Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147

Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Heart and mouth and deed and mind) is rightly praised as one of Bach’s most dramatic, large-scale cantatas
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Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Heart and mouth and deed and mind) is rightly praised as one of Bach’s most dramatic, large-scale cantatas as well as one of his most beloved. It was originally conceived in six movements for Advent in 1716, but he expanded it to ten in his first year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig.

The sixth and tenth movements feature the chorale tune “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring," to which Bach added his famous arpeggiated string accompaniment. He also added two oboes and oboe d’amore which are featured throughout, and an expanded role for the trumpet.