Dmurfet,
My apology if I came on a bit too strong in my first post. You may gather that these works are extremely precious and personal to me. I understand they are not everyones cup of tea. If you're listening to Bach that "warbles" like Italian opera, my sympathy. It should not be that way.
Pragmatist-- You are correct. When Bach was cantor at St. Thomas Kirche in Leipzig, he was overworked, underpaid, and surrounded by talent unable to do his work justice. He wrote works appropriate for each Sunday of the church year. This meant that he would write cantatas supporting that week's appointed gospel or epistle reading, or instead sometimes he would write a cantata based on an existing Lutheran hymn, which were in turn appropriate for or based on that week's epistle or gospel. These works were not intended to entertain anyone, although some are very beautiful. They were not intended to be great works of art. That was not the purpose for which Bach wrote them. An example of what I mean is in the contrast between Jesu der du meine Seele (BWV 78) and Ich habe genug (BWV 82). The first, based on a Lutheran hymn by Johann Rist begins with an anguished cry of thanks to Jesus from a tormented soul. It is not pretty music, nor should it be. The second was I believe ultimately based on the song of Simeon (Nunc Dimitus) which is also a cry of thanks to God for sending his Son, but the mood is one of ultimate serenity and contentment, and the music is absolutely gorgeous.
Bach's vocal work is music for the "Gottesdienst" or Divine Service, it is thoroughly Lutheran in theology and character, and the language is German.
I read German just well enough to know that the English translations provided in liner notes are pretty worthless. In some cases, they aren't even close and clearly intend to obscure or mask the text. This is unfortunate, and all of this means that if you don't read some German you have a real problem in grasping these works.
The works were never meant to have universal appeal.
