Composed for the First Sunday after Epiphany, which fell on January 13, 1726, Bach's Cantata No. 32 "Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen" (Dearest Jesus, my desire) (BWV 32) sets a text by Georg Christian Lehms. The text is a dialogue between Jesus and the soul. As was his usual procedure, Bach cast Jesus as a bass and the soul as a soprano. The cantata is simply scored for soprano and bass soloists, chorus, oboe, strings, and basso continuo. "Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen" begins with its first movement in dark E minor and its second in the major dominant of B major, which leads back to the original tonic of E minor for the third movement. But while its fourth starts in the dominant of B major, it closes in the relative major of serene G major, the tonality of the sixth and final movement. The fifth movement in D major serves as a structural dominant for the G major of the closing chorale. The first movement is a gloomy Adagio aria for soprano with a soulful obbligato oboe dueting above piano e spiccato sempre strings and continuo. The second movement is a very brief and restrained secco recitative for bass soloist and continuo. The third is a triple-time da capo aria in the form of a trio sonata for bass soloist, solo violin, and continuo. The fourth is a recitative for both soprano and bass soloist with strings and continuo. The fifth is a confident da capo aria duetto for both soloists with the highly embellished first violins serving as a third solo voice above the oboe, strings, and continuo. "Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen" concludes with a chorale for chorus and full orchestra colla parte. ~ James Leonard, All Music Guide
