• Easter Tuesday
• Epistle: Acts xiii. 26-33 (Paul preaches Christ risen)
• Gospel: Luke xxiv. 36-47 (Jesus appears to the twelve)
• Rating: 2

BWV 145 is a bit of an oddity, surviving as it does only in a nineteenth century manuscript and prefaced in that with an opening chorus by Telemann and a chorale of unknown provenance. One must assume that Bach's original opening got lost somewhere along the way, or perhaps Bach really was pushed for time one Sunday! What is left runs to only about ten minutes worth of music and substantially consists of two arias (one a duet for soprano and tenor and the second for bass), a recitative and the concluding chorale. The two arias are thoroughly pleasant pieces of music, the first is decidedly tuneful and is accompanied by an attractive violin figure, the second is forthright and bounces along like a drinking song!

Copyright © 1996 & 1998, Simon Crouch.