Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11

Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen Ascension Oratorio
BWV 11
Oratorio by J. S. Bach
Ascension, Church of the Holy Cross in Jelenia Góra
Native name	Oratorium In Festo Ascensionis
Related	Agnus Dei
Occasion	Feast of the Ascension
Cantata text	Picander?
Bible text	Luke, Acts, Mark Luke 24:50–51 Acts 1:9 Mark 16:19 Acts 1:10–11 Luke 24:52 Acts 1:12
Chorale	by Johann Rist by Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer
Performed	15 May 1738 (1738-05-15)?: Leipzig
Movements	11 in two parts (6 + 5)
Vocal	SATB soloists and choir
Instrumental	3 trumpets timpani 2 flauti traversi 2 oboes 2 violins viola continuo

Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (Laud to God in all his kingdoms), BWV 11,^[a] known as the Ascension Oratorio (Himmelfahrtsoratorium), is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, marked by him as Oratorium In Festo Ascensionis Xsti (Oratorio for the feast of the Ascension of Christ), composed for the service for Ascension and probably first performed on 15 May 1738.

Bach had composed his Christmas Oratorio, based on the gospels of Luke and Matthew, in 1734. He had composed an Easter Oratorio already in 1725. The text for the Ascension Oratorio, a compilation of several biblical sources, free poetry and chorales, was presumably written by Picander who may also have worked on the libretto for the Christmas Oratorio. It follows the story of the Ascension as told in Luke, Mark and the Acts of the Apostles. The oratorio is structured in eleven movements in two parts, taking about half an hour to perform. It is framed by extended choral movements, Part I is concluded by the fourth stanza of Johann Rist's hymn "Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ" in a four-part setting. The closing chorale on the seventh stanza of Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer's "Gott fähret auf gen Himmel" is set as a chorale fantasia. The work is richly scored for the feast day, exactly like the Christmas Oratorio for four vocal parts, three trumpets, timpani, two flauti traversi, two oboes, strings and continuo.

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