How many chorales Bach wrote?

Around 400 of such chorale settings by Bach, mostly composed in the first four decades of the 18th century, are extant: Around half of that number are chorales which were transmitted in the context of larger vocal works such as cantatas, motets, Passions and oratorios.

What is chorale cantata in music?

A chorale cantata is a church cantata based on a chorale—in this context a Lutheran chorale. It is principally from the German Baroque era. The organizing principle is the words and music of a Lutheran hymn. Usually a chorale cantata includes multiple movements or parts.

How many Bach cantatas are there?

Between 1723 and the first performance of the St Matthew Passion on Good Friday 1727, Bach wrote over 150 cantatas, recycling existing pieces and inventing new music at the punishing rate of almost one a week.

Are cantatas religious?

A cantata is a work for voice or voices and instruments of the baroque era. From its beginnings in 17th-century Italy, both secular and religious cantatas were written. The earliest cantatas were generally for solo voice with minimal instrumental accompaniment.

Who wrote cantatas?

Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach is perhaps the most prominent and prolific composer of cantatas. At his most productive, he was composing one cantata every week for eight years. Bach wrote both secular and sacred cantatas and developed what is known as “chorale cantata”.

What was Bach’s greatest piece?

Best of Bach

• Concerto for Two Violins.
• The Well-Tempered Clavier.
• “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” from Cantata BWV 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben.
• Six Suites for Solo Cello.
• Brandenburg Concertos.
• Mass in B minor.
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor.
• Christmas Oratorio.

Are cantatas sacred?

Cantatas for use in the liturgy of church services are called church cantata or sacred cantata; other cantatas can be indicated as secular cantatas. Several cantatas were, and still are, written for special occasions, such as Christmas cantatas.

What type of music is cantata?

How many sacred cantatas have been preserved?

Bach composed probably around 300 cantatas, of which about 200 are extant today.