, "Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn" (I have to God's own heart and mind, );?

+St. Timothy, Pastor & Confessor (January 24), Matthew 24:42-47 (Parables about coming), Easter Monday chorus Cantata 6, "Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden" (Bide with us, for it will soon be evening, Luke 24-29; );?

+Conversion of St. Paul (January 25), Matthew 19:27-30 (Discipleship), Exaudi (Sunday after Ascension)solo Cantata 183, "Sie werden euch in den Bann tun [II]" (In banishment they will cast you, John 16:2, ;?

+St. Titus, Pastor & Confessor (January 26), Luke 10:1-9 (Following Jesus), Cantata 44, Exaudi (Sunday after Ascension) chorus Cantata 44, "Sie werden euch in den Bann tun (I)" (In banishment they will cast you, John 16:2; ).

ENDNOTES

¹ Leipzig Year One Church Year:? (, ), Lutheran Church Year 2024, , .

² John's Gospel appropriate for the following services: ?

+3rd Sunday of Advent, John 1:6-8, 19-28 (); Nativity of the Lord - Proper III, John 1:1-14 ();?

+2nd Sunday after Christmas, John 1:(1:1-9), 10-18 (); 2nd Sunday after Epiphany, John 1:43-51 ();?

+3rd Sunday in Lent, John 2:13-22 ();?

+4th Sunday in Lent, John 12:20-33 (); Palm Sunday, Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16 ();?

+Monday of Holy Week, John 12:1-11 (); Tuesday of Holy Week, John? 12:20-36 ();?

+Wednesday of Holy Week, John 13:21-32 ();?

+Maundy Thursday, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (); Good Friday, John 18:1-19:42 ();?

+Holy Saturday, Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42 ();?

+Resurrection of the Lord, John 20:1-18 () or Mark 16:1-8;?

+2nd Sunday of Easter, John 20:19-31 ();?

4th Sunday of Easter, John 10:11-18 ();?

5th Sunday of Easter, John 15:1-8 (); 6th Sunday of Easter, John 15:1-8 ();?

6th Sunday of Easter, John: 15:9-17 ();?

+7th Sunday of Easter, John 17:6-19 ();?

+Pentecost Sunday, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 ();?

+Pentecost Monday, John 3:16-21 ();?

+Pentecost Tuesday, John 10:1-10 (); Trinity Sunday, John 3:1-17 ();?

+10th Sunday after Pentecost, John 6:1-21 Year B ();?

+11th Sunday after Pentecost, John 6:24-35 Year B ();?

+12th Sunday after Pentecost, John 6:35, 41-51 Year B ();?

+13th Sunday after Pentecost, John 6:51-58 Year B ();?

+14th Sunday after Pentecost, John 6:56-59 Year B (); Holy Cross observance, John 3:13-17 Year B ();?

+22nd Sunday after Pentecost, John 4:46-54 (); All-Saints Day, John 11:32-44 Year B ();?

+Christ the King (Last Sunday after Pentecost), John 18-33-37 ().

³ Incipit translations:? Z. Philip Ambrose, J. S. Bach: J. S. Bach: The Vocal Texts in English Translation with Commentary (Bloomington IN:? Xlibris, 2020), , .

⁴ John S. Sutterlund, Bach Through the Year: The Church Music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Revised Common Lectionary (Minneapolis MN: Lutheran University Press, 2013: 54f), .

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To Come:? Liturgy Lent Season.

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