Bach's cantata BWV 130, "Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir," is a Baroque-era sacred work based on the Lutheran hymn tradition. It uses the melody of the Catholic hymn "Großer Gott, wir loben dich" (text by Ignaz Franz), recontextualized with Paul Eber's Protestant text. The cantata showcases Bach's mastery of chorale harmonization and contrapuntal writing.
Composed for Michaelmas, this cantata blends Paul Eber's Lutheran hymn with Baroque counterpoint, featuring symbolic instrumentation like trumpets representing angelic choirs and battle motifs against Satan.
