"Bist du bei mir" from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, BWV 508
About this Piece
From the 1725 untitled collection of small keyboard works and songs compiled for Bach’s second wife Anna Magdalena (commonly referred to for English-speaking audiences as the Anna Magdalena Notebook), “Bist du bei mir” (If you are with me), BWV 508, is based on an aria by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (1690-1749), which was probably a popular tune at that time. The origin of the text remains unknown, but this uplifting melody has become an often requested selection for modern weddings.
— From program notes by Gregg Wager