It is the second of nine cantatas on texts by Christiana Mariana von Ziegler, with whom he collaborated at the end of his second cantata cycle. She used two quotations from the prescribed gospel from the Farewell discourses and closed the cantata with a stanza from Paul Gerhardt's "Gott Vater, sende deinen Geist". The topic is the prediction of Jesus of his parting and the coming of the Spirit as a comforter. The first announcement is sung by the bass as the vox Christi, the second, in the centre of the work, by the chorus in three fugues combined in motet style but unified by similar themes. Bach scored the cantata for three vocal soloists (alto, tenor and bass), a four-part choir, and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of two oboes d'amore, strings and continuo. He used elements of word-painting, such as very long notes to illustrate firm belief, and sigh motifs interrupted by rests to illustrate the desiring heart.

Librettist (John 16: 7 (No.1) Christiana Mariana von Ziegler (1695-1760) (Nos.2, 3, 5) John 16: 13 (No.4) Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) (No.6))
Date of composition 1725 in Leipzig, Germany
Premiered 1725, April 29th in Leipzig, Germany
First published 1876 (BGA)
Dedicated to 4th Sunday after Easter (Cantate)
Type Sacred Cantata
Tonality A Major
Catalogue BWV 108
Instruments 3x Voice
Chorus/Choir
Orchestra
Links
Autotranslations beta Jean-Sébastien Bach: Es ist euch gut, daß ich hingehe en la majeur, BWV 108
Johann Sebastian Bach: Es ist euch gut, daß ich hingehe in la maggiore, BWV 108
Johann Sebastian Bach: Es ist euch gut, daß ich hingehe A-dur, BWV 108