The three cantatas on this album were composed and performed in Leipzig within just a few weeks in April and May of 1725.
Composition History
Bach composed nine cantatas using texts by Christiana Mariana von Ziegler, a Leipzig poetess, to complete his 1724/25 chorale cantata cycle after its original librettist died.
Composer Biography
Christiana Mariana von Ziegler, a German writer from Leipzig, was honored with the title of 'Imperially Crowned Poetess' by the University of Wittenberg in 1733.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Ziegler was a vocal advocate for the equality of women in the sciences and arts, arguing that women could write in a purer, more natural German than men.
Compositional Technique
These cantatas open with a short biblical verse as a theological motto and conclude with a hymn stanza by Paul Gerhardt from Johann Crüger's hymnal.
Composer's Artistic Vision
It was remarkable and unprecedented for Bach to choose texts by a woman, Christiana Mariana von Ziegler, for nine consecutive sacred works, especially given the social context of the time.
Cultural Impact
Christiana Mariana von Ziegler established one of Germany's first literary and musical salons in Leipzig, which became a vibrant meeting place for citizens, scholars, and artists.
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Bach, JS : Cantates Sacrées BWV Nos 140 & 147
Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 52
J.S. Bach: Wer sich selbst erhöhet, der soll erniedriget werden, BWV 47
