Recorded: October-November 2024
The extant organ works of Johann Christoph Bach comprise 47 Chorale-Preludes, a Chorale Variation, and a free organ piece.
About 1700 J. C. Bach compiled 44 Chorale-Preludes in a manuscript which was, according to the statement on the title page, intended for edition. As a matter of fact, the collection bears the title: “Chorales which may be used as preludes during Divine service, composed and published by J. C. Bach, organist in Eisenach”. The manuscript belonged to Gerber and later was in possession of Spitta by the end of 19th century when he published his monumental biography of J. S. Bach. The edition, however, appeared for the first time only in the mid-20th century on Bärenreiter, edited by Martin Fischer. J. C. Bach was praised as an outstanding master of vocal music within Bach family circle. According to Spitta, J. C. Bach counted on a solid background of several centuries of vocal music development; but concerning organ music he was breaking new ground in an art not yet fully stablished. While in vocal music he was heir of a long tradition, in organ music he was a pioneer treading on half tilled ground. Spitta’s statement reveals he considered J. C. Bach’s Chorale-Preludes rather inconspicuous. A close insight in the 44 Chorale-Preludes leads to the conclusion that, however simple they may seem, they stand as tiny masterpieces, nonetheless. All the 44 are conceived upon Pachelbel’s Central Germany fugal form of Choral-Prelude. They are three voice fughettas in which the first phrase of the chorale melody serves as subject. No full chorale melody appears at all. Interesting features are the overlapping of modal and tonal treatment and the consistent use of the pedal for the entrance of the subject on the bass. There are also frequent attempts of word-tone relation as hints of symbolism of the chorale text or title. A clear example is the last prelude (Why do you grieve my heart) in which he repeatedly uses the move-down chromatism (descensus doriusculus), a well- known rhetorical symbol of grievance.
Four more organ chorales appear in the Neumeister manuscript discovered in the 1980s. Three of them are Chorale-Preludes. One is fugal and two are versus in which the total chorale melody line appears in one of the voices. They are longer than those of the first 1700 set, and set in binary form (A-A, B-B). The fourth one is a Chorale Variation in three parts (Choraliter-Trio-Pro Organo Pleno).
44 Choräle zum Preambulieren (1700)
- Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh darein (Oh God from heaven, look upon it)
2. Helf mir Gottes Güte preisen oder: Von Gott will ich nicht lassen (Help me praise God’s goodness or: I will not let go of God)
3. Aus tiefer Not (Out of deep need) (De Profundis)
4. Ein feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress)
5. In dich hab ich gehoffet Herr (In you I have hoped, Lord)
6. Vater unser in Himmelreich (Our Father in Heaven)
7. Es woll uns genädig sein (May it be merciful to us)
8. Allein zu dir Herr Jesu Christ (Alone to you Lord Jesus Christ)
9. Wir glauben all an einen Gott (We all believe in one God) (Credo)
10. Wir glauben all an einen Gott (II) (We all believe in one God) (Credo)
11. Nun lob mein Seel den Herrn (Now my soul praises the Lord)
12. Nun freut euch lieben Christen oder: Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit (Now rejoice, dear Christians or: It is certainly time)
13. Nun lasst uns Gott dem Herrn oder: Wach auf mein Herz und singe (Now let us God the Lord or: Awake my heart and sing)
14. Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein (When we are in dire need)
15. Durch Adam Fall (Through Adam Fall)
16. Es ist das Heil uns kommen her (It is salvation that comes to us)
17. Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu Christ (I call to you Lord Jesus Christ)
18. Auf meinen lieben Gott (On my dear God)
19. O Herre Gott, dein göttlich Wort (O Lord God, your divine word)
20. Herr Christ, der einig Gottes Sohn (Lord Christ, the only Son of God)
21. Dies sind die heiligen zehn Gebote (These are the holy ten commandments)
22. Wo Gott zum Haus nicht gibt sein Gunst (Where God does not give his favour to the house)
23. Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden (When my hour comes)
24. Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin (With peace and joy I go there)
25. Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn (My soul magnifies the Lord) (Magnificat)
26. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (Glory to God in the highest) (Gloria)
27. Herr Jesu Christ dich zu uns wend (Lord Jesus Christ turn to us)
28. Liebster Jesu wir sind hier (Dearest Jesus we are here)
29. Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält (Where the Lord God is not with us)
30. Erhalt uns Herr bei deinen Wort (Keep us Lord in your word)
31. Kommt her zu mir (Come to me)
32. Wär Gott nicht mit uns dieser Zeit (If God were not with us this time)
33. Ach Gott und Herr (Oh God and Lord)
34. Jesu der du meine Seele oder: Alle Menschen müssen sterben (Jesus, who saves my soul or: All people must die)
35. Erbarm dich mein o Herre Gott (Have mercy on me, O Lord God)
36. Ach Herr mich armen Sünder (Oh Lord, poor sinner (of mine)
37. Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeit (God be praised and blessed)
38. Jesus Christus unser Heiland der von uns (den Gotteszorn Wandt) (Jesus Christ our Savior who turns away from us (the wrath of God)
39. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How beautifully the morning star shines)
40. Ich dank dir lieber Herre (I thank you dear Lord)
41. Aus meines Herzens Grunde (From the bottom of my heart)
42. Ich dank dir schon (I thank you already)
43. Christ der du bist der helle Tag (Christ who art the holy day)
44. Warum betrübst du dich mein Her (Why do you grieve my heart)
Chorale Preludes from the Neumeister Ms.
45. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (Glory to God in the highest) (Gloria)
46. An Wasserflüssen Babylon (By the Rivers of Babylon)
47. Wer Gott vertraut, hat wohl gebaut (Whoever trusts in God has built well)
48. Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder (Oh Lord, poor sinner (of mine)
Chorale Variation : a) Versus (Choraliter)
b) Trio
c) Pro Organo Pleno
Of the extant free works by J. C. Bach only the Prelude and Fugue in E Flat major can be taken as suitable for the organ; while the three sets of variations are, according to their form, treatment, and musical language, obviously conceived for the harpsichord. The prelude is a rhapsodic piece full of virtuoso passages, dotted rhythms, imitation and arpeggio, features borrowed from Stylus Fantasticus. Notwithstanding, it cannot be considered much of an exponent of the North German school. The fugue is a Fuga Patetica whose subject is a descendent Phrygian tetrachord filled in by a moving down chromatism (descensus doriusculus). Well-known figure of grieve since the Renaissance (Dowland’s Flow my Tears), the former; the rhetoric symbol of despair and grieve, the latter, they both come together to convey a pathetic character to the piece. It is, therefore, to be played slowly (a spurious annotation Allegro that appears in one of the manuscripts of the piece come from an unknown hand and was added later to the copy. It obviously does not match the character of the piece). After a tonal exposition, there are many entrances of the subject, some in modal way, that leads to a long stretto which yields a toccata-like long passage until the conclusion of the fugue. It comprises elements that make out of it a sort of merge between a fuga canonica and fuga liberata.
sesquialteramusic 