List of Bach cantatas

Bach's earliest cantatas were written possibly from 1707, the year he moved to Mühlhausen, although he may have begun composing them at his previous post in Arnstadt.

Bach also composed cantatas for other church services such as weddings and Ratswahl (the inauguration of a new town council), and he wrote secular cantatas, around 50 known works, for occasions such as academic functions of the University of Leipzig, and anniversaries and entertainment among the nobility and in society.

The abbreviations of performers are given for solo singers, choir (typically SATB), brass instruments (plus timpani), woodwinds, strings, keyboard and basso continuo.

The basso continuo consists of a group of players, depending upon the scoring of the cantata and the performance location.

Most of the church cantatas are composed for occasions of the Lutheran liturgical year and related to prescribed readings.