Cantata BWV 78 Jesu der du meine Seele

Jesu, der du meine Seele BWV 78 (Jesu, by Thy Cross and Passion)
Cantata for the 14th Sunday after Trinity

The cantata Jesu, der du meine Seele is one of the famous cycle of chorale cantatas which Bach wroteduring the second year of his Leipzig appointment. It was probably performed for the first time on 10 September 1724, the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, in one of the principal Leipzig churches. The text is based on JohannRist’s at that time widely known hymn of 1641. As in most of the cantatas of this cycle, the corner-stones are provided by the first and last verses, which appear in an unaltered form; whereas the middle verses werefreelyremodelled as arias and recitatives.