According to Prof. W. Reich (Dresden), Zelenka specified four lines of music in choral works - for sopranos (S), altos (A), tenors (T), and basses (B), and if for example there was a passage for a soprano solo, this would be indicated specifically in the line of music for soprano. Thus, any of the sopranos in the choir might also act as soloist, and the same applied for the other registers.

Until the arrival of Hasse in Dresden in the early 1730s, Zelenka probably employed three sopranos, three altos, three tenors and three basses altogether for music "à 4", after which time he would probably have been able to employ four of each. Thus, the notation "SATB, soli; SATB, ch." as opposed to just "SATB, ch." simply means that there are points in the score where S, A, T and B solo voices are specified.