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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
Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen
Text and Translation of Chorale

EKG:
Author: Johann Flittner (1661)
Chorale Melody: Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen (Zahn 3573b) | Composer: Anon (1653 / Johann Flittner (?) (1663)
Theme:
Comment: According to Luke Dahn the CM is based on a secular melody by Enoch Gläser (1653). This is questionable since Enoch Gläser (1628-1668) was a lawyer and pastoral poet but not a composer. Probably Flittner used a melody composed by an anonimous composer for a song by Gläser as a basis for the music he wrote to his hymn.

Description:

 

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorale Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen, BWV 259
Ref: RE 39; Br 39; KE 10; Di 43; Levy–Mendelssohn 57; Fasch p.66; BGA 7; BC F 5.1; CST 11

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen?
Ach was soll ich fangen an?
Mein Gewissen klagt mich an,
es beginnet aufzuwachen.
Dies ist meine Zuversicht:
meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.

1. What shall I, a sinner, do?
Whither shall I turn for aid?
Conscience waking brings to view
Sins that make me sore afraid.
This my confidence shall be,
Jesus, I will cleave to Thee.

2. Zwar es haben meine Sünden
meinen Jesum oft betrübt;
doch ich weiß, daß er mich liebt,
und er läßt sich gnädig finden.
Drum, ob mich die Sünd anficht:
meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.

True, I have transgress'd Thy will,
Oft have grieved Thee by my sin,
Yet I know Thou lov'st me still,
For I hear Thy voice within;
Then, though sin accuses me,
Jesus, I will cleave to Thee.

3. Obgleich schweres Kreuz und Leiden,
so bei Christen oft entsteht,
mir sehr hart entgegengeht,
solls mich doch von ihm nicht scheiden;
auf ihn ist mein Herz gericht:
meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.

Here the Christians oft must bear
Many a cross and bitter smart
If their lot in this I share,
Shall I waver or depart?
|Loyal still my heart shall be,
Jesus, still I cleave to Thee.

4. Ich weiß wohl, daß unser Leben
nichts als nur ein Nebel ist,
denn wir hie zu aller Frist
mit dem Tode sind umgeben;
und wer weiß, was heut geschicht?
Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.

Well I know this life of ours
Is but as a fleeting dream;
Round us darkness ever lowers,
Death is nearer than we deem;
Who knows what to-day may see?
Jesus, I will cleave to Thee.

5. Sterb ich bald, wird meine Seele
los der Welt Beschwerlichkeit;
ich ruh bis zur vollen Freud,
weiß, daß in des Grabes Höhle
Jesus bleibt mein helles Licht:
meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.

5. If I die, I do but cease
Sooner from this toil and care,
And I rest in perfect peace
In the grave, since Thou wert there;
There Thy light shall comfort me,
There too I will cleave to Thee.

6. Durch ihn will ich wieder leben,
denn er wird zur rechten Zeit
wecken mich zur Seligkeit
und sie mir aus Gnaden geben.
Muß ich schon erst vors Gericht:
meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.

 

7. Du sollst mein, o Jesu, bleiben,
bis ich komme an den Ort,
welcher ist des Himmels Pfort,
und dann wollst du einverleiben
meine Seele deinem Licht:
meinen Jesum laß ich nicht.

Then, Lord Jesu, Thou art mine,
Till Thou bring me to that place
Where I shall for ever shine
In Thy light, and see Thy face:
Blessed will that haven be!
Jesus, I will cleave to Thee.

   

Source of German Text: Monarchieliga | Christliche Gedichte & Lieder
English Translation:
Catherine Winkworth (1863) | Source of English Translation: Catherine Winkworth: Chorale Book for England (London, 1865), No. 110 on Hymnary.org
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 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: Friday, October 26, 2018 05:00