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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
Was alle Weisheit in der Welt
Text and Translation of Chorale

Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: KGEL 150; Fischer-Tümpel III 415
Author: Paul Gerhardt (1653)
Chorale Melody: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam (Zahn 7246) | Composer: Anon / Johann Walter (?)
Theme: Holy Trinity

Description:

Hymn, by Paul Gerhardt, in 8 9-line stanzas (1653). Melody, by Johann Walter (?), originally (1524) to "Es woll uns Gott genädig sein", set to "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam" in 1543, to " Was alle Weisheit in der Welt " in 1653. Not in NLGB.

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorale Auf dass wir also allzugleich (Mvt. 6) from Cantata BWV 176 (1725) (verse 8)
Ref: Br 119; BC A92:2; CST 44

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Was alle Weisheit in der Welt,
bei uns hier kaum kann fassen,
das läßt Gott aus dem Himmelszelt
in alle Welt erschallen,
daß er alleine König sei,
hoch über alle Götter,
groß, mächtig, freundlich, fromm und treu,
der Frommen Schutz und Retter,
Ein Wesen, drei Personen.

1. The myst’ry hidden from the eyes
Of learned men and sages,
God hath revealed us from the skies,
In Scripture’s holy pages,
That He alone is King above
All other gods whatever,
Great, mighty, faithful, full of love,
His people’s Shield and Savior;
One Essence, but Three Persons.

2. Gott Vater, Sohn und heilger Geist
heißt sein hochheilger Name;
so kennt, so nennt, so rühmt und preist
ihn der gerechte Name,
Gott Abrahams, Gott Isaaks,
Gott Jakobs, den er liebet,
Herr Zebaoth, der Nacht und Tag
uns alle Gaben gibet
und Wunder tut alleine.

2. As Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
The righteous seed adore Him;
So named, so praised, He is the boast
Of all who bow before Him;
He’s Abraham’s and Isaac’s God,
And Jacob’s, whom He knoweth,
The Lord of hosts, who ev’ry good,
Both night and day, bestoweth;
Who only worketh wonders.

3. Der Vater hat von Ewigkeit
den Sohn, sein Bild, erzeuget;
der Sohn hat in der Füll der Zeit
im Fleische sich gezeiget;
der Geist geht ohne Zeit herfür
vom Vater und vom Sohne,
mit beiden gleicher Ehr und Zier,
gleich ewig, gleicher Krone
und ungeteilter Stärke.

3. The Father hath the Son begot,
First-born of ev’ry creature;
The Son took our weak flesh, but not
Our sinfulness of nature;
Both from the Father and the Son
The Holy Ghost proceedeth
From all eternity; yet none
In might and pow’r exceedeth;
All equal, coeternal.

4. Sieh hier, mein Herz, das ist dein Gut,
dein Schatz, dem keiner gleichet;
das ist dein Freund, der alles tut,
was dir zum Heil gereichet,
der dich gebaut nach seinem Bild,
für deine Schuld gebüßet,
der dich mit wahrem Glauben füllt
und all dein Kreuz durchsüßet
mit seinen heilgen Worten.

4. Be glad, my heart, thy Portion see,
Thy priceless Pearl and Treasure!
He is thy Friend, supply will He
Thy needs with bounteous measure;
He made thee in His image, was
For thy offenses smitten,
With true faith fills thee, through His grace
Doth all thy crosses sweeten
With His dear word of promise.

5. Erhebe dich, steig zu ihm zu
und lern ihn recht erkennen!
Denn solch Erkenntnis bringt dir Ruh
und macht die Seele brennen
in reiner Liebe, die uns nährt
zum ewgen Freudenleben,
da, was allhier kein Ohr gehört,
Gott wird zu schauen geben
den Augen seiner Kinder.

5. Rise, then, to Him, the Ever-blest,
And learn to know Him rightly;
Such knowledge can alone bring rest
And make thy soul burn brightly
With the pure flame of holy love,
Which cheers thy course to heaven;
For God will show thee things above
Which here ’tis only given
To hear of and see darkly.

6. Weh aber dem verstockten Heer,
das sich hie selbst verblendet,
Gott von sich stößt und seine Ehr
auf Kreaturen wendet!
Dem wird gewiß des Himmels Tür
einmal verschlossen bleiben;
denn wer Gott von sich treibt allhier,
den wird er dort auch treiben
von seinem heilgen Throne.

6. But woe to the ungodly race,
In willful blindness living,
Rejecting God and His dear grace,
Their hearts to creatures giving.
On them, alas! hell’s dreadful gates
Ere long will close forever;
For him who God rejects and hates
God will reject and sever
From His eternal kingdom.

7. Ei nun, so gib, du großer Held,
Gott Himmels und der Erden,
daß alle Menschen in der Welt
zu dir bekehret werden.
Erleuchte, was verblendet geht,
bring wieder, was verirret,
reiß aus, was uns im Wege steht
und freventlich verwirret
die Schwachen in dem Glauben.

7. O Prince of Might, Thy mercy show,
Thou God of earth and heaven;
To ev’ry sinner here below
Thy saving grace be given!
Bring back Thy sheep that go astray
And blinded eyes enlighten,
And turn Thou ev’rything away
That wickedly might frighten
Thine own, whose faith is feeble.

8. Auf daß wir also allzugleich
zur Himmelspforte dringen
und dermaleins in deinem Rreich
ohn alles Ende singen,
daß du alleine König seist,
hoch über alle Götter,
Gott Vater, Sohn und heilger Geist,
der Frommen Schutz und Retter,
Ein Wesen, drei Personen.

8. Grant this, that we, Thy people, may
All reach the heav’nly portals
And in Thy kingdom sing for aye
Mid all the blest immortals:
That Thou, O Lord, art King alone,
Above all gods whatever,
The Father, Son, and Spirit, One,
Thy people’s Shield and Savior,
One Essence, but Three Persons!

   

Source of German Text: Christliche Gedichte & Lieder | Hymnary.org
English Translation: Composite | Source of English Translation: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (1927), No. 264, on Hymnary.org (7 verses) | The Free Lutheran Chorale Book (8 verses)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (November 2018)


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: Monday, November 05, 2018 13:29