Georg Christian Lehms

Georg Christian Lehms (; 1684 – 15 May 1717) was a German poet and novelist who sometimes used the pen-name Pallidor. He published poetry, novels, libretti for operas, and the texts of cantatas.

Life Born in Liegnitz (now in Poland) in 1684, Lehms attended the Gymnasium (secondary school) in Görlitz and later studied at the University of Leipzig.

Lehms died of tuberculosis on 15 May 1717, aged about thirty-three.

Lehms made his name with the collection Teutschlands Galante Poetinnen (Germany's Gallant Poetesses). The title page of Teutschlands Galante Poetinnen sums up the work thus:

Lehms wrote libretti for operas and cantatas. The cantatas, while being religious works performed as part of the Lutheran services of the Darmstadt court, can be seen as influenced by secular poetry like the cantatas of Neumeister. They were set to music by Christoph Graupner, the Kapellmeister, and his assistant Gottfried Grünewald. The texts were published and it is assumed that Johann Sebastian Bach obtained a copy. While working at Weimar, Bach set words by Lehms for his first two solo cantatas. He avoided the poet's larger-scale work, going on to use the more intimate texts for another eight of his surviving cantatas. There is also evidence for a lost cantata (Cantata BWV Anh. 209) set to words by Lehms.

Selected works Die unglückselige Princessin Michal und der verfolgte David (The hapless Princess Michal and persecuted David) (Hanover: Nicolaus Förster, 1707) Des israelitischen Printzens Absolons und seiner Prinzcessin Schwester Thamar Staats- Lebens- und Helden-Geschichte (The Heroic Life and History of the Israelite Prince Absolom and of his Princess Sister Tamar)(Nuremberg: Zieger, 1710) Der weise König Salomo, in einer Staats- und Helden-Geschichte (The Royal and Heroic History of Wise King Solomon) (Hamburg & Leipzig: Johann von Wiering, 1712) Das singende Lob Gottes, in einem Jahrgang andächtiger und Gottgefälliger Kirch-Music (The Hymning of God, in an Annual Volume of devotional Church Music pleasing to God) (Darmstadt: Johann Georg John, 1712) Teutschlands Galante Poetinnen (Germany's Gallant Poetesses), in two parts, (Frankfurt am Main: Samuel Tobias Hocker, 1714–15; new editions at Darmstadt, Josef Gotthard Blaschke Verlag, 1966, and Leipzig, 1973)

Bach cantatas based on texts by Lehms The table of cantatas which Bach set to music is sortable by time of first performance, occasion in the liturgical year, BWV catalogue, Incipit and translation of the incipit.

+ Cantatas set by Bach on texts by Lehms Date Occasion BWV Incipit Translation Seventh Sunday after Trinity 54 Stand firm against sin Eleventh Sunday after Trinity 199 My heart swims in blood Christmas Day 110 May our mouth be full of laughter Saint Stephen's Day 57 Blessed is the Man Third Day of Christmas 151 Sweet comfort, my Jesus comes New Year's Day 16 Lord God, we praise You First Sunday after Epiphany 32 Beloved Jesus, my desire Second Sunday after Epiphany 13 My sighs, my tears Sixth Sunday after Trinity 170 Delightful rest, beloved pleasure of the soul Twelfth Sunday after Trinity 35 Spirit and soul become confused 1714? 1725? Seventh Sunday after Trinity

Notes and references