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Today in History: Bach writes Ascension cantata in Leipzig

5/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote the church cantata *Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen* in Leipzig for the Christian Feast of the Ascension; it belongs to his third cantata cycle and premiered under his direction on 30 May 1726. The work celebrates Jesus’s ascent to heaven.

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Story summary

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote the church cantata *Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen* in Leipzig for the Christian Feast of the Ascension; it belongs to his third cantata cycle and premiered under his direction on 30 May 1726. The work celebrates Jesus’s ascent to heaven.