Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz (BWV 136) falls within Bach’s first Leipzig cycle of cantatas and was first performed on the Eighth Sunday after Trinity in 1723 (July 18). There are, however, indications in the history of the work which suggest that Bach had recourse to earlier compositions not known to us today; the author of the text is also unknown, but as he adhered strictly to the Gospel for the day, a secular model is unlikely. The cantata opens with a spacious fugue in which the whole text is immediately set to music. This almost precludes any musical interpretation of the text. After the exhortation to beware of false prophets, and the prayer for true faith, the recitative ”Ach, daß der Fluch, so dort die Erde schlägt” (Cursed, for thy sake, O Adam, is the ground) creates a link between the Fall from Grace (Genesis 3:17-18) and the Gospel (Matthew 7:15-23). This produces in the recitative and aria a comparison between Adam’s fall and the death of Jesus to redeem Man. The alto aria, No. 3, points to the Judgement Day that makes hypocrisy tremble; this idea, paramount in the musical interpretation, is further enhanced by an interpolated presto which, to judge from the source material, was newly written in 1723; in this, the destruction of hypocrisy’s works is depicted by greater intensity. The ensuing recitative, No. 4, produces a transition to the New Testament, supported by figuration at the words ”Gerechtigkeit und Stärke” (to Righteousness exalted). The aria, No. 5, a duet for tenor and bass, provides an exegesis by first symbolically emphasising "der Sünde Flecken" (sin bespotted) and ”Adam’s Fall” in the violins, solo and continue, but eventually "der große Strom voll Blut” (A stream of mercy flowing o'er us) prevails. The final chorus reinforces this idea.
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren (BWV 137), in its chorale cantata version, does not constitute a part of the cycle of chorale cantatas for 1724, but was written in 1725 for the l2th Sunday after Trinity (August 19). On this occasion Bach abandoned the adaptation of the text of the inner stanzas into recitatives and arias, but followed the layout of the older type of chorale cantata, which preserves intact all the stanzas of the hymn in question. In that respect the cantata is traditional in its structure, resembling Buxtehude’s works more closely than Bach’s own similar works from the previous year but the musical treatment of the stanzas has been raised to a new level. In the opening chorus a chorale motet in which the lines of the text are separated by orchestral interludes is integrated into an orchestral movement given significance by the use of timpani and trumpets. This increases the plausibility of the assumption, not otherwise supported by facts, that this work was intended for the inauguration of a new Town Council. In the alto aria (No. 2) a solo violin ornaments the highly decorated cantus firmus in the alto line. In Bach's instrumental symbolism the violin represents Man raising his eyes to God (cf. the aria "Have mercy” from the St Matthew Passion). Praise is followed by humility. The fourth movement - in which the cantus firmus is played by a solo trumpet and the figuration, which also contains traces of the cantus firmus - is allotted to thetenor, is almost a chorale concerto in which symbolic significance is ascribed to the trumpet (”der Allmächtige” - the Almighty). As Bach employed symbolism throughout this cantata, the third movement duet is to be understood as a dialogue between Man and his soul; the cantus firmus can be clearly discerned in the beginnings of the lines of text. In the final chorus the individual writing for the three trumpets produces the effect of seven distinct parts. Hy treating each stanza of the chorale melody in a different manner, Bach achieved the best chorale arrangement possible in a work of this type. Strong cohesion and balance between the movements is produced by the cantus firmus, the instrumentation and the disposition of the inner movements.
Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz? (BWV 138), written for the 15th Sunday after Trinity, was performed for the first time in Leipzig on September 5, 1723. This chorale cantata is somewhat experimental. The text is partly based on a hymn of 14 stanzas attributed to Hans Sachs; the first, third and seventh movements are taken froln the hymn, the remainder do not refer exactly to the other hymn stanzas, but rather to related passages from the Bible. Thoughts of doubt and fear are interpolated in rhetorical fashion by way of rccitatives and solo interjections in the first movement, until in the tenor recitative the greater power of trust in God and faith are propounded. In the following bass aria, with string accompaniment and written out da capo section, the cornpactness of the opening phrase, which begins and ends on the same note and the striking figuration ("walten") emphasise the superiority of the rejoinder. After this another recitative introduces the final chorus. This is not the usual simple fou-part chorale; on this occasion the lines of the chorale are embedded in a richly figured orchestral movement complete with introduction, of a type which Bach usually employed in an opening chorus. The formal experimental design corresponds, however, to that of prepared speech or a sermon. Movements which are complete in themselves are joined together into larger units. The opening chorus with its solo interjections forms the statements or narratio; the explicatio is partly contained in the first movement and continues in movements two and three. The argumentatio begins with the tenor recitative and carries through the bass aria and the last recitative to the conclusio, the final chorus with its striking arrangement. The chorale tune is not only the basic element of this musical sermon, but also its pillar and connecting link.
Bach’s Cantata Wohl dem, der sich auf seinen Gott (BWV 139) for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity 1724 (November 12) is based on a hymn by Johann Christoph Rube (1692) which follows the tune of ”March' mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Gt." The unknown author of the text retained the first and the last of the five hymn stanzas for the opening and final choruses and paraphrased the inner stanzas for the second, fourth and fifth movements. The third, an alto recitative, establishes the link with the Gospel for the day. The opening chorus integrates the lines of the chorale into a large-scale movement, the thematic material of which is also derived from the hymn tune. Only the individual parts of this cantata have been handed down to us, and even they are not entirely complete. Bach experts are convinced that two solo instruments were used in the arias No. 2 "Gott ist mein Freund” (God is my friend) and No. 4 "Das Unglück schlägt auf allen Seiten" (The blows of fate come thick and thicker), which have been tentatively reconstructed. in the aria "Gott ist mein Freund" the vocal line of the recitative iniddle section is particularly interesting, contrasting as it does with confident Christian serenity. The enemies’ raging once again gives Bach the musician and theologian an opportunity to give a musically symholic interpretation to the text. After a short recitative there follows the aria "Das Unglück schlägt auf allen Seiten." Here the effect is derived from the dotted figures in the orchestra and the declamatory bass line which is interrupted by a vivace section at the words ”doch plötzlich erscheinet die helfende Hand” (then sudden appeareth the Succoring Hand). A simple chorale movement ends the cantata.