Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern ('How beautifully the morning star shines'), BWV 1, is a church cantata for the Annunciation by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed his chorale cantata in 1725, based on Philipp Nicolai's 1599 hymn, for the 25 March feast which coincided with Palm Sunday that year. The theme of the hymn suits both occasions, in a spirit of longing expectation of an arrival. The hymn was paraphrased by a contemporary poet who retained its first and last stanzas unchanged, set as a chorale fantasia and the closing chorale, but transformed the inner stanzas into a sequence of alternating recitatives and arias. Bach scored the work for three vocal soloists, a four-part choir and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of two horns, two oboes da caccia, two solo violins (part pictured), strings and continuo. It is the last chorale cantata of his second cantata cycle, begins the Bach-Gesellschaft's 1851 complete edition of his works and is listed as No. 1 in the 1950 Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wie_sch%C3%B6n_leuchtet_der_Morgenstern,_BWV_1

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1655:

Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens discovered Titan, the largest natural satellite of Saturn. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_%28moon%29

1911:

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City killed 146 sweatshop workers, many of whom could not escape because the doors to the stairwells and exits had been locked. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire

1934:

Enrico Fermi published his discovery of neutron-induced radioactivity, for which he was later awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1938. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Fermi

1975:

King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was shot and killed by his nephew Faisal bin Musaid. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faisal_bin_Musaid_Al_Saud

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

adytum: 1. (Ancient Greece, religion) The innermost sanctuary or shrine in an ancient temple, from where oracles were given. 2. (by extension) A private chamber; a sanctum. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/adytum

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine represents a fundamental challenge to the values and norms that have brought security and prosperity to all on the European continent. President Putin’s choice to attack Ukraine is a strategic mistake, with grave consequences also for Russia and the Russian people. We remain united and resolute in our determination to oppose Russia’s aggression, aid the government and the people of Ukraine, and defend the security of all Allies.   --NATO https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/NATO