Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

Description

“Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring”(or simply “Joy”) is the most common English title of a piece of music derived from a chorale setting 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 1723.


Bach composed a four-part setting with independent orchestral accompaniment of two stanzas of the hymn “Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne”, written by Martin Janus in 1661, which was sung to a melody by the violinist and composer Johann Schop, “Werde munter, mein Gemüthe”.