WETA Classical celebrates the birthday month of Johann Sebastian Bach with the return of "CantataFest" on WETA VivaLaVoce. Throughout March, we will broadcast all of the more than 200 surviving cantatas by Bach. Cantatas air every other hour between 7am and 7pm each day, except on Bach's birthday (March 21), when we will air his large choral works (Mass, Passions, etc.).
Bach composed about 23 secular cantatas for civic occasions and more than 300 sacred cantatas (many lost), which he wrote and performed to supplement readings on Sundays and holidays at Lutheran church services in Leipzig. At the center of WETA Classical’s “CantataFest” is the highly acclaimed set of recordings of the sacred cantatas featuring the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists led by John Eliot Gardiner, performed during their Bach Cantata Pilgrimage.
Please visit this page each day to see a list of the current day's featured cantatas. You may wish to visit the Bach Cantatas Website for texts and translations of the cantatas, in a variety of formats.
Today's CantataFest Selections
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata, BWV 92. Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn (I have surrendered to God's heart and mind)
Monday
Mar 17
The Monteverdi Choir | The English Baroque Soloists | John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) | Wilke te Brummelstroete (alto) | Jonathan Brown (bass) | Miah Persson (soprano) | James Oxley (tenor)
SDG 153 (Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 20) -
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata, BWV 84. Ich bin vergnügt mit meinem Glücke (I am content with my good fortune)
Monday
Mar 17
The Monteverdi Choir | The English Baroque Soloists | John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) | Miah Persson (soprano)
SDG 153 (Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 20) -
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata, BWV 144. Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin (Take that thine is, and go thy way)
Monday
Mar 17
The Monteverdi Choir | The English Baroque Soloists | John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) | Wilke te Brummelstroete (alto) | Miah Persson (soprano) | James Oxley (tenor)
SDG 153 (Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 20) -
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata, BWV 14. Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit (If it had not been the Lord who was on our side)
Monday
Mar 17
Paul Agnew (tenor) | The Monteverdi Choir | The English Baroque Soloists | John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) | Peter Harvey (bass) | Katharine Fuge (soprano)
SDG 115 (Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 19) -
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata, BWV 81. Jesus schläft, was soll ich hoffen? (Jesus sleeps, what hope is there for me?)
Monday
Mar 17
Paul Agnew (tenor) | The Monteverdi Choir | The English Baroque Soloists | John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) | Peter Harvey (bass) | William Towers (alto)
SDG 115 (Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 19) -
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata, BWV 26. Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig (Ah how fleeting, ah how trifling)
Monday
Mar 17
Paul Agnew (tenor) | The Monteverdi Choir | The English Baroque Soloists | John Eliot Gardiner (conductor) | Peter Harvey (bass) | Joanne Lunn (soprano) | William Towers (alto)
SDG 115 (Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 19)