Bach’s cantata BWV 151, whose wonderfully heartfelt opening aria has been rightly numbered among Bach’s “most inspired ideas” [Alfred Dürr], was composed for the 3rd day of Christmas 1725. Flute and oboe d’amore lend pastoral coloring to the chamber music sound picture. The oboe d’amore was not originally included in Bach’s score; after completing the score he added the part to the orchestra for the first performance. In a later performance about 1728 1731 Bach replaced the flute by a solo violi...