Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, BWV 38

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir
BWV 38
Chorale cantata by J. S. Bach
Luther's hymn, the basis for the cantata, in a 1524 print
Occasion	21st Sunday after Trinity
Performed	29 October 1724 (1724-10-29): Leipzig
Chorale	"Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir" by Martin Luther
Vocal	SATB choir and solo
Instrumental	4 trombones 2 oboes strings continuo

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (Out of deep anguish I call to You),BWV 38, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the chorale cantata in Leipzig in 1724 for the 21st Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 29 October 1724.

The cantata is part of Bach's second annual cycle, which focused on Lutheran hymns. It is based on Martin Luther's penitential hymn "Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir", a paraphrase of Psalm 130. Luther's first and last stanza are used unchanged: the former treated as a chorale fantasia, the latter as a four-part closing chorale. An unknown librettist paraphrased the three inner stanzas as two sets of recitatives and arias. Bach scored the cantata for four vocal soloists, a four-part choir, and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of four trombones, two oboes, strings and continuo. The cantata is unusual in its use of the chorale tune not only in the outer movements, but as material for motifs in recitative and aria, once even taking the chorale melody as a continuo line. In keeping with the spirit of the 200-year-old hymn, which paraphrases the Old Testament, Bach used motet style in the outer movements, with all instruments, especially the four trombones, enforcing the vocal lines.

Bach composed this chorale cantata in Leipzig in 1724. Written for the 21st Sunday after Trinity, it was part of his second annual cycle of cantatas which was planned as a cycle of chorale cantatas, based on prominent Lutheran hymns, for all occasions of the liturgical year.