Achurch cantata orsacred cantata is acantata intended to be performed duringChristian liturgy. The genre was particularly popular in 18th-century Lutheran Germany, with many composers writing an extensive output:Stölzel,Telemann,Graupner andKrieger each wrote nearly or more than a thousand. The best known examples, however, are those ofJohann Sebastian Bach, whose output stands out not by quantity but by the high level of expertise and craftmanship which they showcase.[1]
The bulk of extant cantatas were composed for occasions occurring in the liturgical calendar of the German Reformation era, including Passion cantatas for Good Friday, and most made reference to the content of the readings and toLutheran hymns appropriate for the occasion. Themelodies of such hymns often appeared in cantatas, for example as in thefour-part settings concluding Bach's works, or as acantus firmus in larger choral movements. Other occasions for church cantatas include weddings and funeral services. The genre was later taken up by composers such asFelix Mendelssohn.
