Recordings/Discussions
Background Information
Performer Bios

Poet/Composer Bios

Additional Information

Chorale Melodies: Sorted by Title | 371 4-Part Chorales sorted by Breitkopf Number | Explanation


Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Christum wir sollen loben schon

Melody & Text | Use of the CM by Bach | Use of the CM by other composers | Footnotes

 

Melody & Text: Zahn: 297c | EKG: (None)

Text:

Martin Luther based his 1524 German verse adaptation (8 verses) of his chorale text upon the Latin hymn “A solis ortus cardine” by Caelius Sedulius (died circa 454).

 

Melody:

Martin Luther simultaneously adapted his melody from one or more of the Latin hymn melodies associated with “A solis ortus cardine” by Caelius Sedulius to make it suitable for his German verse. The chorale text and melody first appeared in print in Erfurt “Enchiridion” in 1524.

An example of what one of the numerous forms of this melody used for singing this Latin hymn may have sounded like (no specific date or source given, but probably of 15th century origin) appears thus:

Older, but not always clearly identified very early sources (possibly ‘backformations’ applying Luther’s text to the some of the older melodic variants of “A solis ortus cardine”:

 

Hymnal versions Bach may have known:

Bach may well have been acquainted with the Weißenfels hymnal of 1714:

 

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Christum wir sollen loben schon | EKG:
Author: Martin Luther (1524)

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

1

BWV 121

Mvt. 1

1724

-

-

-

-

A13:1

-

Mvt. 1 (Leusink) [ram]

8

BWV 121

Mvt. 6

1724

55

42

56

-

F29
A13:1

PDF

Mvt. 6 (MG) [midi] | Mvt. 6 (Leusink) [ram]

 

Untexted:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

-

BWV 611

-

1713/15

-

-

-

-

K140

-

-

-

BWV 696

-

1700/17

-

-

-

-

K142

-

-

BWV 611: 1713/15 (Orgelbüchlein No. 13).
BWV 696: 1700/1717 with an alternate Title: Was fürchtst du Feind, Herodes, sehr
[1] Fughetta.

 

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Johann Walter (1496-1570):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, 5-pt setting

Lukas Osiander (1534-1604):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, 4-pt. setting (?)

Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, setting for 4 voices (1608); C viii

Michael Praetorius (1571-1621):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, 4-pt. setting

Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, setting for SATB [bc] (1627); A ii/1, 12

Jacob Praetorius (1586-1651):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654):
Christum wir sollen loben schon (chorale), STB, bc, SSWV 289; S x, 40
Christum wir sollen loben schon, 2 versions for 4 parts

Paul Hallmann (1600-1650):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, 4-pt setting

Daniel Erich (c1649-1712):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Georg Böhm (1661-1733):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748):
Christum wir sollen loben schon, 3 Chorale Preludes for Organ

 

Footnotes:

[1] This is Martin Luther’s adaptation into German of another part of the same Latin hymn referred to above:

Was fürchtst du, Feind Herodes, sehr,
daß uns geborn kommt Christ der Herr?
Er sucht kein sterblich Königreich,
der zu uns bringt sein Himmelreich.

 

Sources: NBA, vols. III/2.1 & 2.2 in particular [Bärenreiter, 1954 to present] and the BWV ("Bach Werke Verzeichnis") [Breitkopf & Härtel, 1998]
The PDF files of the Chorales were contributed by Margaret Greentree J.S. Bach Chorales
Software: Capella 2004 Software, version 5.1.
Prepared by Thomas Braatz & Aryeh Oron (May 2006)


Chorales BWV 250-438: Details and Recordings
Individual Recordings: Hilliard - Morimur | Chorales - N. Matt | Chorales - H. Rilling | Preludi ai Corali - Quartetto Italiani di Viola Da Gamba
Discussions: Motets & Chorales for Events in the LCY / Chorales by Theme | General Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Chorales in Bach Cantatas: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Passion Chorale
References: Chorales BWV 250-300 | Chorales BWV 301-350 | Chorales BWV 351-400 | Chorales BWV 401-438 | 371 4-Part Chorales sorted by Breitkopf Number | Texts & Translations of Chorales BWV 250-438
Chorale Texts: Sorted by Title | Chorale Melodies: Sorted by Title | Explanation
MIDI files of the Chorales: Cantatas BWV 1-197 | Other Vocal Works BWV 225-248 | Chorales BWV 250-438
Articles: The Origin of the Texts of the Chorales [A. Schweitzer] | The Origin of the Melodies of the Chorales [A. Schweitzer] | The Chorale in the Church Service [A. Schweitzer] | Choral / Chorale [C.S. Terry] | Hidden Chorale Melody Allusions [T. Braatz] | The History of the Breitkopf Collection of J. S. Bach’s Four-Part Chorales [T. Braatz] | The World of the Bach Chorale Settings [W.L. Hoffman]
Hymnals: Hymnals used by Bach | Wagner Hymnal 1697 | Evangelisches Gesangbuch 1995 | Dietel Chorale List c1734
Abbreviations used for the Chorales | Links to other Sites about the Chorales

Chorale Melodies: Sorted by Title | 371 4-Part Chorales sorted by Breitkopf Number | Explanation




 

Back to the Top


Last update: Tuesday, May 30, 2017 08:37