Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt, BWV 18

"Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt", BWV 18 is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. The title means "Just as the rain and snow fall from heaven" in English. It was written for the Sexagesima Sunday. Bach probably wrote the cantata in 1713, when he was working in Weimar. He used the cantata again when he worked as the "Thomaskantor" in Leipzig.
Structure.
The first version of the cantata was written for SATB choir and soloists, four violas, a bassoon, and basso continuo. The instrumentation was unusual at that time. Bach added two recorders when he worked in Leipzig. The cantata has five movements: