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Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ
Text and Translation of Chorale |
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Ref. in hymnals/hymn books: NLGB 235; GH 299; EG 343; KGEL 273
Author: Johann Agricola (1526/1527)
Chorale Melody: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (Zahn 7400) | Composer: Anon: Hagenau (1526/1527), Wittenberg (1529)
Theme: Second, 19th and 21st Sundays after Trinity and as a communion hymn on the Sundays after Trinity +5, +6, +8, and +22; Septuagesimae Sunday; Sexagesimae Sundays; Third Sunday After Epiphany |
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Description: |
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"Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ". [ Supplication.] Wackernagel, iii. pp. 54-55, gives two forms of this, in 5 stanzas of 9 lines, the first from Geistliche Lieder, Erfurt, 1531, the second from an undated broadsheet before 1530, entitled, "A new hymn of supplication for Faith, Love, and Hope, and for a Holy Life; composed by John of Eisleben, preacher to John Duke of Saxony." Fischer, i. 345, refers to the Nürnberg broadsheet, c1526, quoted in Wackernagel's Bibliographie (1855), p. 89, and adds that in his opinion the disfavour into which Johann Agricola fell after the outbreak of the Antinomian controversy caused the suppression of his name in the hymn-books. After appearing in Klug's Geistliche Lieder (1529), the hymn was included in almost all subsequent hymn-books, and so recently as No. 379 in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen (1851).
It is sometimes erroneously ascribed to Paulus Speratus, an assumption originating with the Riga Gesang-buch of 1664. It was a favourite hymn of Valerius Herberger, of P. J. Spener (who requested it to be sung at his deathbed), and of many others.
English translations of the Hymn are noted in the Dictionary of Hymnology, pp. 31 (1550). Translations in common use: 1. Lord Jesu Christ, I cry to Thee. A good translation, omitting stanza iv., by A. T. Russell, as No. 200 in his Psalms & Hymns (1851); 2. Lord, hear the voice of my complaint. A full and very good translation as No. 116 by Catherine Winkworth in her Chorale Book for England (1863). Other translations are: (1) “I call on the, Lorde Jesu Christ," by Bp. Coverdale, 1539 (Remains, 1846, p. 560), repeated, slightly altered, in the Gude and Godly Ballates (ed. 1568, folio 34), ed. 1868, p. 57. (2) "I cry to Thee, my dearest Lord," by J. C. Jacobi, 1122, p. 68; in his edition, 1732, p. 114, altered to "To Thee, 0 Lord, I send my cries," and thence as No. 310 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book (1754); omitted in 1789 and 1801; in the Supplement of 1808, stanzas i., iv. were included as No. 1082, and repeated in later editions altered to "To Thee I send my fervent cries." (3) "I cry to Thee, 0 Christ our Lord!" by N. L. Frothingham (1870), p. 205. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
Source: John Julian: Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) on Hymnary.org |
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"Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu Christ" (I call to you, Lord Jesus Christ) in the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (NLGB 627) is one of the most ubiquitous Trinity Time chorales. The Johann Agricola ?1529 five-stanza chorale is assigned in the NLGB as the Hymn of the Day for the Second, 19th and 21st Sundays after Trinity and as a communion hymn on the Sundays after Trinity +5, +6, +8, and +22. J.S. Bach chose "Ich ruft zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ" as the subject of Chorale Cantata BWV 177 (BCW Discussion June 26), for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity, presented in 1732, to fill that service gap in Cycle 2. J.S. Bach also uses the first stanza as the closing chorale with violin obbligato (No. 6) in Cantata BWV 185, "Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe" (Merciful heart of love everlasting [by Richard Stokes]), premiered in Weimar in 1715 and possibly repeated in 1716, in Leipzig in 1723 and 1746-47. During the pre-Cantata Cycle 3 Trinity Time of 1725, a libretto book shows that for the Third Sunday after Trinity, June 17, the entire chorale is printed as a pure-hymn cantata but is not related to Cantata BWV 177. It is also listed as the NLGB Hymn of the Day for the Third Sunday After Epiphany <omne tempore>ordinary time, as well as for Septuagesimae and Sexagesimae Sundays before Lent. The melody of Johann Agricola's 1529 five-verse hymn appears as a chorale prelude in the Orgelbüchelin (No. 91), BWV 639, in the fifth <omne tempore> listing of 26 after the Catechism, under the heading "Christian Life and Conduct." Its variant setting is BWV Anh.II 73.
