Herr Gott, dich loben wir, BWV 16

Herr Gott, dich loben wir (Lord God, we praise You), BWV 16, is a church cantata for New Year's Day by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was first performed on 1 January 1726 in Leipzig, as part of the composer's third cantata cycle. Its libretto is by Georg Christian Lehms, as for three other of Bach's cantatas for that Christmas season that started with Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV 110 on Christmas Day. He opened his text with the beginning of "Herr Gott, dich loben wir", Luther's German Te Deum, and continued with expressing thanks for the completed year and prayers for future blessing. The cantata is closed with a stanza from Paul Eber's "Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen" for the closing chorale. Bach structured the work in six movements and scored it for three vocal soloists (alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, corno da caccia, oboes, strings and basso continuo. The work features an unusual aria performed by a soloist with the choir.