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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
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Text and Translation of Chorale

Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: NLGB 255; EG 362
Author: Martin Luther (1529), after Psalm 46
Chorale Melody: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (Zahn 7377) | Composer: Martin Luther (1529)

Description:

Martin Luther’s hymn is a free translation of Psalm 46 and probably was written for the Diet of Speyer in 1529. The tune was adapted by M. Luther, certainly from the Roman Gradual. Words and melody were published together in 1531 and again in Klug’s Wittenberg Hymn-book in 1535. J.S. Bach uses the tune in Cantata BWV 80 (1730); Choralgesänge, Nos. 74-5; and the movement infra. Only in the Organ movement does he exactly follow the 1535 text in the fifth line of the melody (line 2 supra). Witt’s (No. 482) text shows the same fidelity to the original.
Source: Charles Sanford Terry: Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works (1921), pp 141-142

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorus Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (Mvt. 1) from Cantata BWV 80 (verse 1)

Aria for Bass w/ Chorale for Soprano Alles, was von Gott geboren (Mvt. 2) from Cantata BWV 80 ((verse 2 with interpolated aria))

Chorale Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär (Mvt. 5) from Cantata BWV 80 (verse 3)

Chorale Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn (Mvt. 8) from Cantata BWV 80 (verse 4)
Ref: RE 273; Br 273; Dietel 35; AmB 46II p.246

Chorale Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan (Mvt. 6) from Cantata BWV 80a (verse 2)

Chorus Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (Mvt. 1) from Cantata BWV 80b (verse 1)

Chorale Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn (Mvt. 38) from Markus-Passion BWV 247 (verse 4);

Chorale Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 302
Ref: RE 20; Br 20; KE 74; Birnstiel 23; Dietel 64; AmB 46II p.157 & p.276; Levy–Mendelssohn 26; Fasch p.42; NGA 49; BC F53.1; CST 77

Chorale Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 303
Ref: RE 250; Br 250; KE 75; Dietel 3; AmB 46II p.219; BGA 50; BC F53.2; CST 78

Dürr believes it probable that this setting came from the lost cantata BWV 80a, the earlier Weimar version of BWV 80. (See NBA III/2.2 KB, p.270.)

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,
ein gute Wehr und Waffen.
Er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,
die uns jetzt hat betroffen.
Der alt böse Feind
mit Ernst er’s jetzt meint,
groß Macht und viel List
sein grausam Rüstung ist,
auf Erd ist nicht seinsgleichen.

1. A sure stronghold our God is He,
A trusty shield and weapon;
Our help He’ll be and set us free
From every ill can happen.
That old malicious foe
Means us deadly woe;
Armed with might from hell
And deepest craft as well,
On earth is not his fellow.

2. Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan,
wir sind gar bald verloren;
es streit’ für uns der rechte Mann,
"den Gott hat selbst erkoren.
Fragst du, wer der ist?
Er heißt Jesus Christ,
der Herr Zebaoth,
und ist kein andrer Gott,
das Feld muss er behalten.

2. Through our own force we nothing can,
Straight were we lost for ever;
But for us fights the proper Man,
By God sent to deliver.
Ask ye Who this may be?
Jesus Christ is He,
Of Sabaoth Lord,
Sole God to be adored—
’Tis He must win the battle.

3. Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär
und wollt uns gar verschlingen,
so fürchten wir uns nicht so sehr,
es soll uns doch gelingen.
Der Fürst dieser Welt,
wie sau’r er sich stellt,
tut er uns doch nicht;
das macht, er ist gericht’:
ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen.

3. And were the world with devils filled,
All eager to devour us,
Our souls to fear should little yield,
They cannot overpower us.
Their dreaded Prince no more
Harms us as of yore;
Look grim as he may,
Doomed is his ancient sway,
A word can overthrow him.

4. Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn
und kein’ Dank[28] dazu haben;
er ist bei uns wohl auf dem Plan
mit seinem Geist und Gaben.
Nehmen sie den Leib,
Gut, Ehr, Kind und Weib:
lass fahren dahin,
sie haben’s kein’ Gewinn,
das Reich muss uns doch bleiben.

4. Still shall they leave that Word His might,
And yet no thanks shall merit;
Still is He with us in the fight,
By His good gifts and Spirit.
E’en should they take our life,
Wealth, name, child, or wife—
Though all these be gone,
Yet nothing have they won,
God’s kingdom ours abideth.

   

Source of German Text: German Wikipedia | Die Christliche Liederdatenbank
English Translation: Catherine Winkworth (1863) | Source of English Translation: Catherine Winkworth: Chorale Book for England (William Sterndale Bennett and Otto Goldschmidt, 1863), No. 124
Additional translations, see: Cantata BWV 80 - Details
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2018 - October 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: Saturday, January 04, 2020 13:41