Johann Sebastian Bach (March 1685 – July 1750) born in Eisenach, was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period.

Known for his prolific output of music across many forms of music, he is regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music.

He died in Leipzig in July 1750.

For further information about Johann Sebastian Bach.

Betrachte, meine Seel, Bass aria, No 19: St John Passion, BWV245. J. S. Bach

For further information about St. John's Passion (German: Johannes-Passion).

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Text:

Betrachte, meine Seel, mit ängstlichem Vergnügen,
Mit bittrer Lust und halb beklemmtem Herzen
Dein höchstes Gut in Jesu Schmerzen,
Wie dir auf Dornen, so ihn stechen,
Die Himmelsschlüsselblumen blühn!
Du kannst viel süße Frucht von seiner Wermut brechen
Drum sieh ohn Unterlass auf ihn!

English translation:



Behold, my soul, with anxious pleasure,
With bitter desire and half oppressed heart
Your greatest good in Jesus' pain,
As thorns prick you,
The primroses of heaven are blooming!
You can take much sweet fruit from its wormwood;
So watch him without ceasing!

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) pronunciation of the German text.

bətɾˈaxtə, mˈa͡ɪnə zˈeːl, mˈɪt ˈɛŋstlɪçəm fɛɾɡənˈyːɡən,
mˈɪt bˈɪtɾɜ lˈʊst ˈʊnt hˈalp bəklˈɛmtəm hˈɛɾt͡sən
dˈa͡ɪn hˈœkstəs ɡˈuːt ˈɪn jˈeːzuː ʃmˈɛɾt͡sən,
vˈiː dˈiːɾ ˈa͡ʊf dˈɔɾnən, zˈoː ˈiːn ʃtˈɛçən,
dˈiː hˈɪməlsçlˌysəlblˌʊmən blˈyːn!
dˈuː kˈanst fˈiːl zˈyːsə frˈʊxt fˈɔn zˈa͡ɪnɜ vˈɛɾmuːt bɾˈɛçən
dɾˈʊm zˈiː ˈoːn ˌʊntɜlˈas ˈa͡ʊf ˈiːn!