Composed for the eleventh Sunday after Trinity, which fell on August 20, 1724, Bach's Cantata No. 113 "Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut" (Lord Jesus Christ, you highest good) (BWV 113) sets a penitential text by Bartholomaus Ringwalt in its first, second, fourth, and eighth movements and anonymous texts paraphrasing Ringwalt's text in its third, fifth, and sixth movements. The cantata is scored for alto, bass, tenor, and soprano soloists and chorus, a pair of oboes d'amore, strings, and basso continuo and a transverse flute in its fifth movement. "Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut" starts with its first movement in woeful B minor, its second in the minor dominant of F sharp minor, its third in A major relative major of the minor dominant, its fourth in the minor subdominant of E minor, and its fifth, sixth, and seventh movements in the relative major. The first movement is a setting of Ringwalt's chorale for chorus with independent orchestral parts, including expressive first violins. The second is a paraphrase of Ringwalt's chorale for alto soloist, with all of the violins playing a highly expressive part for all violins in unison. The third is a 12/8 aria in the form of a trio sonata for muscular bass soloist, richly embellished oboe d'amores, and continuo. The fourth is secco recitative for bass soloist and active continuo that begins with a line from Ringwalt's chorale. The fifth is a da capo aria in the form of a trio sonata for tenor soloist, virtuoso transverse flute, and continuo. The sixth is a recitative for tenor soloist, representative strings, and continuo. The seventh is an extremely difficult aria duetto for alto and soprano soloists plus continuo. "Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut" concludes with a severe harmonization of Ringwalt's chorale ending on a picardy third for chorus and orchestra tacit.

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