Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (I had much affliction), BWV 21, is a sacred cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach.

It was composed in Weimar in 1713 for the third Sunday after Trinity Sunday, but was performed only on 17 June 1714 after a first revision. A further revision occurred in the Köthen years, specifically in 1720 (a performance is thought to have occurred by 1722); a Leipzig performance occurred on 13 June 1723, and a final revision took place in Leipzig in 1731. Bach's own catalogue of his works notes "e per ogni tempo" by this entry, indicating that the cantata could be suited for any occasion, as the readings and the texts are quite generic.

Theme
The prescribed readings for the day are 1 Peter 5: 6-11 and Luke 15: 1-10. The text of the work draws on the work of several authors, namely:

• King David's Psalm 94, verse 19 (movement 2)
• probably Salomo Franck (movements 3-5)
• King David's Psalm 42, verse 5 (movement 6)
• probably Salomo Franck (movements 7-8)
• King David's Psalm 116, verse 7 (movement 9)
• probably Salomo Franck (movement 10)
• John's Revelation, chapter 5, verses 12-13 (movement 11)

The chorale theme Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten was codified by Georg Neumark in his 1657 Fortgepflantzter Musikalisch-Poetischer Lustwald, published in Jena.

The cantata features themes of deep suffering, pain and mourning, which dominate the music in the first part of the cantata, starting with the opening sinfonia, with solo oboe and violin. A sighing motif, the picture of a storm of tears, and the flood image conjured by the upwelling music characterizes the dark and oppressive feeling. In the second part of the cantata, the mood changes: through the trust of sinners in the grace of God, the mood transforms into curls of joy, with the final movement forming a strong hymn of praise.

Scoring and structure
The piece is scored for trombe I//II/III, timpani, trombone I//II/III/IV, oboe, fagotto, violins I/II, viola, and basso continuo (explicitely indicated are fagotto, organ, and continuo), three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor, and bass) and four-part choir. It is in eleven movements, divided in two parts (1-6 to be performed before, and 7-11 after the sermon):

1. Sinfonia
2. Coro: "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis in meinem Herzen" for choir, oboe, strings, and continuo (senza fagotto).
3. Aria: "Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, Not" for soprano, oboe, and continuo.
4. Recitativo: "Wie hast du dich, mein Gott" for tenor, strings, and continuo (col fagotto).
5. Aria: "Bäche von gesalznen Zähren" for tenor, strings, and continuo.
6. Coro: "Was betrübst du dich" for choir, oboe, strings, and continuo.
7. Recitativo (Dialogus) : "Ach Jesu, meine Ruh" for soprano (Seele) & bass (Jesus), strings, and continuo.
8. Aria (Duetto): "Komm, mein Jesu, und erquicke/Ja, ich komme und erquicke" for soprano (Seele) & bass (Jesus), and continuo.
9. Coro: "Sei nun wieder zufrieden, meine Seele" for choir and tutti mas senza le trombe.
10. Aria: “Erfreue dich, Seele, erfreue dich, Herze" for tenor and continuo.
11. Coro: "Das Lamm, das erwürget ist" for choir, trombe, oboe, tamburi, strings and continuo.

