The cantatas of Johann Ludwig Bach

Abstract

The purpose of the investigation of Johann Ludwig Bach's seventeen liturgical cantatas and the "Trauermusik" was to establish their position within the historic development of the German sacred cantata between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, to study their stylistic and formal characteristics, and to present an objective picture of the work of this generally unknown cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach. The study of these works was made from microfilms of the original manuscripts now in the libraries of Berlin and Marburg. Texts and chorale melodies were traced through examination of the Bible, collections of sacred poetry, hymnals, and chorale melody collections. Works of a similar character by contemporary composers were analytically examined for comparison and to help place Johann Ludwig's compositions in the overall historic development of the cantata form. Historical and documentary data were obtained from numerous literary sources dating form the early eighteenth century to the present. [Truncated]