Bach, Johann Sebastian : Cantata BWV 21 “I had great heaviness of heart”

The cantata “I had great heaviness of heart” BWV 21 is one of the most popular and beloved vocal works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Intended for a performance on the third Sunday after Trinity as well as “in ogni tempo” (for any occasion), this work occupies a special place within Bach’s cantata oeuvre. Particularly unusual is not only its approx. 40-minute duration, but also the work’s wealth of forms and sounds. Matthias Grünert, cantor of the Dresden Frauenkirche, put together an entirely new piano-vocal score to this main work from Breitkopf’s Bach Cantata series. His work is supplemented by a revised new engraving of the continuo part.