The fertile land

Cantata 181 was composed during Bach’s first year in Leipzig, for Sexagesima Sunday (February 13) in 1724. Like often in this period, we are in the dark regarding who the author of the libretto was, and we also see Bach continuing to push the envelope in terms of format – in this case taking some […]

Keyboard Partita No. 5

The fifth piece in the first part of the Clavier-Übung, the Keyboard Partita No. 5 in G major, opens with a radiant improvisatory movement titled “Praeambulum” – a term more readily associated with the written word than with a musical opening. However, as we know, Bach wanted to give different titles to the initial movements […]

Contentment and gratitude

Cantata 144 was composed for Septuagesima Sunday in 1724, which fell on February 6. Septuagesima, meaning “within seventy but more than sixty days before Easter”, is also referred to as the 3rd Sunday before Lent, which is the period before Easter. As we continue to traverse Bach’s first year in Leipzig, we are now between […]