Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (1690-1749) was a composer and a contemporary of J.S. Bach. He wrote music for operas, oratorios, and masses, and composed many instrumental works. From 1730 to 1740, Stölzel served the court at Sondershausen, where among his other sacred music he composed 4 cycles of cantatas for the Church Year. Like Bach, he often included chorale settings in his cantatas. While these settings are not as ornate as Bach’s, they are beautiful in their simplicity and are a fine addition to the repertoire of a church choir.