Bach: Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150

Description

The cantata "Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich" (O my Lord, I long for thee) BWV 150 is one of the earliest cantatas from Bach's Mühlhausen period. Its authenticity was long disputed, partly because of the stylistic characteristics of this early work, but also because the cantata only survives in sources dating from the period after Bach's death. However, in recent years a hidden dedication to Conrad Meckbach, a member of the Mühlhausen town council and patron of Bach, has been deciphered: the initial letters of the free poetry reveal the acrostic "Doctor Conrad Meckbach" (in the 18th century spelling), revealing a link to the city of Mühlhausen and almost certainly confirming Bach's authorship of the cantata. The occasion of the composition of the work is still unknown. The small instrumental scoring for just two violins, bassoon, and continuo, plus the fact that only the soprano is given a solo movement, suggest a performance with modest resources.