# What is your favourite JS Bach Cantata



## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

Yesterday, jani told us of his plan to have a Mozart day and asked us to post our favourite pieces by Mozart. That inspired me to have a Bach (cantata) day today, so tell me: what are your favourite Bach cantatas???

I'm trying to listen to lesser-known ones; so far, I've listened to BWV 27 (Wer weiß, wie nahe mir mein Ende?) and BWV 89 (Was soll ich aus dir machen, Ephraim).


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Well, I am yet to find one I like more than Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland BWV62. Herreweghe did a ripper recording with Collegium Vocale Ghent if my menory serves me correctly.....senile am I? Ah the sins of old age.


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

No, you're right - it does exist! I have just put it on and am enjoying it so far!


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## shangoyal (Sep 22, 2013)

Some of my favourite Bach cantatas:

Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11 (Ascension oratorio)
Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54
Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt, BWV 151
Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe, BWV 156
Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211 (Coffee cantata)


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

Great recommendations! I love the coffee cantata - it's almost a comic operetta, certainly the closest Bach ever got to writing for the stage! Since last posting I have also listened to BWV 193 (Ihr Tore zu Zion) and BWV 134 (Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß), as well as ComposerOfAvantGarde's suggestion.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

One Bach cantata moment I love is the "rain" that kicks off the sinfonia of BWV 18, "Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt". My favourite cantata is one of the best-known ones, "Ich habe genug", BWV 82.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

My favorite Bach Cantata is Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen.

I've always been a sucker for Bach in a festive, glorifying mood.


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

That one I am listening right now.

I mean, they are all so precious... I don't want to appear snob or whatelse, but each cantata is really a unique jewel to be discovered with a careful listening.

My advice is: take you time and listen to all of them (why not one a day as I'm doing now?)
Prepare yourself with a good reading. Alfred Dürr's book is excellent:

http://www.amazon.com/Cantatas-J-Ba...4QS_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396903746&sr=1-1

or if you prefer a more affordable source, check this:

http://www.jsbachcantatas.com/index.htm

I am sorry I cannot help you better than this and maybe I am off-topic regarding your request, but very honestly this is my most sincere advice.


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2014)

A Mozart day or a Bach day should not be special enough to be worthy of a thread. They should occur semi-regularly


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

@arcaneholocaust - so true - every day is a Bach day for me, really!

@GioCar - why should you appear a snob? What you're saying is completely true - each cantata, each aria and duet and recitative and chorale has its own nuances, its own style and attributes. I wouldn't say it's necessary to read about each cantata before listening to it. However, I agree that it's a good idea to have an idea of its background; for instance in the case of the Coffee Cantata, it is important to know that it was written to be sung in a coffee-house, in order to (try to!) fully understand the work. In my case, I would love to study the pieces I listen to more thoroughly, but I have no time - in fact, I listen to Bach cantatas whilst I'm revising (I'm only 14). In an ideal world, though, I would read about everything I listen to. In theory, one a day is a good idea, but listening either becomes a chore (which sucks all the joy out of the activity), or I want to listen to more than one a day (like today)!

PS - thanks everyone for your great suggestions. I shall endeavour to listen to all of them!


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## GiulioCesare (Apr 9, 2013)




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## JasonBrenkert (Aug 13, 2013)

I am quite fond of the Karl Richter recordings for DG.

I would say my top Cantatas are:

Wachet Auf BWV 140 - especially Zion hort die Wachter Singen
Ich hatte viel Bekummeris BWV 21
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben BWV 147
Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV 4
Ich habe genug BWV 82

First post!


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

this threadf has unfortunately reminded me of one of the only problems I have with my experience of 'classical music' and was reflected in a thread I started a number of months ago-despite some very generous attempts at assistance the problem remains.
25 years ago I had a vinyl recording of two Cantatas which I remembered really enjoying-however I cannot replace this is I have no memory of the artists, specific work etc and it has periodically caused me much annoyance-so here goes again,someone responding to this thread might just know!

black cover, tall thin stain glass windows
EMI/HMV logo top corner
standard fawn/yellow background to the sleeve notes

HELP!


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

jim prideaux said:


> this threadf has unfortunately reminded me of one of the only problems I have with my experience of 'classical music' and was reflected in a thread I started a number of months ago-despite some very generous attempts at assistance the problem remains.
> 25 years ago I had a vinyl recording of two Cantatas which I remembered really enjoying-however I cannot replace this is I have no memory of the artists, specific work etc and it has periodically caused me much annoyance-so here goes again,someone responding to this thread might just know!
> 
> black cover, tall thin stain glass windows
> ...


quoting myself!!!!!
THIS THREAD SPARKED THE HUNT AGAIN AND I NOW BELIEVE MY MEMORY IS NOT AS RELIABLE AS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN !
I now think it may have been Philip Ledger recording of BWV 11/34 Cantatas-cover is close as is the date etc, checked them out on you-tube and they are really impressive so I might just settle for this compromise-otherwise I may dwell on this for slightly too long!


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

^^ Hope someone can help you out on that, Jim. 

One of my favourites is _Jesu, der du meine Seele_, BWV 78.


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## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

*What is your favourite JS Bach Cantata?*

I spent most of my adult life listening to Bach's secular music yet after buying the complete works I started to seriously study his amazing cantatas. I'm not asking anyone to rank their top five if indeed people like them at all, personal taste and all that. But do you have a favourite that you keep going back to time after time? I, at present, can't stop listening to Cantata BWV 134 with the 10 minute middle aria that is so beautiful and perfect. Others I enjoy include 4, 54, 140, 193, but not in any particular order.


