Picander

Picander was the pseudonym of Christian Friedrich Henrici (January 14, 1700 – May 10, 1764), a German poet and librettist for many of Johann Sebastian Bach's Leipzig cantatas. Henrici studied law at Wittenberg and Leipzig and most likely practiced or taught law while writing poetry on the side.

The preface to one of his volumes of poetry indicates that the entire volume was set to music by Bach in 1729, although only nine cantatas based on that particular volume have survived to the present day. Since some of Bach's most important works, in particular the Coffee Cantata (BWV 211, 1732–1734), the St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244, 1727), and the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248, 1734) used Henrici's librettos, this may indicate an especially tragic loss of Bach's music.

External links

• Biographical sketch (in German)

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