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Johann Sebastian Bach, Orgelbüchlein

J. S. Bach, BWV639 Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (mp3)

This collection of 46 chorale preludes illustrates the many styles of this characteristically Lutheran form. For the organist and the discerning listener, the 46 are a source of great pleasure. Most are short, but highly concentrated. (There are 45 chorales, but number 35 has two "distinct" settings.)

Download the ZIP file containing all 46 chorale preludes.

There are very few indications of registration, so we are left to consider the needs of the music, the text, and the resources of the organs of Bach's time. Bach encountered many different instruments during his career, and is not known to have put his unqualified stamp of approval on any of them. Even Silbermann came in for some criticism; Bach thought his mixtures were too weak, and insisted on playing in A Flat Minor when Silbermann was in earshot, to illustrate the deficiencies of the tuning. It seems clear, though, that string tone was becoming popular, and that rules against "mixing families" of pipes or drawing more than one rank at a given pitch were fast becoming obsolete as wind supplies improved. The few registrations from Central Germany in this period that have come down to us seem to mirror the taste of the time for concertante and galante musical styles, sometimes in frank imitation of instrumental forms.

The list below gives the particulars of each chorale prelude, with our registrations.

  1. BWV 599 (Play MP3) "Num Komm, der Heiden Heiland" cf (=cantus firmus): cornemuse; man: gobletfl. 4; ped: qdna.
  2. BWV 600 (Play MP3) "Gott durch deine güte" cf: tr. (g.o.), tr. bat.; man: prin. 8+4+2, qdna., viol 4; ped: sub.
  3. BWV 601 (Play MP3) "Herr Christ der ein'ge Gottes Sohn" man: ged. 8+4, gob. 4+2
  4. BWV 602 (Play MP3) "Lob sei dem Allmächtigen Gott" cf: rip. II (g.o.); man: rip. I (pos.); ped: prin. 16+4
  5. BWV 603 (Play MP3) "Puer natus in Bethlehem" cf: echo fl.; man: jeux doux; ped: qdna., bd. 16
  6. BWV 604 (Play MP3) "Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ" cf: cor angl.; man: ged. 8+4; ped: qdna., sub.
  7. BWV 605 (Play MP3) "Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich" cf: prin. 8+2+1 (g.o.), plein jeu VI; man: jeux doux, qdna., mix. VI; ped: rip. I
  8. BWV 606 (Play MP3) "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her" cf: jeu de tierce; man. prin. 8+4+2; ped: prin. 16+4
  9. BWV 607 (Play MP3) "Vom Himmel kam der engel Schaar" cf: qdna. 8+4, viol 4; man: cor angl., gob. 4+2; ped: rohrfl. 8
  10. BWV 608 (Play MP3) "In dulci jubilo" cf (on pedal): echo tr., echo fl.; man: fl. 8+2+1
  11. BWV 609 (Play MP3) "Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich" cf: grand cornet, larigot; man: plein jeu (pos.); ped: prin. 16+4
  12. BWV 610 (Play MP3) "Jesu, meine Freude" cf: grand cornet; man: jeux doux; ped: qdna., sub.
  13. BWV 611 (Play MP3) "Christum wir sollen loben schon" cf: schalmei; man: ged. 8, larigot; ped: qdna.
  14. BWV 612 (Play MP3) "Wir Christen leut' " cf: tr., prin. 4+2, sesq.; man: jeu de tierce; ped: prin. 16+4
  15. BWV 613 (Play MP3) "Helft mir Gott's Gütte preisen" man: fls. 8+2+1, qdna. 4
  16. BWV 614 (Play MP3) "Das alte Jahr vergangen ist" cf: naz. III + lar.; man: goblet flutes
  17. BWV 615 (Play MP3) "In dir ist Freude" 18th Century tuning illustrating use of Terzizymbel; man: rip. II, mix. VI, terzizimbel; ped: tr. 16+8, mix. VI; we also included another setting with modern tuning and Cymbale, and one with modern tuning and Terzizymbel
