Bach composed the secular cantata, or serenata, in 1718 in Köthen to celebrate the twenty-fourth birthday of his employer Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen on 10 December. The cantata text was by Christian Friedrich Hunold, who was based at Halle. Bach and Hunold collaborated on other cantatas, including one for the same birthday, Lobet den Herrn, alle seine Heerscharen, BWV Anh. 5.

Original Name Der Himmel dacht auf Anhalts Ruhm und Glück
Date of composition 1718
Premiered 1718, December 10th in Cothen, Netherlands
First published 1895 (BGA) - fragment only
Dedicated to lost; revised as BWV 66
Type Secular Cantata
Catalogue BWV 66a
Spoken language German
Instruments 2x Voice
Chorus/Choir
Orchestra
Links
Autotranslations beta Jean-Sébastien Bach: Serenade to Mark the Birthday of Prince Leopold, BWV 66a
Johann Sebastian Bach: Serenade to Mark the Birthday of Prince Leopold, BWV 66a
Johann Sebastian Bach: Serenade to Mark the Birthday of Prince Leopold, BWV 66a