Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (I had much grief), BWV 21 in Weimar, possibly in 1713, partly even earlier. He used it in 1714 and later for the third Sunday after Trinity of the liturgical year. The work marks a transition between motet style on biblical and hymn text to operatic recitatives and arias on contemporary poetry. Bach catalogued the work as e per ogni tempo (and for all times), indicating that due to its general theme, the cantata is suited for any occasion.
Original Name | Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis |
Librettist | Psalm XCIV:19 (No.2) Salomo Franck (1659?-1725) (Nos.3-5, 7-8, 10) Psalm XLII:5 (No.6) Georg Neumark (1621-1681) (No.9) Revelation 5:12-13 (No.11) |
Date of composition | 1714 |
Premiered | 1713, October 8th in Weimar, Germany |
First published | 1855 (BGA) |
Type | Sacred Cantata |
Tonality | C Minor |
Catalogue | BWV 21 |
Spoken language | German |
Instruments |
3x
Voice
Chorus/Choir Orchestra |
Links | |
Autotranslations beta |
Jean-Sébastien Bach: I had much grief en do mineur, BWV 21 Johann Sebastian Bach: I had much grief in do minore, BWV 21 Johann Sebastian Bach: I had much grief c-moll, BWV 21 |