Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Heilig, heilig, heilig

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

Melody & Text:

The Sanctus (Latin: Sanctus, "Holy") is a hymn in Christian liturgy. It may also be called the epinikios hymnos (Greek: ἐπινίκιος ὕμνος, "Hymn of Victory") when referring to the Greek rendition.
In Western Christianity, the Sanctus forms part of the Ordinary and is sung (or said) as the final words of the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of consecration of the bread and wine. The preface, which alters according to the season, usually concludes with words describing the praise of the worshippers joining with the angels, who are pictured as praising God with the words of the Sanctus. In Byzantine Rite and general Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the Sanctus is offered as a response by the choir during the Holy Anaphora.
Tersanctus ("Thrice Holy") is another, rarer name for the Sanctus. The same name is sometimes used for the Trisagion.

Melody: Zahn 8634
Composer: Anon (1557), after Sanctus minus summus (Zahn 8633)

Text: Heilig, heilig, heilig
Author: Anon (Steinau, 1726), reminiscent of the plainsong (1557)

Hymnal versions Bach may have known:

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Heilig, heilig, heilig

Chorale Heilig, Heilig!, BWV 325
Ref: RE 235=319; Br 235=318; KE 123; AmB 46II p.102 & p.208; Penzel 166; BGA 72; BC F79.1; CST 127

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Sources: Bach Digital; BGA; Zahn; BCML discussions on BCW; Charles Sanford Terry's Bach Chorals books
Photos from Gottfried Vopelius: Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (Vopelius 1682) & Christian Friedrich Witt: Psalmodia Sacra, Oder: Andächtige und schöne Gesänge… (Gotha Hymnal, 1715), were taken from digital copies of the books downloaded from Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München. These copies are Out of copyright - non commercial re-use (Europeana Rights).
Prepared by Aryeh Oron (October 2018)