Johann Sebastian Bach

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring is the most common English title of the 10th and last movement of the cantata 'Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben', BWV 147 ('Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life'), composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1716 and 1723. Today, it is often performed at wedding ceremonies as well as during Christian festive seasons like Christmas and Easter, slowly and reverently. This is, however, in contrast to the effect suggested by Bach in his original scoring for voices with trumpet, oboes, strings, and continuo. The music's wide popularity has led to numerous arrangements and transcriptions such as the present one for clarinet octet or choir by Prof. Hideaki Iwai.