Bach J.S. - Schemelli Gesangbuch 1736: 6 Songs from A.M.Bach Piano Book 1725

Georg Christian Schemelli (around 1680–1762) was a pupil at the Leipzig St. Thomas School and later became cantor at the palace in Zeitz. He owes his fame to the fact that in 1763, he convinced Johann Sebastian Bach to contribute to his Musikalisches Gesang-Buch. Bach provided the figured bass for 69 melodies, as well as contributing some of his own melodies. Exactly how many and which ones he wrote is not known with certainty, as not all composers’ names were included.

The arioso-like quality of these songs makes them especially charming and sets them apart from the customary sacred songs and chorales of their time, allowing singers to create a much more intimate and individual interpretation.