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Chorale Melodies: Sorted by Title | 371 4-Part Chorales sorted by Breitkopf Number | Explanation


Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Christ lag in Todesbanden

Melody & Text | Use of the CM by Bach | Use of the CM by other composers | Arrangements/Transcriptions

 

Melody & Text: Zahn: 7012a | EKG: 76

Origin of Melody:

As explained in the CM page of Christ ist erstanden, the chorale with this melody, although not the same as the chorale Christ ist erstanden in the Luther version, has a common origin and has undergone a similar transformation. Here portions of the same Leise [3] are used, transformed and amended once again to create another Easter chorale, which like Luther’s Christ ist erstanden, still in use today in the EKG.

A melody form which Bach may have encountered or used as found in a late 17th-century hymnal appears thus:

There are numerous settings from the pre-Bach period including:

1. Martin Luther: Melody (1524)

2. Johann Walter: Setting in "Wittembergisch Geistlisch Gesangbuch" (1524)

3. Lukas Osiander: 4-pt. setting (1585)

4. Hans Leo Hassler: 4-pt. setting (1608)

5. Samuel Scheidt: Setting (Görlitz, 1650)

 

Text:

Author: Martin Luther (1524)

 

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Christ lag in Todesbanden | EKG: 76
Author: Martin Luther (1524)

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

-

BWV 4

Mvt. 1

1707/08

-

-

-

-

A54:1

-

Mvt. 1 (CCARH) [midi] | Mvt. 1 (Leusink) [ram]

1

BWV 4

Mvt. 2

1707/08

-

-

-

-

A54:2

-

Mvt. 2 (CCARH) [midi] | Mvt. 2 (Leusink) [ram]

2

BWV 4

Mvt. 3

1707/08

-

-

-

-

A54:3

-

Mvt. 3 (CCARH) [midi] | Mvt. 3 (Leusink) [ram]

3

BWV 4

Mvt. 4

1707/08

-

-

-

-

A54:4

-

Mvt. 4 (CCARH) | Mvt. 4 (RMM) [midi] | Mvt. 4 (Leusink) [ram]

4

BWV 4

Mvt. 5

1707/08

-

-

-

-

A54:5

-

Mvt. 5 (CCARH) [midi] | Mvt. 5 (Leusink) [ram]

5

BWV 4

Mvt. 6

1707/08

-

-

-

-

A54:6

-

Mvt. 6 (CCARH) | Mvt. 6 (RMM) [midi] | Mvt. 6 (Leusink) [ram]

6

BWV 4

Mvt. 7

1707/08

-

-

-

-

A54:7

-

Mvt. 7 (CCARH) | Mvt. 7a (CCARH) [midi] | Mvt. 7 (Leusink) [ram]

7

BWV 4

Mvt. 8

1707/08

184

41

184

-

A54:8

PDF | PDFv

Mvt. 8 (CCARH) | Mvt. 8 (RMM) | Mvt. 8 (MG) | Mvt. 8 ver (MG) [midi] | Mvt. 8 (Leusink) [ram]

5

BWV 158

Mvt. 4

?

261

40

261

24

A61:4
A171:4

PDF

Mvt. 4 (MG) [midi] | Mvt. 4 (Leusink) [ram]

BWV 158/4: date unknown, probably Leipzig period.

 

Untexted:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

-

BWV 277

-

?

15

38

15

-

F26.1

PDF

Chorale [midi]

-

BWV 278

-

?

370

39

371

133

F26.2

PDF

Chorale [midi]

-

BWV 279

-

?

261

40

261

24

A61:4

PDF

Chorale [midi]

-

BWV 625

-

1713/15

-

-

-

-

K55

-

-

-

BWV 695(a)

-

1700/17?

-

-

-

-

K136

-

-

-

BWV 718

-

1700/17

-

-

-

-

K119

-

-

BWV 625: Orgelbüchlein No. 24.
BWV 695(a): of somewhat doubtful authenticity. 1700/1717?

 

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672):
Christ lag in Todesbanden for 5 voices and 5 instruments

Johann Heinrich Scheidemann (1595-1663):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Franz Tunder (1614-1667):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722):
Cantata Christ lag in Todesbanden (1693 at the latest)

Georg Böhm (1661-1733):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (1663-1712):
Missa super chorale Christ lag in Todesbanden for SATB and bc. (1701 at the latest)
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Andreas Nicolaus Vetter (1666-1734):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, 2 Chorale Preludes for Organ

Georg Friedrich Kauffmann (1679-1735):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767):
Mass based upon Christ lag in Todesbanden

Gottfried August Homilius (1714-1785):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Fugato for Organ

Kurt Fiebig (1908-1988):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Chorale Motet for a cappella Choir

Hans Studer (1911-1984):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Choralefantasia (1963)

 

Arrangements/Transcriptions of Bach's use of the Chorale Melody:

Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977):
Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4: Jesus Christus Gottes Sohn (Mvt. 4), arranged for orchestra

Mordechai Rechtman (b 1926):
Chorale Prelude Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV 625, Arrangement for Woodwind Quintet
Chorale Prelude Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV 625, Arrangement for 4 Saxophones (Sopran, Alt, Tenor, Baritone)
Chorale Prelude Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV 625, Arrangement for 4 Bassoons

See list of Piano Transcriptions of BWV 4 by various composers/arrangers at the page: Piano Transcriptions of Bach's Works - Index by BWV Number - Part 1: Cantatas

See list of Piano Transcriptions of BWV 625, BWV 695 & BWV 718 by various composers/arrangers at the page: Piano Transcriptions of Bach's Works - Index by BWV Number - Part 4: Chorale Preludes for Organ

 

Sources: NBA, vols. III/2.1 & 2.2 in particular [Bärenreiter, 1954 to present] and the BWV ("Bach Werke Verzeichnis") [Breitkopf & Härtel, 1998]
The PDF files of the Chorales were contributed by Margaret Greentree J.S. Bach Chorales
Software: Capella 2004 Software, version 5.1.
Prepared by Thomas Braatz & Aryeh Oron (February 2006, March 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

Chorale Melodies: Sorted by Title | 371 4-Part Chorales sorted by Breitkopf Number | Explanation




 

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Last update: Tuesday, May 30, 2017 08:37