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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 Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit
Text and Translation of Chorale

Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: EKG 192; EG 297
Author: Martin Luther (1524), based the German verse-form version of Psalm 124

Description:

"Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit" (Were God not with us at this time) is a Lutheran hymn, with words written by Martin Luther based on the Psalm 124. The hymn in three stanzas of seven lines each. It was first printed in 1524 in Johann Walter's Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn.. It was translated to English and has appeared in 20 hymnals. The hymn formed the base of several compositions, including chorale cantatas by Dietrich Buxtehude and J.S. Bach.
When the hymn was first published in 1524 in the Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn, it was associated with a tune in Doric mode, which was also used for "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält", a paraphrase of the same Psalm by Justus Jonas in eight stanzas. M. Luther had a tendency to retain traditional texts and melodies. In 1537, the hymn was printed again with a different tune by J. Walter. The second melody has been regarded as an improvement and became the standard in further publications.
D. Buxtehude set the hymn as a chorale cantata, BuxWV 102, for choir, two violins and continuo. J.S. Bach composed a chorale cantata, Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit, BWV 14, in 1735 for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany.
In the current Protestant hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch, EG 297 combines under the title "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält" stanzas from both paraphrases of Psalm 124, taking stanzas 1, 2, 5 and 6 from J. Jonas (5 from 6, 6 from 8 in the original hymn), and M. Luther's second and third stanza as stanzas 3 and 4."
Source: Wikipedia (Seoptember 23, 2018)

Chorale Melody 1: Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält (Zahn 4441a) | Composer: Anon (1529)

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Type

 

-

BWV 257

-

?

284

388

285

61

F212:2

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

Chorale Melody 2: Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit | Composer: ()

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Type

 

1

BWV 14

Mvt. 1

1735

-

-

-

-

A40:1

Chorus (Chorale) [S, A, T, B[

 

2~

BWV 14

Mvt. 2

1735

-

-

-

-

A40:2

Aria [S]

 

2~

BWV 14

Mvt. 3

1735

-

-

-

-

A40:3

Recitative [T]

 

2~

BWV 14

Mvt. 4

1735

-

-

-

-

A40:4

Aria B]

 

3

BWV 14

Mvt. 5

1735

182

330

182

128

F188
A40:5

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

 

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation 1

1. Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit,
So soll Israel sagen,
Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit,
Wir hätten mußt verzagen,
Die so ein armes Häuflein sind,
Veracht von so viel Menschenkind,
Die an uns setzen alle.

If God were not with us at this time,
so should Israel say,
if God were not with us at this time,
we would have had to lose heart

since we are such a poor little flock
despised by so much of mankind,
Who all set themselves against us.

2. Auf uns ist so zornig ihrn Sinn,
Wo Gott hätt das zugeben,
Verschlungen hätten sie uns hin
Mit ganzem Leib und Leben,
Wir wärn als die ein FLut ersäuft
Und über die groß Wasser läuft
Und mit Gewalt verschwemmet.

 

3. Gott Lob und Dank, der nicht zugab,
Daß ihr Schlund uns möcht fangen.
Wie ein Vogel des Stricks kommt ab,
Ist unser Seel entgangen,
Strick ist entzwei und wir sind frei,
Des Herren Namen steht uns bei,
Des Gotts Himmels und Erden.

Praise and thanks to God, who did not allow
That their throats should seize us.
As a bird escapes from the snare

our soul has got away
The snare is torn in two and we are free
The Name of the Lord stands by us
of the God of heaven and earth.

   

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation 2

1. Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit,
So soll Israel sagen,
Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit,
Wir hätten mußt verzagen,
Die so ein armes Häuflein sind,
Veracht von so viel Menschenkind,
Die an uns setzen alle.

1.If God were not upon our side,
Then let Israel say it;
If God were not upon our side,
We had been quite dismayed.
A poor, a lowly flock are we,
'Gainst whom the world rails mightily
And sets on us in anger.

2. Auf uns ist so zornig ihrn Sinn,
Wo Gott hätt das zugeben,
Verschlungen hätten sie uns hin
Mit ganzem Leib und Leben,
Wir wärn als die ein FLut ersäuft
Und über die groß Wasser läuft
Und mit Gewalt verschwemmet.

2. So wrathful truly was their mien,
In fury 'gainst us blowing,
Quick swallowed up we all had been
From mortal ken and knowing.
As by the waters of a flood
We had been drowned where we stood
And utterly destroyed.

3. Gott Lob und Dank, der nicht zugab,
Daß ihr Schlund uns möcht fangen.
Wie ein Vogel des Stricks kommt ab,
Ist unser Seel entgangen,
Strick ist entzwei und wir sind frei,
Des Herren Namen steht uns bei,
Des Gotts Himmels und Erden.

3. But, praise to God ! -His might hath closed
The lion's mouth that gaped!
As from a snare the bird uprose,
So is our soul escaped!
The snare's in twain, we're free again.
Stands fast and true the Lord's great name;
O'er heaven and earth He reigneth.

   

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation 3

1. Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit,
So soll Israel sagen,
Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit,
Wir hätten mußt verzagen,
Die so ein armes Häuflein sind,
Veracht von so viel Menschenkind,
Die an uns setzen alle.

1. If God had not been on our side
And had not come to aid us,
The foes with all their power and pride
Would surely have dismayed us;
For we, His flock, would have to fear
The threat of men both far and near
Who rise in might against us.

2. Auf uns ist so zornig ihrn Sinn,
Wo Gott hätt das zugeben,
Verschlungen hätten sie uns hin
Mit ganzem Leib und Leben,
Wir wärn als die ein FLut ersäuft
Und über die groß Wasser läuft
Und mit Gewalt verschwemmet.

2. Their furious wrath, did God permit,
Would surely have consumed us
And as a deep and yawning pit
With life and limb entombed us.
Like men o’er whom dark waters roll
Their wrath would have engulfed our soul
And, like a flood, o’erwhelmed us.

3. Gott Lob und Dank, der nicht zugab,
Daß ihr Schlund uns möcht fangen.
Wie ein Vogel des Stricks kommt ab,
Ist unser Seel entgangen,
Strick ist entzwei und wir sind frei,
Des Herren Namen steht uns bei,
Des Gotts Himmels und Erden.

3. Blest be the Lord, who foiled their threat
That they could not devour us;
Our souls, like birds, escaped their net,
They could not overpower us.
The snare is broken—we are free!
Our help is ever, Lord, in Thee,
Who madest earth and Heaven.

   

Source of German Text: Wikipedia
English Translation 1 by Francis Browne (July 2008)
English Translation 2:
Charles Sanford Terry | Source of English Translation: Charles Sanford Terry: The Four-Part Chorals of J.S. Bach (Oxford University Press, 1929), p 369
English Translation 3: Composite | Source of English Translation: Hymn Time
English Translation 4: Christopher J. Neuendorf (2014) | Source of English Translation: The Free Lutheran Chorale-Book (not presented in this page above)
Contributed by Francis Browne (July 2008)


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




 

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Last update: Saturday, January 04, 2020 13:41