This cantata was first performed 20 January 1726. It is a particularly melancholic work, decrying the painful moments of life, and how God's help can be in operation even when it is not detectable. Bach scored this piece with two recorders, oboe da caccia, strings and continuo; it is an especially spare arrangement, offering a somber and intimate atmosphere. The opening tenor aria entirely avoids major keys or chords, and the strings are mostly silent, creating a feeling of solitude and helplessness. Such is the effect of this blend of monochrome harmony and timbre. This atmosphere is amplified by the poetry of G. C. Lehms, the Darmstadt court poet. It demonstrates the lamentations and galvanization of the faithful in grievous times, wherein the put upon and self-pitying subject eventually sees his way back into a hopeful frame of mind. This is done in degrees, which in part define the character of each separate movement. The structure is not particularly unusual at first glance, proceeding Aria, Recitative, Chorale, Aria, Recitative, and Chorale. Cantata 13's potentially mundane symmetry is broken up, in part, by the first Chorale being performed by a solo alto, while an actual chorus performs the second Chorale. The text of the second chorale is not derived from the Lehms' poem. It is from the ninth strophe of Paul Fleming's In allen meinen Taten (1641). It does not lighten the mood much, but it does demonstrate the process of steeling one's self against fate can be made easier and healthier through faith. The tonality is a conclusive and fleshed out four-part harmonization in B flat major. Bach's inclusion of the final movement from an outside source, and the extent to which it works to make the music's sacred message concrete and positive, shows the most resourceful side of the composer's genius. The road back to hope from despair has rarely been so compellingly illustrated His understanding of dramatic contour and completion of storytelling is among a daunting arsenal of gifts that make all of Bach's cantatas worth hearing. ~ John Keillor, All Music Guide
