Bach had become director musices in Leipzig in 1723.
Early in his tenure, he had composed these church cantatas for the Second Day of Christmas, which was held as St. Stephen's Day in uneven years:
1723: Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40, part of Bach's first cantata cycle
1724: Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 121, part of the chorale cantata cycle
1725: Selig ist der Mann, BWV 57, part of Bach's third cantata cycle
In 1733, Augustus III of Poland succeeded his father, Augustus the Strong, as Elector of Saxony and took residence in Dresden.
Bach hoped to become court composer for the Catholic Elector, and dedicated a Latin Missa to him that year, the Kyrie–Gloria Mass in B minor, BWV 232 I. Several of Bach's secular cantatas celebrating the Saxonian prince-electoral family were performed in Leipzig, including these two cantatas first performed in 1733:
Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213, also known as Hercules am Scheidewege (Hercules at the Crossroads), on a libretto by Picander, was performed on 5 September 1733, the 11th birthday of the son of the elector;
A cantata for the elector's wife, Maria Josepha, to honour her 34th birthday on 8 December: Tönet, ihr Pauken!
Erschallet, Trompeten!
BWV 214 (Resound, ye drums!
Ring out, ye trumpets!).
It is also known as "Glückwunschkantate zum Geburtstage der Königin" (Congratulation cantata for the Queen's birthday), although Maria Josepha was not crowned Queen of Poland until January 1734.
Bach had become director musices in Leipzig in 1723. Early in his tenure, he had composed these church cantatas for the Second Day of Christmas, which was held as St. Stephen's Day in uneven years:
1723: Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40, part of Bach's first cantata cycle
1724: Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 121, part of the chorale cantata cycle
1725: Selig ist der Mann, BWV 57, part of Bach's third cantata cycle
In 1733, Augustus III of Poland succeeded his father, Augustus the Strong, as Elector of Saxony and took residence in Dresden. Bach hoped to become court composer for the Catholic Elector, and dedicated a Latin Missa to him that year, the Kyrie–Gloria Mass in B minor, BWV 232 I. Several of Bach's secular cantatas celebrating the Saxonian prince-electoral family were performed in Leipzig, including these two cantatas first performed in 1733:
Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213, also known as Hercules am Scheidewege (Hercules at the Crossroads), on a libretto by Picander, was performed on 5 September 1733, the 11th birthday of the son of the elector;
A cantata for the elector's wife, Maria Josepha, to honour her 34th birthday on 8 December: Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten! BWV 214 (Resound, ye drums! Ring out, ye trumpets!). It is also known as "Glückwunschkantate zum Geburtstage der Königin" (Congratulation cantata for the Queen's birthday), although Maria Josepha was not crowned Queen of Poland until January 1734.
Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248 II