With our modern notion of the Suffering Bohemian Artist, it is hard to imagine the thorough craftsmanship, practical ingenuity, and innate sense of artistry that had to be available on a tight schedule in the world of this composer. However, he probably had a little more time than usual to work on his first large-scale work for his post in Leipzig. This work was probably composed during the tempus clausum, periods. During these periods, which included Lent and Advent, music that combined instruments and voices was not performed in church. In fact, at the performance of this work, churchgoers would have been hearing their first concerted church music for almost forty days!