I’ve liked Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” ever since I first heard it at an SSPX mass many years ago. I know Bach composed at least one full Catholic Mass (his Mass in B Minor) and I realize that Saint Pius X rightly returned Church music back to Gregorian Chant, but is his “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” allowed to be played at Mass?

I’ve liked Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” ever since I first heard it at an SSPX mass many years ago. I know Bach composed at least one full Catholic Mass (his Mass in B Minor) and I realize that Saint Pius X rightly returned Church music back to Gregorian Chant, but is his “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” allowed to be played at Mass?

Yes. It's a perfectly fine piece of music which comes from a greater cantata (larger sung work).

B Minor Mass isn't really a liturgical work, though. It is incredible, and quite possibly the magnum opus of all Western classical music, but almost 2 hours long and very elaborate. Maybe some solos or choral parts if you have the voices could work for Mass, but it is a concert work through and through.

Yes. It's a perfectly fine piece of music which comes from a greater cantata (larger sung work).

B Minor Mass isn't really a liturgical work, though. It is incredible, and quite possibly the magnum opus of all Western classical music, but almost 2 hours long and very elaborate. Maybe some solos or choral parts if you have the voices could work for Mass, but it is a concert work through and through.

Thanks for this information, Minnesota! Was that B Minor Mass suppressed by Saint Pius X? It does sound very beautiful.

Yep, I think this is the best version I’ve ever heard.

Thanks for this information, Minnesota! Was that B Minor Mass suppressed by Saint Pius X? It does sound very beautiful.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tra_le_sollecitudini

It was probably in the type of works suppressed.

but is his “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” allowed to be played at Mass?

According to the common pre-V2 interpretation of Pius X's guidelines for music, only Latin hymns can be sung during Mass in the Roman Rite. The Entrance and Recessional are not technically "during Mass" so may be in vernacular. Soon after V2, vernacular hymns were allowed any time during a sung Mass. I recall the allowance for vernacular hymns at low Mass was earlier and may have been allowed before V2.

As a purely instrumental piece, it could be used anywhere. My recollection is that even as instrumental it is used almost exclusively at weddings as a Recessional or Entrance piece.