Christoph Birkmann

Birkmann organised the material for the liturgical year of 1728/29, but it was drawn from texts used in the church music at Leipzig during his stay there.

The fact that other librettists, such as Picander, are featured obscured Birkmann's creative contribution to the collection.

[2] However, according to research by Christine Blanken, published in the Bach-Jahrbuch in 2015, Birkmann was in all probability one of Bach's librettists, his texts including the well-known solo cantata Ich habe genug, BWV 82 (1727).

[3][1] The International Music Score Library Project has recognised Birkmann as the librettist for eight Bach cantatas in total.

There is also evidence that Birkmann took part either as a singer or instrumentalist in performances directed by Bach.