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 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

The aria Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden comes from the opera, Diomedes, by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel. A version can be found for voice and continuo in the 1725 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach which is a collection of music by both Bach and other composers.

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To purchase a recording of Bist du bei mir

Bist du bei mir,  BWV 508

Bist du bei mir,
geh ich mit Freuden
    
zum Sterben und zu meiner Ruh.

Ach, wie vergnügt wär so mein Ende,

es drückten deine schönen Hände

mir die getreuen Augen zu.

English translation



If you are with me,
I will go with joy    
to die and to my rest.

Oh, how happy my end would be,
your beautiful hands
closing my faithful eyes.

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

bˈɪst dˈuː bˈa͡ɪ mˈiːɾ,
ɡˈeː ˈɪç mˈɪt frˈɔ͡ødən
   
 t͡sˈʊm ʃtˈɛɾbən ˈʊnt t͡sˈuː mˈa͡ɪnɜ rˈuː.

ˈax, vˈiː fɛɾɡənˈyːkt vˈɛːɾ zˈoː mˈa͡ɪn ˈɛndə,

ˈɛs dɾˈyktən dˈa͡ɪnə ʃˈøːnən hˈɛndə

mˈiːɾ dˈiː ɡətɾˈɔ͡øən ˈa͡ʊɡən t͡sˈuː.