With more than 150 hymnological publications from the early 18th century, it is almost impossible to study for yourself all the sources on every song about which Bach composed a chorale cantata. Yet attempting to do so can provide an inspiring challenge for those who want to get a better understanding of one or more of these cantatas.
Therefore, Lydia Vroegindeweij shares her working papers here for anyone who wants to delve further into this subject matter. She is open to collaboration with anyone wishing to take up this study. Please get in touch if you would like to join or find out more.
On the compilation of these documents
This material was compiled by Lydia Vroegindeweij as an aid to her research on Johann Sebastian Bach’s chorale cantatas. The publications of the 18th-century hymnologists offer good insights for studying the text and music of these cantatas on church songs. This is especially true for the two-volume Evangelischer Lieder-Commentarius by Johann Martin Schamel[ius] from 1724/1725. Since the original edition is not easily accessible to everyone, these working documents have been compiled for each cantata. In doing so, the following points of interest apply:
- Sometimes Schamelius mentions a different lyricist for a song than later research has revealed. The box at the top gives the most recent information.
- The texts of the chorale cantatas have been taken from Bach-Digital.de.
- The arrangement in the table differs slightly from Schamelius, who placed the footnotes by letter below the last stanza of the song. For better use, they are now placed directly next to the relevant strophe.
- The texts of the cantata parts have been placed with the relevant strophe as much as possible.
- Not all typographical elements from the original edition have been imitated in this document. Please always consult the digital edition for this.
Available Hymnological Dossiers
Below are all the documents (PDFs) for each chorale cantata, placed in alphabetical order.
- Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein (BWV 2)
- Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid (BWV 3)
- Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder (BWV 135)
- Ach liebe Christen, seid getrost (BWV 114)
- Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig (BWV 26)
- Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (BWV 33)
- Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (BWV 38)
- Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam (BWV 7)
- Christum wir sollen loben schon (BWV 121)
- Das neugeborne Kindelein (BWV 122)
- Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ (BWV 116)
- Erhalt uns Herr, bei deinem Wort (BWV 126)
- Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ (BWV 91)
- Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn (BWV 96)
- Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir (BWV 130)
- Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut (BWV 113)
- Herr Jesu Christ, wahr’ Mensch und Gott (BWV 127)
- Ich freue mich in dir (BWV 133)
- Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn (BWV 92)
- Jesu, der du meine Seele (BWV 78)
- Jesu, nun sei gepreiset (BWV 41)
- Liebster Gott, wenn wird ich sterben (BWV 8)
- Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen (BWV 123)
- Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit (BWV 115)
- Meine Seel erhebt den Herrn (BWV 10)
- Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht (BWV 124)
- Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin (BWV 125)
- Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott (BWV 101)
- Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (BWV 62)
- O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (BWV 20)
- Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele (BWV 180)
- Was frag ich nach der Welt (BWV 94)
- Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgethan (BWV 99)
- Was mein Gott will, das gscheh allzeit (BWV 111)
- Was willst du dich betrüben (BWV 107)
- Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten (BWV 93)
- Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (BWV 1)
- Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält (BWV 178)
- Wo soll ich fliehen hin (BWV 5)
- Wohl dem, der sich auf seinen Gott (BWV 139)