Conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir perform Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut (Lord Jesus Christ, O highest good), BWV 113, a church cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Soloists: Magdalena Kožená: soprano, William Towers: countertenor, Mark Padmore: tenor, Stephan Loges: bass. This performance was recorded in HD at St David’s Cathedral in Wales in 2000. Director: Rhodri Huw.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Herr Jesu Christ
Bach composed this chorale cantata in Leipzig for the eleventh Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 20 August 1724. It is based on a hymn with the same name (1588) by Bartholomäus Ringwaldt (28 November 1532 – c. 1599), the German didactic poet and Lutheran pastor. Ringwaldt is most recognized as a hymn writer.
The cantata in eight movements is for four vocal soloists (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), a four-part choir, two oboes d’amore, flauto traverso, two violins, viola and basso continuo.
- Chorus: Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut
- Chorale (alto): Erbarm dich mein in solcher Last
- Aria (bass): Fürwahr, wenn mir das kömmet ein
- Recitative + Chorale (bass) Jedoch dein heilsam Wort, das macht
- Aria (tenor): Jesus nimmt die Sünder an
- Recitative (tenor): Der Heiland nimmt die Sünder an
- Aria (soprano, alto): Ach Herr, mein Gott, vergib mirs doch
- Chorale: Stärk mich mit deinem Freudengeist
Soloists
- Magdalena Kožená, soprano
- William Towers, alto
- Mark Padmore, tenor
- Stephan Loges, bass

- Monteverdi Choir
- English Baroque Soloists
- Sir John Eliot Gardiner – Conductor
- Director: Rhodri Huw
- St Davids Cathedral in Wales, 2000
Sources
- Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut, BWV 113 on Wikipedia