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Benjamin Schmolck published the cantata cycle "Saiten-Spiel des Herzens" (String Music of the Heart) in 1720 in Leipzig/Breslau with 88 Texts between 1st Sunday in Advent and 27th Sunday after Trinity, and texts for feasts of the Apostles and some others. B. Schmolck provided more than one cantata text for some of the most important feasts. His librettos have five sections: Aria - Recitative - Aria - Recitative - Aria.
Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel composed his cycle on these texts probably in 1724-1725 (or one year earlier?). He split the librettos he used in two halves, adding a chorale from the hymnal used in Gotha as a conclusion of each half: thus the structure of his cantatas based on B. Schmolck's librettos became (Part I:) Aria - Recitative - Aria - Chorale, and (Part II:) Recitative - Aria - Chorale. With only a few exceptions, G.H. Stölzel scored the String Music cantatas for only 4 vocal parts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) and 4 instruments (1st and 2nd violins, viola and basso continuo). Only two feast-day cantatas (Christmas Day and Easter Day [Easter Sunday]) add the required 3 trumpets and timpani. The cycle was performed in Zerbst (1724-1725), after a presumed earlier performance of the cycle in Gotha. |
