The Artist:
One of the greatest composers of all time. Bach wrote hundreds of pieces for organ, choir, as well as many other instruments. He spent most of his life as a church organist and a choir director. His music combines profound expression with clever musico-mathematical feats, like fugues and canons in which the same melody is played against itself in various ways.
Info:
Arioso is a type of solo vocal piece, usually occurring in an opera or oratorio, falling somewhere between recitative and aria in style. Literally, arioso means airy. The term arose in the 16th century .
This piece is one of the most famous ariosos and serves as the sinfonia of his cantata, Ich steh mit einem Fuss im Grabe, BWV 156, as well as the middle movement of the Harpsichord Concerto, BWV 1056.