|
Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt
|
|
Melody & Text | Use of the CM by Bach | Use of the CM by other composers | English Hymnals using the German CM |
| |
|
Melody & Text: Zahn: 2383 | EKG: 321 |
|
Text: Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt |
|
The five verses that appeared on the broadside described below apparently are also by Johann Hermann Schein, the composer of the melody. The text is noteworthy for its use of subjective “I”. Schein and Ludwig Helmbold (Von Gott will ich nicht lassen) are considered to be precursors to a new form of expression in chorale texts which Paul Gerhardt brought to full fruition a few decades later in such texts as Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen and Auf, auf, mein Herz, mit Freuden. |
| |
|
Melody: |
|
Melody composed by Johann Hermann Schein and appeared on a broadside as: „Trostliedlein a 5.Vber seligen Hintritt der Frawen Margariten, Des Herrn Caspar Werners Eheliche Hausfrawen”, Leipzig 1628. The title translated is „A little song of comfort set for 5 voices. On the occasion of the ‘blessed stepping onward out of life into death’ of Mrs. Margarita Werner, the lawfully wedded housewife of Mr. Caspar Werner.” |
| |
|
Original Setting: |
|
Here is the original setting by Schein as it appeared in 1628: |
|
|
| |
|
Alternate Texts: |
|
Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn by C. H. Postel?, not documented as yet as a chorale text that appears in any hymnal.
Wohl dem, der sich auf seinen Gott by Johann Christoph Rube (1692). |
| |
|
Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach: |
|
Text 1: Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt | EKG: 321
Author: Johann Hermann Schein (1628) |
|
Ver |
Work |
Mvt. |
Year |
Br |
RE |
KE |
Di |
BC |
Score |
Music Examples |
|
1 |
BWV 156 |
Mvt. 2 |
1729? |
- |
- |
- |
- |
A38:2 |
- |
Mvt. 2 (Leusink) [ram] |
|
- |
BWV 377 |
- |
? |
44 |
237 |
44 |
- |
F137.1 |
PDF |
Chorale (MG) [midi] |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Text 2: Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn | EKG:
Author: C. H. Postel? |
|
Ver |
Work |
Mvt. |
Year |
Br |
RE |
KE |
Di |
BC |
Score |
Music Examples |
|
? |
BWV 245 |
Mvt. 22 |
1724 |
309 |
239 |
310 |
- |
D2:22 |
PDF |
Mvt. 22 (MG) [midi] |
|
|
| |
|
Text 3: Wohl dem, der sich auf seinen Gott | EKG:
Author: Johann Christoph Rube (1692) |
|
Ver |
Work |
Mvt. |
Year |
Br |
RE |
KE |
Di |
BC |
Score |
Music Examples |
|
1 |
BWV 139 |
Mvt. 1 |
1724 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
A159:1 |
- |
Mvt. 1 (Leusink) [ram] |
|
5 |
BWV 139 |
Mvt. 6 |
1724 |
- |
238 |
- |
- |
A159:6 |
PDF |
Mvt. 6 (MG) [midi] | Mvt. 6 (Leusink) [ram] |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Untexted: |
|
Ver |
Work |
Mvt. |
Year |
Br |
RE |
KE |
Di |
BC |
Score |
Music Examples |
|
- |
BWV 957 |
- |
b 1710 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
K191 |
- |
|
|
BWV 957: The first half of a chorale prelude is a “Fugue in G major” (title used by the BWV Verzeichnis) which leads, as a conclusion, into the statement of this chorale. |
|
|
| |
|
Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers: |
|
Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630):
Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt, hymn for 5 voices (& continuo) (Cantional...) (1628). See: Score |
|
Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748):
Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt, 3 Chorale Preludes for Organ |
|
|
|
|
|
Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780):
Machs mit mir, Gott, nach deiner Güt per Canonem, et quidem per Diminutionem, Chorale Prelude for Organ |
|
Johann Christoph Oley (1738-1789):
Mach's mir Gott nach deim Deiner, Chorale Prelude for Organ |
|
Carl Loewe (1796-1869):
Machs mit mir, Gott, Chorale for Organ |
|
Max Reger (1873-1916):
Machs mit mir, Gott, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 67/27 (1902) |
| |
|
English Hymnals using the German Chorale Melody |
|
New English Hymnal:
Lo! God is here! (tune Mach's mit mir Gott after J.H. Schein), No. 209
Thou hallowed chosen morn of praise (tune Mach's mit mir Gott after J.H. Schein), No. 122 |
In the 1933 New Edition edited by
Ralph
Vaughan Williams, the numbering for this chorale
as a hymn-tune in the version circulating in the Church of England is 138
and 459. The first is given as "Mach's mit mir Gott", the
second as "Eisenach", differentiating the 87.87.88 metre
from the truncated LM measure 87.88 of the latter version, the incipits
being "Thou hallowed chosen morn of praise" after St John
Damascus; and "O Love, how deep, how broad, how high!" after the
15th century "O Amor, quam ecstaticus".
The tunes are marked "Adapted from a melody by J. H.Schein, 1586-1630.
Harmony from J.S. Bach".
Nota bene, the NEH states not "by" Bach, but "from". RVW
adapted the setting in BWV
245 for the opening lines, thereby securing the
striking inverted diminished seventh which emphasises "Gefaegnis"
in the SJP, in the second English version, the word "Deep" .
However , RVW skilfully then concludes the hymn setting by splicing it with
the harmonisation of BWV
377, which Reimenschneider (No.44) states is from
a lost Cantata."
This compositional method illustrates the problems RVW had in carrying
forward his advocacy of Bach's most advanced harmonisations in the world of
amateur choirs and congegational singing. His policy was as set out in the
New English Hymnal:
"It has been thought advisable occasionally to introduce harmonisations
(especially those of J.S. Bach) rather more elaborate than usual. These will
no doubt add greatly to the beauty and popularity of the tunes....Choirs
would be much better occupied in learning these beautiful settings of Bach
(which are not hard if practised a little) than in rehearsing vulgar anthems
by indifferent composers".
It would appear that nevertheless RVW found the the intricacy of the latter
part of SJP BWV 245/22
too complex, with its high tenor G's followed by an inverted low-pitch
passus duriusculus in the bass and tenor. He therefore contrived a hybrid by
pasting on the conclusion of the lost Cantata's chorale.
Contributed by Peter Smaill
(November 5, 2006) |
| |
|
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) |
