How To Listen to a Bach Cantata

Written By Janna Williamson

This winter, my church decided that we needed a few extra worship and devotional opportunities to get us through the winter in a pandemic. To that end, they created a beautiful website with weekly devotionals, including a few classical music selections available for parishioners to access at home. I’ve been privileged to help in the selection of pieces added each week, and since we have used several Bach Cantatas, I videoed a mini-lecture introducing these works.

I will leave you with a few video recordings of some of my favorites recorded by the Netherlands Bach Society in their All of Bach project. I’d encourage you to click on the link above each video and go to the “texts” tab so that you can follow along with an English translation of the German words.

Selig ist der Mann, BWV 57 - St. Stephen’s Day, Lenten themes of temptation, Jesus’s comfort


Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140 - End of Pentecost (Christ the King), waiting and watching for the Lord’s return


Ich habe genung, BWV 82 - Epiphany, infant Jesus presented in the temple and Simeon’s prophecy



Janna Williamson
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