Composer

:

Johann Sebastian Bach

Genre

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1715

Publication Date

:

1998

Average_duration

:

2:51

Movement_count

:

8

Movement ....

Johann Sebastian Bach composed Cantata No. 80b, 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott' (incomplete), BWV 80b (BC 183a) in 1730. The cantata was intended for the Reformation Day, which is celebrated on October 31st. However, the cantata remained incomplete, and only the first movement was completed. The cantata was later reconstructed by Bach's son, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and the musicologist, Philipp Spitta. The cantata consists of only one movement, which is a chorale fantasia based on Martin Luther's hymn, 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott' (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God). The movement is divided into three sections, with the first section being an instrumental introduction. The second section features the choir singing the hymn's first verse, while the third section is a fugue based on the hymn's second verse. The cantata's characteristics are typical of Bach's style, with the use of complex counterpoint, chromaticism, and the incorporation of Lutheran chorales. The cantata's opening instrumental introduction features a lively and energetic melody played by the orchestra, which sets the tone for the rest of the movement. The choir's entrance is marked by a powerful and majestic statement of the hymn's first verse, which is then followed by a fugue based on the hymn's second verse. The fugue features intricate counterpoint and a complex harmonic structure, which showcases Bach's mastery of the Baroque style. Overall, Cantata No. 80b, 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott' (incomplete), BWV 80b (BC 183a) is a testament to Bach's genius as a composer. Despite being incomplete, the cantata's first movement is a masterpiece of Baroque music, which continues to be celebrated and performed to this day.

More....