Jesu Joy of Mans Desiring Program Notes, recordings and sheet music

Program Notes & Analysis

The Re-Gifted Masterpiece

For a composer as famously devout as Johann Sebastian Bach, it might seem surprising that one of his most beloved sacred works was, in fact, recycled. The original version of Cantata 147 was a shorter work for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, a solemn, penitential time in the church calendar when music was often muted or absent altogether. When Bach moved to Leipzig, this Advent cantata became liturgically useless, as the city observed a musical silence during this period. Rather than let a good piece of music go to waste, Bach saw an opportunity. For the joyous Feast of the Visitation, which celebrated Mary's visit to Elizabeth, he took his old Advent cantata, added several new movements, swapped out the text, and repurposed it. This act of self-plagiarism wasn't a shortcut for a lazy composer; it was the practical and ingenious act of a master craftsman who knew he had created something special, something that deserved to be heard in a new and glorious context.

From Weimar to Leipzig: The Cantata's Journey

The journey of BWV 147 is a fascinating glimpse into Bach's working method. The original core of the work, composed in Weimar in 1716, likely consisted of the opening chorus and a series of arias and recitatives. When Bach prepared it for Leipzig in 1723, the text, which originally focused on John the Baptist, was adapted by an unknown librettist to fit the themes of the Visitation: Mary's faith, her song of praise (the Magnificat), and the joyful leaping of the unborn John in his mother's womb. Bach's most significant additions were a new set of recitatives and, most crucially, two appearances of the sublime chorale setting that would grant the work its immortality. He divided the cantata into two parts, to be performed before and after the sermon, creating a perfectly balanced and substantial musical offering.

Part I: The Call to Confession

Movement 1: Chorus - Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben

The cantata opens not with a gentle prelude, but with a magnificent, concerto-like chorus that bursts forth with unrestrained energy. A brilliant and virtuosic trumpet solo soars above a bustling orchestra of strings and reeds. The music is a stunning depiction of joyful, active faith. The choir enters with bold, imitative passages, declaring that "Heart and mouth and deed and life" must all bear witness to Christ. The structure is complex and thrilling, a fusion of Italian instrumental style with German contrapuntal rigor. It is a powerful call to action, setting a tone of vibrant celebration that will permeate the entire work.

Movement 2: Recitative - Gebenedeiter Mund! (Tenor)

Following the grand opening, the tenor soloist takes over in a more speech-like recitative. The text reflects on the wonder of Mary's words in the Magnificat. Bach's setting is expressive and fluid, allowing the text to be delivered with clarity and meaning, serving as a bridge between the opening chorus and the first aria.

Movement 3: Aria - Schäme dich, o Seele, nicht (Alto)

This aria for alto, accompanied by a soulful oboe d'amore, is a tender and intimate plea to the soul not to be ashamed of its faith. The music has a gentle, rocking quality, creating a sense of comfort and reassurance. The interplay between the alto voice and the oboe d'amore is exquisite, weaving a delicate tapestry of sound that underscores the text's message of quiet but firm confession.

Movement 4: Recitative - Verstockung kann Gewaltige verblenden (Bass)

The mood shifts as the bass soloist delivers a stern warning against the stubbornness that can blind the powerful. Bach uses a simple continuo accompaniment, which allows the bass's authoritative voice to deliver the text with weight and gravity. It is a moment of theological admonishment before the joy returns.

Movement 5: Aria - Bereite dir, Jesu, noch itzo die Bahn (Soprano)

The soprano aria is a prayer of preparation, asking Jesus to "prepare the way." Accompanied by a solo violin, the music is light, graceful, and filled with a sense of eager anticipation. The violin part is intricate and virtuosic, dancing around the soprano's clear, lyrical vocal line. It is a moment of pure, heartfelt devotion, a personal invitation to the divine.

Movement 6: Chorale - Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe

Part I concludes with the first appearance of the world-famous chorale, known as "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." The setting is a masterpiece of textural layering. The choir sings the hymn tune, by Johann Schop, in simple, noble, four-part harmony. Floating high above them, the full orchestra weaves a continuous, flowing, and unforgettable triplet-based melody. This orchestral halo transforms the simple hymn into something sublime, a musical depiction of divine grace surrounding and sustaining the faithful. It is a moment of profound peace and unwavering joy.

Part II: The Fruits of Faith

Movement 7: Aria - Hilf, Jesu, hilf (Tenor)

Part II, performed after the sermon, opens with an urgent and dramatic aria for tenor. Accompanied by the cello and continuo, the tenor calls on Jesus for help, pledging his faith in return. The music is driven and energetic, with a walking bass line that conveys a sense of determined purpose. It is a renewal of the call to active faith that opened the cantata.

Movement 8: Recitative - Der höchsten Allmacht Wunderhand (Alto)

The alto returns for a longer, more contemplative recitative, accompanied by the full string section. The text reflects on the miracle of the Visitation and John the Baptist's leaping in the womb. Bach's setting is warm and expressive, using the strings to create a rich harmonic cushion for the singer's reflections on God's wondrous power.

Movement 9: Aria - Ich will von Jesu Wundern singen (Bass)

The final aria is a resolute declaration from the bass soloist, accompanied by the full orchestra led by the triumphant trumpet. "I will sing of Jesus's wonders," the bass proclaims, and the music reflects this bold statement. The trumpet provides brilliant fanfares, echoing the grandeur of the opening chorus. It is a powerful, affirmative statement of faith, a promise to bear witness through song.

Movement 10: Chorale - Jesus bleibet meine Freude

Bach concludes the cantata by bringing back the magnificent chorale setting from the end of Part I, now with the final stanza of the hymn. The text translates to "Jesus remains my joy." This repetition is a stroke of structural genius, providing perfect musical and theological symmetry. The return of the serene, flowing orchestral melody over the steadfast hymn brings the entire work to a close in a state of sublime and peaceful certainty. It is this final, comforting assurance of abiding joy that has made the melody one of the most cherished in all of music, a perfect distillation of the cantata's message of a faith that is at once active, vocal, and eternally joyful.