Bach himself noted on its title: "J. J. Motetta à doi Cori bey Beerdigung des seel.

Twelve such works survive: they are mainly festive in character (in German they have been categorised as Festmusiken zu Leipziger Universitätsfeiern).

Although the concluding chorale "Du heilige Brunst" seems to have been sung at Ernesti's funeral, there is controversy over whether it was combined with the preceding movements or is to considered a separate composition.

[7] The thought "Der aber die Herzen forschet" (He, however, who examines hearts) appears as a double fugue in four parts in stile antico.

The third verse of the hymn Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott, is used as the closing chorale,[8] and is set for four parts.