Ah, Holy Jesu, how hast Thou offended

This is my 35th entry in the Lenten Hymn-of-the-Day project.

The words of this beautiful and well-known hymn are by Robert Bridges (1844-1930) from J. Heermann (1585-1647) based on an 11th century Latin meditation, and the music, "Herzliebster Jesu" is by Johann Crüger (1598-1662).

Johann Crüger (9 April 1598 – 23 February 1662) was born in Groß Breesen (now part of Guben) as the son of an innkeeper. He studied at the Lateinschule in Guben until 1613, after which he traveled to Sorau and Breslau and finally to Regensburg, where he received his first musical training from Paulus Homberger. In 1615 he traveled to Berlin, where he studied theology at the Berlinisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster. In 1616 he was engaged as a house tutor to the von Blumenthal family; his pupils included Joachim Friedrich von Blumenthal. From 1620 he studied theology at the University of Wittenberg and trained himself further in music through private study. From 1622 to his death, a period of 40 years, he was simultaneously a teacher at the gymnasium Zum Grauen Kloster and cantor of the Nikolaikirche in Berlin.

Crüger composed numerous concert works and wrote extensively on music education. In 1643 he became acquainted with the famous hymn writer Paul Gerhardt, for whom he wrote the music for various hymns. In 1647 he edited the most important German Lutheran hymnal of the 17th century, Praxis pietatis melica. He died in Berlin.