Bach: Cantata No. 80

Author

J. S. Bach (German, 1685-1750)
  • came from a family that was musicians for several generations back
  • orphaned at age 10
  • served as a chamber musician for the duke of Weimar, then for the prince of Anhalt-Cöthen
  • later served as cantor at St. Thomas's Church in Leipzig
  • Wikipedia Article

About the Piece

(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)

  • Genre is Cantata
  • 1st movement is elaborate counterpoint
  • 8th movement is homophonic and unified, easy for congregation to join in on
  • text is in German
  • each line in the first movement is treated fugally
  • majestic
  • instruments are non-obtrusive, but do play a different melody in the first movement.

Purpose

  • sacred
  • cantatas were meant to be sermons in song

Reflections

Another great piece; though, sadly, I still find myself wishing it were in English. It also doesn't quite feel right to listen to just the first and last movements. If I have more time, I would like to listen to the whole thing from start to finish.