Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen

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

Melody & Text:

The melody, “Warum sollt’ ich,” was composed by Johann Georg Ebeling and was first published in his Geistliche Andachten (Berlin, 1666), the first collection of Paul Gerhardt’s Hymns, issued in 10 “Dozens” in 1666-1667. J.S. Bach uses only the first half of the melody and, except in the second half of his fourth and first half of his fifth bars, follows Daniel Vetter’s reconstruction (Musicalische Kirch- und Hauss-Ergotzlichkeit, Leipzig, Pt ii., 1713) of J.G. Ebeling’s tune. J.G. Ebeling was born at Lüneburg in 1637. He became Director of the Music at the Church of St Nicolas, Berlin, in 1662, and in 1668 was appointed Professor of Music in the Caroline Gymnasium at Stettin. He died at Stettin in 1676.
J.S. Bach uses the melody in the Motett, “Furchte dich nicht” (BWV 228), See also the Choralgesange, No. 334 (BWV 422).
Paul Gerhardt’s Christmas Hymn, “Frohlich soll mein Herze springen” (All my heart this night rejoices), was first published in Praxis Pietatis Melica (Berlin, 1653), to a melody "Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen" (Zahn 6481) by Johann Crüger. It had 15 verses of eight lines each, portraying the Christ child as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and who is worshipped by the shepherds and the Wise Men. Twelve are printed in EG (EG 36), with the original tune, omitting verses 4, 5 and 13.
English translations of the Hymn are noted in the Dictionary of Hymnology, p. 397. It was translated by Catherine Winkworth. Winkworth translated 10 verses, omitting stanzas 3-5, 13 and 14, for Lyra Germanica II (1858), where it was headed ‘Christmas. A Song of Joy at Dawn’. Another English translation by Benjamin H. Kennedy in 9 verses (presnted below) reflects the spirit of the hymn rather than its excat words.
Source: Charles Sanford Terry: Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 1 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the “Passions” and Oratorios [1915], p 56; Dictionary of Hymnology

Melody: Zahn 6461
Composer: Johann Georg Ebeling (1666)

Text 1: Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen (EKG 27; EG 36)
Author: Paul Gerhardt (1653)

Text 2: Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen (EKG 297, EG 370)
Author: Paul Gerhardt (1653)

Alternate Melody: Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen (Zahn 6481)
Composer: Johann Crüger in Praxis Pietatis Melica (Berlin, 1653)

Hymnal versions Bach may have known:

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text 1: Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen

Chorale Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren (Mvt. 10 (33): Chorale) from from Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248/3 (verse 15)
Ref: RE 139; Br 139; Birnstiel 143; Dietel 125; AmB 46II p.86 & p.116; Penzel 155

The words of the Choral are the 15th and last stanza of Paul Gerhardt’s (see the “St Matthew Passion,” No. 16) Christmas Hymn, “Frohlich soll mein Herze springen.”
Form. Simple (Colla parte - S: violin 1, transverse flute 1 & 2 (8va), oboe 1 & 2. A: violin 2. T: viola. B: cello, organ, continuo).

Text 2: Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen

Motet Fürchte dich nicht, BWV 228/3-4 (verses 11-12)

The melody of the Choral, upon which the Sopranos of Coro I and II combine in the last section of the Motett (BWV 228), is Johann Georg Ebeling’s setting of Paul Gerhardt’s Hymn, “Warum sollt’ ich mich denn gramen,” first published, with the Hymn, in P. Gerhardt’s Geistliche Andachten Bestehend in hundert und zwanzig Liedern (Berlin, 1666).
The melody also occurs in the Christmas Oratorio, (BWV 248) No. 33, and there is a harmonisation of it in the Choralgesange, No. 334 (BWV 422). In the Oratorio J.S. Bach uses only the first half of the tune, and except for the latter half of the second and first part of the third lines of the Hymn, follows Daniel Vetter’s reconstruction of the melody in his Musicalische Kirch- und Hauss-Ergötzlichkeit (Leipzig, Part II, 1713). There is earlier authority for J.S. Bach’s innovations, excepting his lines 3 and 6. In the Motett he follows D. Vetter, excepting the last three bars (supra), where his version seems to be his own. The Choralgesange form is identical with the Oratorio movement, but with D. Vetter’s version of the fourth line of the Hymn.
The words of the Choral are the 11h and 12th stanzas of P.Gerhardt’s Hymn, first published, to another melody, in the 1653 (Berlin) edition of Johann Crüger’s Praxis Pietatis Melica:.
Form. Choral Fantasia in Motett form, the three lower parts working out a subject fugato.
Source: Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts [1917], pp 471-472

Chorale Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen, BWV 422
Ref: RE 357; Br 356; KE 334; Dietel 117*; AmB 46II p.313; BGA 169; BC F190.1; CST 348

Alternate Melody: Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen (Zahn 6481)

Not used by Bach.

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Sources: Bach Digital; BGA; Zahn; BCML discussions on BCW; Charles Sanford Terry's Bach Chorals books
Photos from Gottfried Vopelius Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (Vopelius 1682), were taken from a digital copy of the book downloaded from Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München. This copy is Out of copyright - non commercial re-use (Europeana Rights).
Prepared by Aryeh Oron (October 2018)