The Harpsichord Concerto in A major (BWV 1055) is believed to be a reconstruction of a lost concerto for oboe d'amore, due to the singing quality of its solo part.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The texts for Bach's new solo cantatas, featuring an explicitly subjective 'I', were a challenge for him and inspired a highly expressive and experimentally intense musical language.
Composition History
In autumn 1726, Bach began composing a series of solo and dialogue cantatas, shifting focus from complex opening choruses to the virtuoso skills of individual soloists.
Composer Biography
Bach's wife, Anna Magdalena, was deeply moved by Ich habe genung (BWV 82) and transcribed a soprano version of its second aria into her music book, likely singing it often.
Composition History
Bach was so convinced of the quality of his solo cantata Ich habe genung (BWV 82) that he performed it at least six times in different versions.
Composition History
The poet for this impressive series of solo cantatas has been identified as Christoph Birkmann (1703-1771), a Leipzig theology student and later pastor, who cultivated poetic and musical talents.
Historical Context
The explicitly subjective 'I' in the cantata texts was unusual for conservative Leipzig and may have suggested a controversial link to Pietism, a religious movement.
