Georg Christian Lehms


Georg Christian Lehms 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 in 1684, Lehms attended the Gymnasium in Görlitz and later studied at the University of Leipzig.
After spending some time at the court of Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, at the end of 1710 Lehms gained a position as court librarian and poet in Darmstadt, capital of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, where by 1713 he had been appointed to the Prince's council.
Lehms died of tuberculosis on 15 May 1717, aged about thirty-three.

Works

Lehms's "gallant" novels were among the earliest of such productions in German literature and began to appear early in his career under the pen-name of Pallidor. The first of these was Die unglückselige Princessin Michal und der verfolgte David, published in Hanover in 1707, followed in 1710 by Des israelitischen Printzens Absolons und seiner Prinzcessin Schwester Thamar Staats- Lebens- und Helden-Geschichte, published by Zieger in Nuremberg; in 1712 the series continued with Der weise König Salomo.
Lehms made his name with the collection Teutschlands Galante Poetinnen.
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 set to words by Lehms.

Selected works

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.
DateOccasionBWVIncipitTranslation
Seventh Sunday after Trinity54Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54Stand firm against sin
Eleventh Sunday after Trinity199Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, BWV 199My heart swims in blood
Christmas Day110Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV 110May our mouth be full of laughter
St. Stephen's Day57Selig ist der Mann, BWV 57Blessed is the Man
Third Day of Christmas151Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt, BWV 151Sweet comfort, my Jesus comes
New Year's Day16Herr Gott, dich loben wir, BWV 16Lord God, we praise You
First Sunday after Epiphany32Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen, BWV 32Beloved Jesus, my desire
Second Sunday after Epiphany13Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen, BWV 13My sighs, my tears
Sixth Sunday after Trinity170Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170Delightful rest, beloved pleasure of the soul
Twelfth Sunday after Trinity35Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35Spirit and soul become confused
1714? 1725? Seventh Sunday after TrinityLiebster Gott, vergißt Du mich

Works online