Favorite cantatas

Bach wrote many brilliant cantatas but put a huge amount of effort into the cantata Thou who, a God, as man yet came BWV 127 (as can be seen from the manuscript), and for me it stands apart. It still moves me deeply.

The cantataThrough bitter tribulation we enter into God's kingdom BWV 146 is one of the less known works, and is the very first cantata which I myself performed in 1971. Not only for that reason has it remained one of my favorite cantatas.

The Easter story is vividly stamped onto each movement of the early cantata The heavens laugh, the earth exults in gladness BWV 31. Bach first greets the risen Christ with a magnificent Sinfonia dominated by the trumpets.

The masterly cantata Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten BWV 93 displays, as I understand it, the relevance and topicality of hymns. In 1641 Georg Neumark wrote a humble, trusting hymn text, and a wonderful melody to go with it.

 The remarkable early cantata O my Lord, I long for thee BWV 150 has always been a favourite of mine – and yet is something of a mystery. Neither the poet nor the occasion of its composition is recorded.

My favorite cantata? I have many, and during the course of our ten-year “Bach:vokal” cycle others are constantly being added. I have happy memories of the very first Bach cantata which I performed as a teenager: All glory to the Lord of Lords BWV 117. 

What has always particularly interested me is the decisions Bach made in setting and working out his textual model, some of which can be reconstructed from the movement structure, but others completely unexpected. For me the most memorable experiences include the performance of the cantata Jesus, you have freed my spirit BWV 78.