Bach digital -

Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes

BWV 76; BC A 97^GND

Second Sunday after Trinity, Reformation Day, Cantata Cycle I (1723/1724)

Other catalogues

NV 1790, S. 79 [5]

Genre

Sacred cantata

Proper

Psalm: Psalm 72
Epistel: 1. Johannes 3, 13-18
Gospel: Lukas 14, 16-24

Psalm: Psalm 46?
Epistel: Offenbarung 14, 6-7
Gospel: Matthäus 11, 12-15

Scoring

Sopran solo, Alt solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Sopran, Alt, Tenor, Bass, Tromba, Oboe I, Oboe II, Oboe d'amore, Violine I, Violine II, Viola, Viola da gamba, Basso continuo

Date of origin, Work history

vor dem 6. Juni 1723

First performance on June 6, 1723, as Bach’s inaugural music at St. Thomas Church; subsequent performance of Part II (movement 8–14 or 8–12) possibly on October 31, 1724, or June 10, 1725, as evidenced by the watermark on the viola da gamba part; subsequent performance of Part I (movement 1–7) for the Reformation Festival is not datable; further performances likely after 1740, with handwritten changes by J. S. Bach in the parts for the fugue theme in movement 1. Movement 8 or its source material was incorporated into BWV 528

Early performances

1723-06-06, Leipzig, St. Thomas Church (Premiere) (Link to event)
Predigt: Christian Weise d. Ä.
WA von Teil II (Satz 8—14 oder 8—12) vielleicht am 31. Oktober 1724 oder am 10. Juni 1725; WA von Teil I (Satz 1—7) zum Reformationsfest nicht datierbar; weiter WA vermutlich nach 1740

relation to other works:

is part of BWV diverse [1. Jg.]

relation from other works

is adapted in BWV 528.2BWV 528

Comment

In der autographen Partitur Entwürfe zu einem Eingangschor (nicht verwendet) und zu Nr. 7 (NBA Suppl., S. 96‒101, P. Wollny, 2011).

Link to videos:

Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes, BWV 76 (Amsterdam Baroque, T. Koopman)
Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes, BWV 76 (J. S. Bach-Stiftung, St. Gallen)

Libretto

Author unknown. Movement 1: Psalm 12, verses 2 and 4. Movement 7 and 14: Es woll uns Gott genädig sein (Martin Luther, 1524, based on Psalm 67), stanza 1 and 3

Link to lyrics

Chorale