Text
Recordings

• Roemhildt: Kantate Trübe Wolcken meiner Seelen/J.S. Bach: Kantate Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis - Sopr.: Monika Brustmann, H. Bender; Alt.: Margit Diefenthal; Ten.: Andreas Post; Bass: Andreas Stiel; Arcani Musicali/Nova Stravaganza (Director: Siegbert Rampe); Wolfgang Schult, conductor. Label: Bachwochen Dill
• Mozart: Mess C-dur/Bach: Kantate BWV 21 - Boy Sopr.: Stefan Preyer; Boy Alt.: Albin Lenzer; Ten.: Michael Knapp; Bass: Ernst Jankowitsch; Wiener Sängerknaben & Chorus Viennensis (Chorus Master: Guido Mancusi)/Stuttgarter Philharmoniker; Peter Marschik, conductor. Label: Capriccio
• Les Grandes Cantates de J.S. Bach Vol. 11 - Sopr.: Edith Selig; Ten.: Georg Jelden; Bass: Erich Wenk; Heinrich-Schütz-Chor Heilbronn/Pforzheim Chamber Orchestra; Fritz Werner, conductor. Label: Erato/MHS
• J.S. Bach: Magnificat BWV 243/Cantata BWV 21/Motet BWV 225 - Sopr.: Antonella Balducci; Alt.: Ulrike Clausen; Ten.: Frieder Lang; Bar.: Fulvio Bettini; Coro della Radio Svizzera/Ensemble Vanitas; Diego Fasolis, conductor. Label: Arts
• J.S. Bach: Magnificat BWV 243 · Cantata BWV 21 - Sopr.: Greta de Reyghere; Alt.: René Jacobs; Ten.: Christoph Prégardien; Bass: Peter Lika; Nederlands Kamerkoor/La Petite Bande; Sigiswald Kuijken, conductor. Label: Virgin Classics
• J.S. Bach: Kantaten BWV 21, 110 (Ramin Edition Vol. 1) - Boy Sopr. from Thomanerchor Leipzig & Elisabeth Meinel-Asbahr; Ten.: Gert Lutze; Bass: Friedrich Härtel; Thomanerchor Leipzig/Gewandhausorchester Leipzig; Günther Ramin, conductor. Label: Fidelio
• J.S. Bach: Kantate No. 21 “Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis” - Sopr.: Nancy Burns; Alt.: Libuše Márová; Ten.: Friedrich Melzer; Bass: Günther Reich; Gächinger Kantorei/Bach-Collegium Stuttgart; Helmuth Rilling, conductor. Label: Supraphon
• J.S. Bach: Kantate 21 "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis" - Sopr.: Grazyna Flicinska-Panfil; Alt.: Elisabeth Umierski; Ten.: Albrecht Lepetit; Bar.: Markus Köhler; Staats- und Domchor Berlin/Instrumentalists; Christian Grube, conductor. Label: Staats- und Domchor, Hochschule der Künste
• J.S. Bach: Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis Kantate 21/W.A. Mozart: Requiem KV 626 - Sopr.: Mona Spägele; Alt.: Claudia Schneider; Ten.: Tom Allen tenor; Bass: Christian M. Immler; Chorgemeinschaft St. Sebastian/Barockorchester La Banda; Michaela Prentl, conductor. Label: Chorgemeinschaft St. Sebastian
• J.S. Bach: Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis - Sopr.: Barbara Schlick; Ten.: Howard Crook; Bass: Peter Harvey; La Chapelle Royale/Collegium Vocale Gent; Philippe Herreweghe, conductor. Label: Harmonia Mundi
• J.S. Bach: Early Cantatas Volume 3 - Weimar Cantatas II - Sopr.: Emma Kirkby; Alt.: Michael Chance; Ten.: Charles Daniels; Bass: Peter Harvey; Purcell Quartet; Self-conducted. Label: Chandos Chaconne
• J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 2 - Boy soprano from the Wiener Sängerknaben; Alt.: Paul Esswood; Ten.: Kurt Equiluz; Bass: Walker Wyatt; Wiener Sängerknaben & Chorus Viennensis (Chorus Master: Hans Gillesberger)/Concentus Musicus Wien; Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor. Label: Teldec
• J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 1 - Sopr.: Barbara Schlick; Ten.: Guy de Mey; Bass: Klaus Mertens; Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir; Ton Koopman, conductor. Label: Erato/Antoine Marchand
• J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 6 - Sopr.: Monika Frimmer; Ten.: Gerd Türk; Bass: Peter Kooy; Bach Collegium Japan; Masaaki Suzuki, conductor. Label: BIS 851
• J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 12 - Cantatas from Leipzig 1723/V - Sopr.: Yukari Nonoshita; Alt.: Robin Blaze; Ten.: Gerd Türk; Bass: Peter Kooy; Bach Collegium Japan & Concerto Palatino (BWV 21); Masaaki Suzuki, conductor. Label: BIS 1031
• J.S. Bach: Cantatas "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis" BWV 21 & "Wo soll ich fliehen hin" BWV 5 - Sopr.: Diane Verdoodt; Alt.: Dina Grossberger; Ten.: Ludwig Van Gijsegem; Bass: Dirk Snellings; Chapelle des Minimes; Jacques Vanherenthals, conductor. Label: La Chapelle des Minimes
• J.S. Bach: Cantata BWV 21 - Sopr.: Friederike Sailer; Alt.: Hanne Münch; Ten.: Fritz Wunderlich (pseudonym "Werner S. Braun"?); Bass: Robert Titze; Stuttgarter Chor & Orchester; Marcel Couraud, conductor. Label: Les Discophiles Français/Shallplattengilde Wien
• J.S. Bach: Cantata BWV 21 - Sopr.: Teresa Stich-Randall; Alt.: Nathalie Narischkine; Ten.: Helmut Loeffler (actually Waldemar Kmentt); Bass: Paul Schöffler; Vienna Conservatory Chorus/Vienna State Opera Orchestra; Jonathan Sternberg, conductor. Label: Le Club Francaix du Disque/Musidisc
• J.S. Bach: Cantata BWV 21 - Sopr.: Gunthild Weber; Ten.: Helmut Krebs; Bass: Hermann Schey; Berliner Motettenchor/Berliner Philharmoniker; Fritz Lehmann, conductor. Label: Deutsche Grammophon - Archiv/American Decca
• J.S. Bach: Cantata BWV 21 - Sopr.: Rösl Schwaiger; Ten.: Hugues Cuénod; Bass: Alois Pernerstorfer; Wiener Kammerchor/Wiener Symphoniker; Jonathan Sternberg, conductor. Label: Bach Guild/Artemis Classics
• Die Bach Kantate Vol. 14 - Sopr.: Arleen Augér, Nancy Amini; Alt.: Karen Hagerman; Ten.: Adalbert Kraus, Douglas Robinson; Bass: Wolfgang Schöne, Norman Anderson; Indiana University Chamber Singers/Bach-Collegium Stuttgart; Helmuth Rilling, conductor. Label: Hänssler
• Bach: Music to Challenge the Intellect and Touch the Heart - Sopr.: Teresa Radomski; Alt.: Lee Morgan; Ten.: Richard Heard; Bass-Bar.: John Williams; Carolina Baroque; Dale Higbee, conductor. Label: Carolina Baroque
• Bach Made in Germany Vol. 4 - Cantatas IV - Sopr.: Arleen Augér; Ten.: Peter Schreier; Bass: Siegfried Lorenz; Thomanerchor Leipzig/Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum; Hans-Joachim Rotzsch, conductor. Label: Eterna/Berlin Classics
• Bach Edition Vol. 19 - Cantatas Vol. 10 - Sopr.: Ruth Holton; Alt.: Sytse Buwalda; Ten.: Knut Schoch; Bass: Bas Ramselaar; Holland Boys Choir/Netherlands Bach Collegium; Pieter Jan Leusink, conductor. Label: Brilliant Classics
• Bach Cantatas Vol. 3 - Ascension Day, Whitsun, Trinity - Sopr.: Edith Mathis; Ten.: Ernst Haefliger; Bass: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; Münchener Bach-Chor/Münchener Bach-Orchester; Karl Richter, conductor. Label: Archiv

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