(Lord Christ, he is my being) for soprano, tenor and bass, vocal ensemble, corno, oboe d’amore I+II, strings and basso continuo

First performed on 12 September 1723, the cantata “Lord Christ, he is my being” can be viewed as an experimental predecessor to Bach’s chorale cantata cycle of 1724/25. In contrast to the cantatas of the cycle, each of which interprets one single hymn, the libretto of BWV 95 incorporates no fewer than four different chorales; this lends the work a funereal quality, despite its relationship to the gospel for the 16th Sunday after Trinity, in which Jesus resurrects a widow’s son at Nain. And although the cantata is quite modest in terms of orchestration and scope, it brims with delightful ideas and innovative solutions.