Bach wrote the cantata in his second year in Leipzig, when he composed an annual cycle of chorale cantatas. For the 14th Sunday after Trinity, 10 September 1724, he chose the chorale of Johann Rist (1641) in 12 stanzas. Rist set the words and probably also the melody. An unknown librettist wrote the poetry for seven movements, keeping the first and last stanza and quoting some of the original lines as part of his own writing in the other movements. Movement 2 corresponds to stanza 2 of the chorale, 6 to 11, 3 to 3–5, 4 to 6–7, and 5 to 8–10.

Original Name Jesu, der du meine Seele
Date of composition 1724
Premiered 1724, September 10th
First published 1870 (BGA)
Dedicated to 14th Sunday after Trinity
Type Sacred Cantata
Tonality G Minor
Catalogue BWV 78
Spoken language German
Instruments 4x Voice
Chorus/Choir
Orchestra
Links
Autotranslations beta Jean-Sébastien Bach: Jesus, by whom my soul en sol mineur, BWV 78
Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesus, by whom my soul in sol minore, BWV 78
Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesus, by whom my soul g-moll, BWV 78