Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf BWV 1092
Jesu, Jesu, du bist mein BWV 470
Kommt, Seelen, dieser Tag BWV 479
Ach, daß nicht die letzte Stunde BWV 439
Dich bet ich an, mein höchster Gott BWV 449
O Lamm Gottes unschuldig BWV 1095
Beschränkt, ihr Weisen dieser Welt BWV 443
Jesu, deine Liebeswunden BWV 471
Kommt wieder aus der finstern Gruft BWV 480
O liebe Seele, zieh die Sinnen BWV 494
Schaff’s mit mit Gott nach deinem Willen BWV 514
Gigue - from Pastorale BWV 590
Ich liebe Jesum alle Stund BWV 468
Eins ist not! Ach Herr, dies Eine BWV 453
Ich halte treulich still BWV 466
O finstre Nacht, wann wirst du doch vergehen BWV 492
Gib dich zufrieden und sei stille BWV 511
Vater Unser im Himmelreich in d minor BWV 683
Gott, wie groß ist deine Güte BWV 462
Liebster Herr Jesu, wo bleibst du so lange BWV 484
Mein Jesu! was vor Seelenweh BWV 487
Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen BWV 452
Auf, auf! Die rechte Zeit ist hier BWV 440
Wenn nur den lieben Gott läßt walten BWV 691
So wünsch ich mir zu guter Letzt BWV 502
Vergiß mein nicht BWV 505
Selig, wer an Jesum denkt BWV 498
Komm, süßer Tod BWV 478
Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier BWV 469
Canzona in D minor BWV 588

Only from the mid-1730s does Bach seem to be concerned with composing songs to contemporary lyrics. We find such a small series especially in the second piano booklet for Anna Magdalena Bach. He and his wife composed some "new songs" that certainly enriched everyday life in the family, such as making music together in the evening or prayers at home with their children. Among these six songs, there are especially those whose lyrics provide comfort.

The songs of the musical hymnbook have been given their title "Schemelli-Lieder" after the editor Georg Christian Schemelli (around 1680–1762). Schemelli is certainly responsible for the main selection of 954 songs and thus also for the selection of Bach settings to music.

The publication was titled Musicalisches Gesang-Buch (Musical Hymnbook) and contains 954 "witty, both old and new songs and arias, with well-set melodies, in discant and bass". In the preface of April 24 , 1736, the Naumburg superintendent Friedrich Schulze wrote the following:

The melodies contained in this Musicalisches Gesang-Buch are by Johann Sebastian Bach, Master of the Chapel Choir and Choir Conductor. Musicians in Leipzig, partly composed completely new, partly also improved by him in the basso continuo.

Of 69 songs with (mostly) figured bass, 21 are hymnologically detectable for the first time in this printing. Exactly these 21 songs were therefore taken as the basis for the selection here from the Musicalisches Gesang-Buch in addition to the mentioned small selection from the second book of sheet music of Anna Magdalena Bach.