Cantata Information
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1
Created 25 March 1725, Leipzig period. Occasion: Annunciation.
BWV2 (1990 catalogue): BWV 1.
Listen to this cantata in these playlists
Annunciation
Palm Sunday
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From the Bach Archiv Leipzig, this website offers scientifically sound information on the works of Johann Sebastian Bach as well as on the transmission of sources for this body of works up to around 1850, in accordance with the most up-to-date research.
A vast, long-running online resource created and curated by Aryeh Oron. It offers an unparalleled collection of information on J.S. Bach’s cantatas and other vocal works — including texts, translations, discographies, performer biographies, and historical notes — making it one of the most comprehensive Bach reference sites on the internet.
This Swiss foundation has set itself the unique task of performing the entire vocal works of Bach within a period of around 25 years. With great musical passion and historical performance practice, the choir and orchestra, conducted by Rudolf Lutz, interpret Bach's works to the highest standard. In their Bachipedia section you can find notes on all cantatas they have performed. In German, English and Spanish.
Of course the world's biggest encyclopedia has very deep information on all things Bach.
This Dutch Bach scholar created a website with information on all cantatas and other vocal works, with the librettos translated into Dutch, links to videos, other websites and much more. Since Eduard's death in 2024 I'm assisting his widow Ria to maintain the site, because such a wonderful resource must be preserved. In Dutch.
A very complete site containing the lyrics to most cantatas and an English translation, curated by two musical scholars and absolute Bach authorities, Michael Marissen and Daniel R. Melamed.
A collective group of singers and instrumentalists founded in 1970 by Craig Smith. It was created specifically to perform the complete cycle of over 200 sacred cantatas of J. S. Bach in the liturgical setting for which they were intended, an endeavor twice completed and a tradition which continues today. Has both notes on cantatas and translated librettos.
Emmanuel Music Boston has English translations for many cantatas.
The International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), also known as the Petrucci Music Library after publisher Ottaviano Petrucci, is a digital library of public-domain music scores, available either as a subscription-based service or free without registering.
A Swiss website with French translations of the Bach cantatas.
A website with the texts and instrumentations of J. S. Bach's cantatas, motets, masses, passions, oratorios, and chorales.
Discogs (short for "discographies") is an online database and marketplace for audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Its user-generated database aims to catalogue every physical music release ever made. As of 2025, it contains over 18 million entries.
Videos with this cantata
Bach-Stiftung
Published 26 March 2022J.S. Bach - Cantata BWV 1 "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" (J.S. Bach Foundation)
Bach-Stiftung workshop
Published 24 March 2022Bach erklärt: Workshop zur Kantate BWV 1 "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" (J.S. Bach-Stiftung)
Fritz Lehmann (1952)
Published 10 January 2014BACH: Cantata BWV 1 "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern"
Helmut Rilling
Published 29 March 2012JS Bach Cantata BWV１ Rilling Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
John Eliot Gardiner
Published 16 July 2011Bach - 'Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern' BWV 1
Karl Richter
Published 15 March 2014J.S. Bach Cantata Wie schoen leuchtet der Morgenstern BWV 1 Karl Richter
La Petite Bande
Published 3 March 2013J.S. Bach / Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1 (Kuijken)
Masaaki Suzuki
Published 3 December 2021J. S. Bach - Cantatas BWV 1, 126, 127 - M. Suzuki (CD 34/55)
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Published 1 September 2019Bach - Cantate BWV 1 - Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Ton Koopman
Published 2 March 2014J.S.Bach - Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern BWV 1