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The words of the first stanza of Martin Luther’s chorale “Verleih’ uns Frieden gnadiglich,” a translation of the Antiphon, “Da pacem, Domine”, appeared first in prose in 1527. The melody Martin Luther’s “Verleih’ uns Frieden gnadiglich,” was published, with the Hymn, in Kirchē gesenge, mit vil schönen Psalmen unnd Melodey (Nürnberg, 1531), and in metrical form in Joseph Klug’s Geistliche lieder auffs new gebessert (Wittenberg, 1535 (and in the lost Wittenberg hymn book of 1529). The musical texts are nearly identical, J.S. Bach’s version conforming rather to the latter. The tune bears relationship to that of M. Luther’s “Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort”: both derive from the melody of the Antiphon, “Da pacem, Domine.” The melody occurs in the conculding Chorales Cantatas BWV 42 and BWV 126. There is late 16th century authority for the F. sharp at the fourth note, which J.S. Bach adopts. But his variation of the second line is not indicated by Zahn as occurring earlier.
The additional stanza, “Gieb unsern Fürsten,” founded on 1 Timothy ii. 1, 2, was attached to the Hymn in 1566. The melody of the additional stanza, “Gieb unsern Fürsten,” was first published, with the Hymn, in Das christlich Kinderlied D. Martini Lutheri (Wittenberg, 1566). The “Amen” which J.S. Bach uses is found in association with the melody in 1573.
According to Marshall and Leaver' article "Chorale" in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001), for some hymns Martin Luther adapted Gregorian chant melodies used in Catholic worship to fit new German texts, sometimes using the same melody more than once. For example, he fitted the melody of the hymn "Veni redemptor gentium" to three different texts, "Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich", "Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort", and "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland".
Translations of the Hymn into English are noted in the Dictionary of Hymnology, p. 276. |
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Form. Simple (2 Ob., Fagotto, Strings, Organ, Continuo). Choralgesange, No. 322. |
