The Bach Factory is a video series by the J.S. Bach Foundation in St. Gallen that offers interesting introductions to Bach’s cantatas, complete with excerpts from their live performances.

Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantata BWV 12 “Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen” (Weeping, Wailing, Grieving, Fearing) is a musical contemplation on a powerful Christian theme – the promise that suffering and sorrow will ultimately give way to joy. But how does the cantata trace the arc from despair to hope? Rudolf Lutz and Xoán Elías Castiñeira guide viewers through the cantata, providing insights into its compositional structure and development.

The concert recording, introductory workshop and reflective lecture (in German) are available at Bachipedia.