About the piece
A four-voice chorale in German that sings of Jesus as joy and consolation. The edition, 71 measures in 3/4, carries soprano, alto, tenor and bass.
How to prepare it
It is an intermediate piece: the ranges are moderate (sopranos G4–F5 (a minor seventh), altos D4–C5 (a minor seventh), tenors F♯3–F4 (a major seventh), basses G2–E4 (a major thirteenth)), but the difficulty lies in the evenness of the flow in three beats. Learn each voice separately and then in pairs; keep the pulse uniform and don't speed up in rising phrases. Practice the German spoken before singing it.
When to use it
It is sung at weddings and during Advent, and also as a moment of recollection at communion or in Ordinary Time.