Fri, 22.05.2026
Comfort for the Soul: Solo & Dialogue Cantatas by J.S. Bach
Concert title
Solace for the Soul: Solo & Dialogue Cantatas by J.S. Bach
Date
Fri 22.05.2026
Start of the concert
19:00
Contributors
Name of the ensemble
Chamber Ensemble of the JS Bach Foundation, St. Gallen
Line
Conductor & Harpsichord: Rudolf Lutz
Soloists
Julia Doyle, soprano;
Matthias Helm, bass
Matthias Helm, bass
program
Johann Sebastian Bach's expressive solo and dialogue cantatas are among the highlights of his sacred music. The finely orchestrated works in this program, set to texts by the Darmstadt court librarian Georg Christian Lehms, revolve around solace and hope amidst suffering and inner turmoil.
The soprano cantata "Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut" (BWV 199) takes the audience on a moving journey through the human emotional landscape, marked by the pain of one's own imperfections and the search for a merciful God. Similarly, the cantata "Selig ist der Mann, der die Anfechtung duldet" (BWV 57), a heartfelt dialogue between the faithful soul and the comforting Savior, follows the stages of inner understanding and sincere self-acceptance.
The program is complemented by the new bass cantata "Willkommen, wertes Heil" (Welcome, esteemed salvation), based on arias by Johann Sebastian Bach from cantatas BWV 36, 66, and 73. New recitatives by librettist Anselm Hartinger and composer Rudolf Lutz connect the arias into a coherent dramatic arc, drawing on the biblical figure of Blessed Simeon and the readings of the Feast of the Purification of Mary. Echoing Bach's parodic technique, the work thus becomes a vibrant continuation of Bach's spirit, enriching his rare bass solo cantatas with a beautiful and profound contemporary contribution.
Program:
Johann Sebastian Bach: BWV 199 "Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut" and BWV 57 "Selig ist der Mann"
Johann Sebastian Bach and Rudolf Lutz: "Willkommen, wertes Heil": Cantata for bass and orchestra with arias from Bach's cantatas BWV 36, 66 and 73. Text additions and recitatives by Anselm Hartinger (libretto) and Rudolf Lutz (music). Swiss premiere.
The soprano cantata "Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut" (BWV 199) takes the audience on a moving journey through the human emotional landscape, marked by the pain of one's own imperfections and the search for a merciful God. Similarly, the cantata "Selig ist der Mann, der die Anfechtung duldet" (BWV 57), a heartfelt dialogue between the faithful soul and the comforting Savior, follows the stages of inner understanding and sincere self-acceptance.
The program is complemented by the new bass cantata "Willkommen, wertes Heil" (Welcome, esteemed salvation), based on arias by Johann Sebastian Bach from cantatas BWV 36, 66, and 73. New recitatives by librettist Anselm Hartinger and composer Rudolf Lutz connect the arias into a coherent dramatic arc, drawing on the biblical figure of Blessed Simeon and the readings of the Feast of the Purification of Mary. Echoing Bach's parodic technique, the work thus becomes a vibrant continuation of Bach's spirit, enriching his rare bass solo cantatas with a beautiful and profound contemporary contribution.
Program:
Johann Sebastian Bach: BWV 199 "Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut" and BWV 57 "Selig ist der Mann"
Johann Sebastian Bach and Rudolf Lutz: "Willkommen, wertes Heil": Cantata for bass and orchestra with arias from Bach's cantatas BWV 36, 66 and 73. Text additions and recitatives by Anselm Hartinger (libretto) and Rudolf Lutz (music). Swiss premiere.
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