Source: Motets & Chorales for 4th Sunday after Trinity (William Hoffman, June 22, 2011) |
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Vocal Works by J.S. Bach: |
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Cantata BWV 177 (1732 |
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A Choral Cantata, on Johannes Agricola’s (Sneider) Hymn, “Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ,” published originally as a broadsheet, and thence in Joseph Klug’s Geistliche Lieder zu Wittemberg (Wittenberg, 1535 [1529], with the melody. |
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Chorus Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Chris (Mvt. 1) from Cantata BWV 177 (1732) (verse 1) |
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Form. Choral Fantasia (2 Ob., Violino concertante, Strings, Continuo). |
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Aria for Alto Ich bitt noch mehr, o Herre Gott (Mvt. 2) from Cantata BWV 177 (1732) (verse 2) |
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Aria for Soprano Verleih, dass ich aus Herzensgrund (Mvt. 3) from Cantata BWV 177 (1732) (verse 3) |
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Aria for Tenor Laß mich kein Lust noch Furcht von dir (Mvt. 4) from Cantata BWV 177 (1732) (verse 4) |
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Chorale Ich lieg im Streit und widerstreb (Mvt. 5) from Cantata BWV 177 (1732) (verse 5)
Ref: RE 71 (down a m3); Br 71 (down a m3); Birnstiel 69; Di 67; Levy-Mendelssohn 51; Fasch p.106 (down a m3) |
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Chorale Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (Mvt. 6) from Cantata BWV 185 (1715) (verse 1)
Ref: Di 68 |
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Form. Embellished (Tromba, Oboe, Fagotto, Strings, Continuo). Choralgesange, No. 184. |
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Chorale Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 1124
Ref: Di 69; AmB 46II p.279 |
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Speculation regarding liturgical occasion: Since this setting appears in the Dietel Collection, there is a strong possibility that it came from a cantata (or other large choral work) that is now lost. Furthermore, given the fact that the two other four–part settings of this tune are from cantatas for the 4th Sunday after Trinity, this setting may well have come from a lost Trinity +4 cantata. This theory is further supported by its position in the Dietel Collection, portions of which are organized according to the liturgical calendar.
Source: bach-chorales.om (Luke Dahn, 2018) |
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German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach) |
English Translation |
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1. Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ!
Ich bitt' erhör' mein klagen,
Verleih' mir gnad' zu dieser frist,
Laß mich doch nicht verzagen,
Den rechten weg, o Herr! ich mein',
Den wollest du mir geben,
Dir zu leben,
Mein'm nächsten nütz zu sein,
Dein wort zu halten eben. |
I call to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
I pray, hear my lamentation,
bestow your grace on me at this time,
do not let me despair;
I think that I have the right faith, Lord,
which you wanted to give me,
to live for you,
to be useful to my neighbour,
to keep your word properly. |
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2. Ich bitt' noch mehr, o Herre Gott!
Du kannst es mir wohl g,
Daß ich nicht wieder werd' zu spott,
Die hoffnung gib darneben,
Voraus wenn ich muß hie davon,
Daß ich dir mög' vertrauen,
Und nicht bauen
Auf alles mein thun,
Sonst wird's mich ewig reuen. |
I pray still more, o Lord God,
you can indeed give me this:
that I shall never again be mocked,
and along with these things, give me the hope
-assuming now the time when I have to depart from here -
that I may place my trust in you
and not rely
only on my own works,
otherwise I shall regret it for ever. |
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3. Verleih'! daß ich aus herzensgrund
Mein'n feinden mög' vergeben,
Verzeih' mir auch zu dieser stund',
Schaff' mir ein neues leben.
Dein wort mein speis' laß allweg' sein,
Damit mein' seel' zu nähren,
Mich zu wehren,
Wenn unglück geht daher,
Das mich bald möcht' verkehren. |
Grant that from the bottom of my heart
I may forgive my enemies
pardon me also at this hour,
give me a new life;
let your word always be my food
with which to nourish my soul,
to defend myself
when misfortune comes upon me
that might soon lead me astray. |
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4. Laß mich kein' lust, noch furcht von dir
In dieser welt abwenden,
Beständig sein an's end' gib mir,
Du hast's allein in händen,
Und wem du's gibst, der hat's umsonst,
Es mag niemand erwerben,
Noch ererben
Durch werd' deine gnad',
Die uns erett't vom sterben. |
Let no pleasure or fear
in this world turn me away from you,
Give me constancy until the end,
you alone have it in your power,
and the person to whom you give it has it for free
No man can inherit
nor acquire
through his works your grace
that delivers us from dying. |
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5. Ich lieg' im streit und widerstreb',
Hilf, o Herr Christ! dem schwachen,
An deiner gnad' allein ich kleb',
Du kannst mich stärker machen,
Kömmt nun anfechtung her, so wehr',
Daß sie mich nicht umstoße,
Du kannst maßen,
Daß mir's nicht bring' gefahr,
Ich weiß, du wirst's nicht lassen. Amen. |
I lie amidst strife and I resist,
Help me, o Lord Christ, in my weakness!
To your grace alone I cling,
you can make me stronger.
If temptation now comes, Lord, defend me,
so that I may not be overthrown.
You can measure it
so that it may not bring danger to me;
I know you will not allow it. |
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Source of German Text: Hymnary.org
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2018)
English Translation by Francis Browne (May 2002) |
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