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## Andolink (Oct 29, 2012)

I have so many favorites that I keep coming back to that I won't even attempt to sort through them all to narrow it down to just one. Such gorgeousness in so many different ways! I only marvel at the mind that conceived it all.


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## Picander (May 8, 2013)

I can't choose just one. 95, 147, 140, 4, 75, 76, 1...

I have the complete cantatas recorded by Koopman, Rilling, Gardiner, plus the treasure of the 75 that recorded Karl Richter. Usually I just pick randomly a CD. 

There is no boring cantata for me.


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## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

Picander said:


> I can't choose just one. 95, 147, 140, 4, 75, 76, 1...
> 
> I have the complete cantatas recorded by Koopman, Rilling, Gardiner, plus the treasure of the 75 that recorded Karl Richter. Usually I just pick randomly a CD.
> 
> There is no boring cantata for me.


I agree with that. I just pick anything and they are all quite amazing. I can't believe how he manages to retain such a high quality of composing and consistency.


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## dieter (Feb 26, 2016)

Today No 8. Yesterday it was 102. Then there's 104, 78, 140, 42...I could go on and on and on...


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

There are many I enjoy listening actually. Several were already mentioned above. I think it's definitely a case of changing my "favorites" every now and then out of the few hundred.


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## Ilarion (May 22, 2015)

I can't say which cantata is my favorite, but I will say that the overture to Cantata "Wir danken dir Gott, wir danken dir" BWV29, has so much Joie de Vivre and elan - I have used it so many times as an organ postlude and as a piece to send off the happily wedded couples.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

It's always been BWV 80 _Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott_. I like this version where one of his sons, W. F. I think, added timpani. It's a real roof raiser and the strains of the old Lutherian hymn run throughout, stretched and twisted to the point of blissful bewilderment.


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## Ilarion (May 22, 2015)

Weston said:


> It's always been BWV 80 _Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott_. I like this version where one of his sons, W. F. I think, added timpani. It's a real roof raiser and the strains of the old Lutherian hymn run throughout, stretched and twisted to the point of blissful bewilderment.


Weston, thank you for sharing out "Ein Feste Burg. When you mentioned "Lutherian" I fell off my easy chair and onto the floor laughing - Why? Because "Lutherian", especially "therian"(theory-an) reminded me that many Lutherans are long on theory and short on practice, and I'm a former Lutheran.:lol:


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

^I wish I could claim it as a Freudian slip, but I just couldn't remember the proper word.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I am quit sure we have a similar thread somewhere on the site


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## JosefinaHW (Nov 21, 2015)

Weston said:


> It's always been BWV 80 _Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott_. I like this version where one of his sons, W. F. I think, added timpani. It's a real roof raiser and the strains of the old Lutherian hymn run throughout, stretched and twisted to the point of blissful bewilderment.


Thanks for sharing the link to that YouTube channel!


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Pugg said:


> I am quit sure we have a similar thread somewhere on the site


There was: Favourite Bach Cantatas where the last posting was in 2014 and contains 15 posts.

I have merged the two into one for continuity sake.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Krummhorn said:


> There was: Favourite Bach Cantatas where the last posting was in 2014 and contains 15 posts.
> 
> I have merged the two into one for continuity sake.


Thanks Krummhorn, one thing off my to do things today


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

_Wachet auf, rufts uns die Stimme_ is my favorite cantata. The duet arias, which draw from Song of Songs, tug at me greatly with the brilliant theological connection he is making between the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), 1st Thessalonians 5:1-11, and the Song of Songs. The title phrase also brings Revelation to mind, "sleepers awake" implying the general resurrection.

Song of Songs:

_He comes.
The Bridegroom comes!
And Zion's daughter shall rejoice,
He hastens to her dwelling claiming
The maiden of his choice.
The Bridegroom comes; as is a roebuck,
Yea, like a lusty mountain roebuck,
Fleet and fair,
His marriage feast he bids you share.
Arise and take your lamps!
In eagerness to greet him;
Come! hasten, sally forth to meet him._

Matthew:

_Wake ye maids! hard, strikes the hour,
The watchman calls high on the tower,
Awake, awake, Jerusalem.
Midnight strikes, hear, hear it sounding,
Loud cries the watch, with call resounding:
Where are ye, o wise virgins, where?
Good cheer, the Bridegroom come,
Arise and take your lamps!
Alleluja!
Ye maids beware:
The feast prepare,
So go ye forth to meet Him there.

_This is for me Bach's greatest theological and musical statement in a cantata. Both elements complete each other. Now I can't read Matthew 25 without thinking of Song of Songs, so I couldn't thank Bach more. Herr Sebastian, you've written the greatest love story.


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## andrzejmakal (Jun 5, 2014)

Gottes Zeit is die allerbeste Zeit (Actus Tragicus) BWV 106

cheers


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

I enjoy them all, they truly are a wonder to be able to have a collection from which to pick at random a 20-30 minute slice of genius. Some I come back to are BWVs 4, 59, 82, 93, 126, and 140 among the sacred cantatas. BWV 211 (Coffee Cantata) is amongst my 10 favorite works of Bach's in any genre, though of the other secular ones I've only heard a few of the more famous.

In fact I've lately been considering buying another cantata set to go with my Gardiner ones. I haven't really checked out any Suzuki or Koopman in these works (but I have Suzuki's BWV 211 and very much enjoy it) plus I think I've only heard probably 2/3 of the cantata set I do own. Maybe I'll table this consideration for a while after all...


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