This cantata for soprano, solo oboe and strings was composed with a libretto by an unknown author, but possibly attributable to Picander (Christian Friedrich Henrici), a frequent Bach collaborator in Leipzig, due to marked similarities with another text included in a collection of librettos which Picander published a few years later.
Its premiere date was February 9, 1727. The Gospel for that Sunday (Septuagesima, or third before Lent) is the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20: 1-16). The libretto’s message elaborates on the parable, describing in the successive movements the Christian spirit of contentment with what one gets and the precept of not envying what others receive.
The cantata is modestly scored for solo soprano, solo oboe, strings and basso continuo, but even with the limited resources that Bach brings into play it presents a rich formal variety.
The opening movement is a fluid and expansive aria in a gentle, triple rhythm, with a leading role of the oboe and accompaniment of all strings. It’s built on a three-fold dotted motif that is passed around between the oboe, first violin, bass and voice, as well as unhurried upward and downward scales in sixteenths, frequently supported by stretches of a walking bass which contribute to the peaceful mood of “contentment” established in the text. After a bipartite middle section, Bach concludes with a fully written-out, slightly varied da-capo segment.
The second movement is an extended “secco” recitative, which continues to reflect on the idea of gratitude without entitlement, and expresses faith in the believer ultimately reaching God’s glory as the greatest reward. Bach uses harmonic tension to underline “ungeduldig” (“impatient”) and “betrübt” (“saddened”) and then resolves tenderly on the last two lines (“Es ist genug vor mich…”).
The next aria, accompanied with oboe, solo violin and continuo, presents an animated dance character as an illustration of “enjoying the little bread”. The text reflects on gratitude and being generous with one’s neighbor. The two solo instruments interplay sometimes in unison (with simplified figuration in the oboe), sometimes in close imitation, sometimes with motifs in contrary motion. Once again, the “da capo” section is written out in full, with slight modifications.
The fourth movement contains the only direct reference to the Parable in the whole libretto, as it says “God will pay me the penny”. It’s set as a recitative, this time with string accompaniment. A closing “Picardy third” illustrates the “reward of grace”.
This leads to the closing chorale in four voices, with the instruments doubling the voices. The text of the chorale is a stanza of a poem by Ämilie Juliane von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt dating from 1686, selected by the librettist as it conforms remarkably well to the rest of the text. The chorale’s tune appears also in various forms in several other cantatas. In this case, Bach sets it in plain four-part harmony, with the instruments doubling the voices. Some performers choose to have the soprano soloist sing the melody, with just the instruments delivering the rest of the lines.
