"O Jesu, wie ist dein Gestalt" BWV 1094

This chorale prelude on the hymn 'O Jesu, wie ist dein Gestalt' is part of the Neumeister Sammlung, which contains many pieces by Bach, Zachow, Sorge and others. Most organists almost automatically grab the well known passion pieces for organ by Bach around Lent and Easter. However, this gentle and well crafted piece doesn't get played that often. Maybe also because the hymn is lesser known than for example 'O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden' and other famous hymns.

The hymn follows the same structure as Buxtehude's Membra Jesu nostri, which means that it sings about the limbs of the suffering Jesus: the feet, the knees, the hands, the side, the breast, the heart, the face.

The text of the first verse, as shown in the video:
O Jesu, wie ist dein Gestallt
in Marter hoch und mannifgfalt
mit Wunden tieff verheeret;
Von Heiligkeit der Leib so groß
Am Creutz ist außgespannet bloß,
hat seinen Glanz verzehret;
hertzlich, schmertzlich ist dein Liebe,
heiß und trübe, reich von Gaben,
die dich an das Holz erhaben.