Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben [1st version] BWV 8.1; BWV 8; BC A 137a

^GND

Genre

Chorale cantata

Proper

Psalm: Psalm 90
Epistel: Epheser 3, 13-21
Gospel: Lukas 7, 11-17

Scoring

Sopran solo, Alt solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Sopran, Alt Tenor, Bass, Corno, Flauto piccolo oder Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore I, Oboe d'amore II, Violine I, Violine II, Viola, Basso continuo

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Date of origin, Work history

vor dem 24. September 1724
First performance on September 24, 1724; subsequent performance in the second half of the 1730s (autograph additions in the original source).
Subsequent performance around 1755 during the interim cantorate under Carl Friedrich Barth/Christian Friedrich Penzel. Melody and setting of the closing chorale based on the hymnbook by Vetter 1713, No. 91

Early performances

24 September 1724, Leipzig (Premiere) (Link to event)

relation to other works:

is part of BWV diverse [2. Jg.]
is part of BWV diverse [Jg. 2a]

relation from other works:

is adapted in BWV 8/6 ChS
has revision BWV 8.2

Comment

the first version in E major.
The final chorale "Herrscher über Tod und Leben" is based on a chorale by Daniel Vetter ("Musicalische Kirch- und Haus-Ergötzlichkeit", part 2, 1713, No. 91).

libretto printing: Leipzig 1724 III

Introduction to the work

Link to videos:

Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben, BWV 8.1 (Collegium Vocale Gent, Ph. Herreweghe)

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Author Libretto

unknown author

Libretto

Caspar Neumann (around 1690), stanza 1 and 5 literally preserved, stanzas 2–4 (sentence 2–5) reworked (author unknown). Original text print: Leipzig 1724 III, page [11]
Link to lyrics

Author Chorale

Neumann, Caspar (1648-1715)

Chorale

Satz 1 und 6: C. Neumann, Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben, um 1730, Strophen 1 und 5

in: Caspar Neumanns, Weyland fürnehmen Evangelischen Theologi zu Breßlau erbauliches Sterbe-Lied: Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben? [...], Leipzig 1730

Original lyrics

RUS-SPsc 17.141.2.111 [Textdruck]

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Original sources

B-Br Ms II 3905 Mus (Fétis 1985) [Part(s)]
Verschollen BWV 8 (in E), Originalstimme (Continuo) [Part(s)]
RUS-SPsc 17.141.2.111 [Textdruck] [Libretto]

Additional sources

B-Br Ms II 4950 Mus [Score]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 810 [Score]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 963 [Score]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 1159/IV, Faszikel 1 [Score]
D-DO Don Mus.Ms. 154 [Score]
D-LEb Rara II, 1a-D [Score]
D-MLHb Nr. 735 (heute in D-MLHm) [Score]
F-Pn D-560 [Score]
F-Pn VM1-2909 [Score]
GB-Ob MS. M. Deneke Mendelssohn c. 61 [Konvolut] [Score]
GB-Ob MS. M. Deneke Mendelssohn c. 61, Faszikel 2 [Score]
PL-Wu RM 5939 [Score]
Verschollen Thomasschule zu Leipzig, BWV 8 (Partitur) [Score]
Verschollen BWV 8 (1), C. F. Penzel [Score]
Verschollen BWV 8 (2), C. v. Winterfeld Nr. 290 [Score]
Verschollen BWV 8 (3), K. Zulehner 1812 [Score]
Verschollen Choralsammlung [Score]
Verschollen Choralsammlung [Score]
[Katalog (Angebotliste) Zulehner 1812] [Score]
A-Wgm III 25427 [Part(s)]
D-KPk 248 [Part(s)]
GB-Ob MS. M. Deneke Mendelssohn c. 55, no. 133 [Part(s)]
GB-Ob MS. M. Deneke Mendelssohn c. 56, Faszikel 1 [Part(s)]

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Edition

NBA I/23, S. 105 (Helmuth Osthoff, 1982) – Critical report (1984), S. 57

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persistent ID

BachDigitalWork_work_00000009

Static URL

https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000009

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Last changed

2023-09-12 : 11:11:02