• God's time is the very best time (Actus tragicus)

BWV 106; BC B 18

^GND

Genre

• Sacred cantata

Scoring

• Sopran solo, Alt solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Sopran, Alt, Tenor, Bass, Flauto dolce I, Flauto dolce II, Viola da gamba I, Viola da gamba II, Basso continuo

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Date of origin, Work history

• um 1707–1708

• Date of composition around 1707–1708; occasion unknown, perhaps for the funeral of Bach's Uncle Tobias Lämmerhirt (August 10, 1707) or the Mühlhausen Mayor Adolf Strecker (September 16, 1708, see Rathey BJ 2006). Earliest sources noted in E-flat major (Chorton) [= F major (high pitch)]; performance in low pitch (a' = 392 Hz) likely

relation to other works:

is part of BWV diverse [M. Kant.]

Introduction to the work

Link to videos:

Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (Actus tragicus), BWV 106 (Netherlands Bach Society)
Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (Actus tragicus), BWV 106 (J. S. Bach Stiftung St. Gallen)

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Libretto

• Largely a compilation from Bible passages and hymns: Acts 17, 28; Psalm 90, 12; Isaiah 38, 1; Sirach 14, 18; Revelation 22, 20 (in movement 2); Psalm 31, 6; Luke 23, 43 (in movement 3); Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin (Martin Luther, 1524; after Luke 2, 29–33), stanza 1 (in movement 3) and In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr (Andreas Reusner, 1533), stanza 7 (in movement 4)

Link to lyrics

Chorale

Satz 3: Martin Luther, "Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin", 1524, Strophe 1

in: Martin Luther und Johann Walter, Geystliche gesangk Buchleyn, Wittenberg 1524, (Tenor-Buch S. 64; Bassus-Buch S. 43)

Chorale

Satz 4: Andreas Reusner, "In dich hab ich gehoffet", Herr, 1533, Strophe 7

in: J. Dachser, Form vnd ordnung Gaystlicher Gesang vn[d] Psalmen, Augsburg, 1533

Chorale

Satz 4: Andreas Reusner, "In dich hab ich gehoffet, Herr", 1533, Strophe 7

in: M. Bucer, Das Gros Kirchen Gesangbuch, Strasburg, 1560

Other printed librettos

zu Satz 2 ("Gottes Zeit"): David von Schweinitz, "Hundert Evangelische TodesGedancken/ Das ist: Vorbereitung Eines Christlichen Lebens Zum Seligen Sterben", Breslau 1683 (3. Edition), S. 237

[Bibliography]

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edition essential source

D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 1018 [Score]

Additional sources

D-B Am.B 43 [Konvolut] [Score]
D-B Am.B 43, Faszikel 3 [Score]
D-B Mus. 11486 (2) [Erstdruck] [Score]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 451, Faszikel 4 [Score]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 838, Faszikel 1 [Score]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 90 [Score]
D-DS BWV 106 [vernichtet] [Score]
D-F Mus Hs 149 [Score]
D-HEms BWV 106 [Score]
D-KNu K 16a/6412 [Score]
GB-Ob MS. M. Deneke Mendelssohn c. 55, no. 132 [Score]
GB-Ob MS. M. Deneke Mendelssohn c. 63 [Konvolut] [Score]
GB-Ob MS. M. Deneke Mendelssohn c. 63, Faszikel 6 [Score]
US-Wc ML30.8j .B334 1830z [Part(s)]
Verschollen BWV 106 [Arrangement], Kaiserin Augusta-Gymnasium (Berlin) [Part(s)]
Verschollen BWV 106, Breitkopf [Score]
Verschollen BWV 106, Kaiserin Augusta-Gymnasium (Berlin) [Score and part(s)]
Verschollen Sing-Akademie BWV 106 (1), Partitur [Score]
Verschollen Sing-Akademie BWV 106 (2), Stimmen [Part(s)]

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Edition

NBA I/34, S. 1 (Ryuichi Higuchi, 1986) – Critical report (1990), S. 11;

BG 23, S.149 (W. Rust, 1876)

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persistent ID

BachDigitalWork_work_00000131

Static URL

https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000131

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Last changed

2025-10-11 05:42:50