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 Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow Cantata CXLVII.: Herz und Mund und That und Leben. Feast of the Visitation of the B.V.M. 1 (1716) - Bach's Chorals, vol. 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts

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Subject Area: Music
Subject Area: Religion

Cantata CXLVII.: Herz und Mund und That und Leben. Feast of the Visitation of the B.V.M. 1 (1716) - Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts [1917]

Edition used:

Bach’s Chorals. Part I: 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts, by Charles Sanford Terry (Cambridge University Press, 1915-1921). 3 vols. Vol. 2.

Part of: Bach’s Chorals, 3 vols.

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Cantata CXLVII.

Herz und Mund und That und Leben. Feast of the Visitation of the B.V.M.1 (1716)

The melody of the two Choral movements, the sixth and the last, of the Cantata is Johann Schop’s “Werde munter, mein Gemüthe” (see Cantata 55).

The words of both Choral movements are from Martin Janus’, or Jahn’s, “Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne,” first published, to Schop’s “Werde munter” (supra), in the Frommer Christen Tagliches Bet-Kammerlein (Görlitz, 1661). The Hymn is sometimes attributed erroneously to Johann Scheffler (1624-77).

Janus was born c. 1620 and probably was a native of Silesia. He was precentor at Sorau and later at Sagan. He died about 1682 at Ohlau, where he is said to have been precentor.

(a)

The words of the sixth movement are the sixth stanza of Janus’ Hymn:

  • Wohl mir, das ich Jesum habe,
  • O wie feste halt’ ich ihn,
  • Dass er mir mein Herze labe,
  • Wenn ich krank und traurig bin.
  • Jesum hab’ ich, der mich liebet
  • Und sich mir zu eigen giebet1 .
  • Ach drum lass’ ich Jesum nicht,
  • Wenn mir gleich mein2 Herze bricht.

  • B.G. xxx. 213.

An English translation of the Hymn is noted in the Dictionary of Hymnology, p. 579.

Form. Extended (Tromba, Oboi, Strings, Continuo).

(b)

The words of the concluding Choral are the seventeenth stanza of Janus’ Hymn:

  • Jesus bleibet meine Freude,
  • Meines Herzens Trost und Saft,
  • Jesus wehret3 allem Leide,
  • Er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
  • Meiner Augen Lust und Sonne,
  • Meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne,
  • Darum lass’4 ich Jesum nicht
  • Aus dem Herzen und Gesicht.

  • B.G. xxx. 229.

Form. Extended (Tromba, Oboi, Strings, Continuo).

[1 ] Spitta, ii. 412, states that the Cantata was written originally for the Fourth Sunday in Advent and was adjusted to the Visitation Feast at Leipzig, where there was no opportunity for its use on the Sunday for which it was composed.

[1 ] 1661 Und sein Leben fur mich giebet.

[2 ] 1661 das.

[3 ] 1661 steuret.

[4 ] 1661 O! drumb lass.