Cantata 51: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen

Works like the orchestral suites or the concerto to come give us a glimpse of Bach at his most secular, writing instrumental music for an employer who prized it and one who had no need for sacred music. This was a brief episode in Bach’s life, of course. With the move to Leipzig in 1723, sacred music once again monopolized his time and energy. It would be in Leipzig that Bach would create new cantatas on an almost weekly basis. Still, we should not forget that many of Bach’s Leipzig cantatas stem from earlier times. Material in his portfolio could be pulled out and recycled to make new compositions. This was especially helpful given the time constraints Bach faced. Such is the case with Cantata 51, his only cantata scored for solo soprano and trumpet. First performed on September 17, 1730 in Leipzig, some of the material likely was written much earlier.
This cantata features five movements: three arias interspersed by recitative and a chorale. Each movement uses a different form, from concerto to fugue. The soprano aria situated at the center of the cantata, “Höchster, mache deine Güte,” utilizes the simplest means and sparest texture to express a deeply felt religious feeling. Scored for soprano solo with continuo (gamba and keyboard), the aria employs soaring melismas and rising lines that mimic the text: “Highest, renew your goodness.”

(c) Jason Stell