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Volume 17 in the Bach cantata series contains exclusively works from the third yearly cycle of cantatas from Leipzig, which, unlike the previous two Leipzig cycles, extends over a longer period of time, from June 1725 until 1727. The cantatas in this volume can be divided into three chronologically distinct groups: December-January 1725-26 (BWV 57, 32), September-October 1726 (BWV 35, 17, 19, 169 and 56) and January-February 1727 (BWV 58 and 84).

Among the text forms used in the third cycle we frequently encounter dialogue poems, usually based on a dialogue between Jesus and the Soul. Typical examples of this type of dialogue cantata are BWV 57 and 58. Features of the third-cycle cantatas include the use of lavish instrumental movements, among which are those with obbligato organ (as in BWV 35 and 169), and the division of the work into two parts. (as in BWV 17 and 35).