Jesu, joy of man's desiring

During most of his career in Leipzig Bach composed about one cantata per month. About 200 of the total 300 cantatas he created have been preserved. 'Jesus bleibet meine Freude' (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) is the title of the 10th movement of the cantata 'Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben', BWV 147. Today, this cantata is often performed at ceremonies slowly and reverently, in defiance of the effect suggested by Bach in his original scoring for voices with trumpet, oboes, strings, and continuo. Written during his first year in Leipzig, Germany, this chorale movement is one of Bach's most enduring works.