• Easter Sunday
• Epistle: 1 Corinthians v. 7-8 (Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us)
• Gospel: Mark xvi. 1-8 (Christ is risen)
• Rating: 2

Cantata BWV 160 is now known to be by Telemann and has therefore been relegated to Anhang III of the BWV. Fortunately, it's reappeared in the catalogue of Telemann's works as TVWV 1:875. For a reference on the attribution, see Dürr, Bach-Jahrbuch, 1951/2, 35ff.

There is a currently available recording of this solo tenor cantata by Peter Schreier on Philips 442 786-2. Listening to this recording, I do find it hard to understand why it was ever attributed to Bach! It is, however, a tuneful and attractive work and if you're interested in the periphery of Bach's works it's well worth seeking out. The first aria is introduced by an insistent ritornello and has a simple an attractive vocal line. The second and third arias benefit from attractive violin accompaniments.

Copyright © 1998, Simon Crouch.