BWV 123 “Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen” (Dearest Emanuel, Lord of the faithful): The title of the cantata is deceptive: BWV 123, “Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen”, does not evoke the grand entrance of a powerful nobleman. Rather, this work for the New Year or Epiphany is shaped by gentle, even melancholic tones. At times, the shadow of Good Friday’s cross looms large — indeed, it is almost anticipated throughout the piece. We step into the new year with the awareness of a world that is far from whole. In today’s language, the “Duke of the faithful” might be dismissed as a loser — a failure, even an offence — when measured against the triumphant archetypes demanded by society: the dukes of our time.