  18. BWV 616 (Play MP3) "Mit Fried' und Freud' ich fahr' dahin" man: qdna. 8+2; ped: gamba, flutes 16+8+4
  19. BWV 617 (Play MP3) "Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf" cf: qdna. 8+4; man: jeux doux; ped: qdna.
  20. BWV 618 (Play MP3) "O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig" cf: cor ang., schalmei; man & ped: celestes 8+4
  21. BWV 619 (Play MP3) "Christe, du Lamm Gottes" cf: schalmei; man: flutes; ped: qdna.
  22. BWV 620 (Play MP3) "Christus, der uns selig macht" cf: cornet, krum.+larigot; man: echo flutes
  23. BWV 621 (Play MP3) "Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund" cf: flutes; man: fl. cel., spitzfl.; ped: prin. 8, stopped diapason 16
  24. BWV 622 (Play MP3) "O Mensch, bewein' dein Sünde gross" cf: jeu de tierce; man: jeux doux; ped: spitzfl.
  25. BWV 623 (Play MP3) "Wir danken dir, Herr Jesus Christ" cf: tr. 8, prin. 4+2; man: prin. 8+4 (pos.); ped: prin. 16+8
  26. BWV 624 (Play MP3) "Hilf Gott, dass mir's gelinge" cf: schalmei; man: echo flutes; ped: gamba
  27. BWV 625 (Play MP3) "Christ lag in Todesbanden" cf: tr. bat.; man: prin. 8+4+2+1; ped: prin. 16+8
  28. BWV 626 (Play MP3) "Jesus Christus, unser Heiland" cf: clairon 8; man: prin. 8+4+2, 1 1/3; ped: prin. 16+4
  29. BWV 627 (Play MP3) "Christ ist erstanden" cf: clairon 8, jeu de tierce; man: plein jeu; ped: rip. I
  30. BWV 628 (Play MP3) "Erstanden ist der heil'ge Christ" cf: tr. 8, prin. 4+2, septieme VI; man: prin. 8+4+2+1; ped: posaune ped. III
  31. BWV 629 (Play MP3) "Erscheinen ist der herrlich' Tag" grand jeu + basse de trompette + gros cromorne
  32. BWV 630 (Play MP3) "Heut' triumphiret Gottes Sohn" cf: tr. de batalla, clairon; man: plein jeu (g.o.); ped: posaune ped. III, prin. 4+2
  33. BWV 631 (Play MP3) "Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist" man: prin. 8+4+2, flutes 8+4+2+1, cymbale; ped: prin. 16+4
  34. BWV 632 (Play MP3) "Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend' " cf: regal + gamba + fl. 4, cor angl.; man: cornemuse, blockfl., quint, siffl.
  35. BWV 633 (Play MP3) "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier" cf: cornemuse; man: vla. cel. 8+4; ped: gamba, prestant
  36. BWV 634 (Play MP3) "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier" (alternate setting, "Distinctus") cf: montre + flute 4 + sesqui.; man: gems. + mix. III; ped: prin. 16+4, qdna.
  37. BWV 635 (Play MP3) "Dies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot' " man: rip. III; ped: rip. III (g.o.), ped. reeds 16+8
  38. BWV 636 (Play MP3) "Vater unser im Himmelreich" man: montre, prestant; ped: prin. 16+8
  39. BWV 637 (Play MP3) "Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt" man: ged. 8+4; ped: montre, sub.
  40. BWV 638 (Play MP3) "Er ist das Heil uns Kommen her" man: tutti (g.o.); ped: tutti (g.o.), posaune ped. III
  41. BWV 639 (Play MP3) "Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ" cf: montre; man: rohrfl.; ped: qdna., stopped diapason 16
  42. BWV 640 (Play MP3) "In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr" man: pienino; ped: pienino, prin. 16+4
  43. BWV 641 (Play MP3) "Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein" cf: hautbois; man: spitzfl.; ped: qdna., stopped diapason 16
  44. BWV 642 (Play MP3) "Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten" man: gems. + mix. III; ped: prin. 16+8
  45. BWV 643 (Play MP3) "Alle Menschen müssen sterben" cf: tr.; man: jeux doux; ped: rip. I
  46. BWV 644 (Play MP3) "Ach, wie flüchtig, ach, wie nichtig" man: tutti (g.o.); ped: tutti (g.o.), basse de trompette

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