I had to work hard. Anyone who works as hard will get just as far. - J.S. Bach

Chorales

2005, June 09

Schübler chorale 6, BWV 650

Come thou, Jesu, from heaven to earth (Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter)

This is the sixth Schübler chorale, BWV 650, based on the melody "Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter". This is a chorale based on a secular melody by an anonymous composer.

The chorale plays against a dance-like obbligato.

The music:	BWV 650	The cantus firmus in the pedal.
	BWV 137.2	Solo alto aria with violin obbligato.
	BWV 57.8	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 137.1	Chorale fantasia.
	BWV 137.3	Soprano and bass duet.
	BWV 137.4	Tenor aria with chorale in the trumpet part.
	BWV 137.5	A four part chorale with trumpets.

MP3 files of these chorales are available. If you want one, leave me a note in a comment with your email address and I will send it. Unfortunately, the files are too large to put them on my ftp server for general distribution.

Some names under which this chorale is known:

Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter
Hast du denn, Jesu, dein Angesicht
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren
Come thou, Jesu, from heaven to earth
Comest thou now, Jesu
Why hast thou hidden, Jesu
Praise him the highest, omnipotent King
Praise the almighty, our king and ruler
Praise the Lord, who rules over all

Discussion from the Bach Cantatas website

Discussion from the website of Emmanuel Music of Boston

The Organ Music of J.S. Bach, 2nd ed.
Peter Williams, Cambridge University Press 2003

Chorales • Permalink

2005, June 03

Schübler chorale 5, BWV 649

Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide (Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ)

This is the fifth Schübler chorale, BWV 649, based on the melody "Wo soll ich fliehen hin".

The chorale melody is by an anonymous composer. It is an old melody, Parvulus nobis nascitur, used as Alto part of four part setting by Seth Calvisius, in his hymnal Hymni sacri Latini et germanici, published in Erfurt in 1594.

The form of the organ chorale is A-chorale-A. This is one of my favorite Bach pieces.

The music:	BWV 649	The cantus firmus in the pedal.
	BWV 6.3	A soprano aria from BWV 6.
	BWV 253	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 414	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.

Some names under which this chorale is known:

Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ
Danket dem Herrn heut und allzeit
Parvulus nobis nascitur
Uns ist ein Kindlein heut gebor'n
Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide
A child is born to us this day

Discussion from the Bach Cantatas website

Discussion from the website of Emmanuel Music of Boston

The Organ Music of J.S. Bach, 2nd ed.
Peter Williams, Cambridge University Press 2003

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2005, May 01

Schübler chorale 4, BWV 648

My soul doth magnify the Lord (Meine Seele erhebt den Herren)

This is the fourth Schübler chorale, BWV 648, based on the melody "Meine Seele erhebt den Herren", the German Magnificat, or the Visitation of Mary.

The hymn is based on a Gregorian melody, the tonus peregrinus. The Schübler chorale is a transcription of the duet from Cantata 10, BWV 10.5.

The music:	BWV 648	The cantus firmus in the pedal.
	BWV 10.5	A tenor and alto duet, with the chorale played by trumpet and two oboes.
	BWV 10.7	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 243.10	A trio, soprano I, II and alto with the chorale in obbligato by 2 oboes.
	BWV 323	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 324	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 733	Another organ chorale on the same melody.

Some names under which this chorale is known:

Meine Seele erhebt den Herren
My soul doth magnify the Lord
The German Magnificat

Discussion from the Bach Cantatas website

Discussion from the website of Emmanuel Music of Boston

The Organ Music of J.S. Bach, 2nd ed.
Peter Williams, Cambridge University Press 2003

Chorales • Permalink

2005, April 14

Schübler chorale 3, BWV 647

Who allows God alone to rule him (Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten)

This is the third Schübler chorale, BWV 647, based on the melody "Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten", used in cantatas for many occasions, including one wedding. The melody may be by Georg Neumark, from about 1640, and appeared in his "Fortegepflantzter Musikalisch-Poetischer Lustwald", Jena, 1657.

This is a transcription of the soprano and alto duet from Cantata 93. All the sections of the Cantata use the chorale melody, with the seventh section a simple four part harmonization.

The music:	BWV 647	Cantus firmus in the pedal, sounding an octave higher than written (Pedal 4 Fuß).
	BWV 93.7	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 166.6	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 179.6	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 197.10	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 434	A four part harmonization of the chorale melody.
	BWV 642	Another organ chorale on the same melody.
	BWV 690	Another organ chorale on the same melody.
	BWV 691	Another organ chorale on the same melody.