Recordings/Discussions
Background Information
Performer Bios

Poet/Composer Bios

Additional Information

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


Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam

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

 

Melody & Text: Zahn: 7246 | EKG: 146

Text: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam | EKG: 146

Original Text by Martin Luther: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam with the earliest date given variously as Wittenberg, 1524 but also as late as 1541. There seems to be some confusion here in that some sources claim that Luther first used the melody (Zahn 7247) for Es wolle Gott uns genädig sein with this text, but then, later, in 1541, it appears with the melody (Zahn 7246) Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam. The available sources are unclear about this. The NBA KB and BWV Verzeichnis give 1541 as the earliest appearance of the text. This is a point that needs to be verified.

 

Melody:

The composer of Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam is unknown, although there is a possibility that Johann Walter might have been involved in its composition or adaptation. Some sources (EKG) claim that this melody was derived from Es woll uns Gott genädig sein. Aside from the fact that this text could be sung to the latter melody, major differences between both melodies are quite obvious.

 

Hymnal versions Bach may have known:

Bach’s possible and very likely hymnal source: Vopelius, Leipzig, 1682:

Another early hymnal (unspecified) from the 17th century has a version of the melody that looks like this:

Samuel Scheidt gives a version of the melody as it was sung in 1650:

 

Alternate Text: Was alle Weisheit in der Welt | EKG:

Paul Gerhardt is the author of this chorale text which first appeared in 1653.

 

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text 1: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam | EKG: 146
Author: Martin Luther (1524-1541)

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

1

BWV 7

Mvt. 1

1724

-

-

-

-

A177:1

 

Mvt. 1 (Leusink) [ram]

7

BWV 7

Mvt. 7

1724

-

44

-

-

A177:7

PDF

Mvt. 7 (MG) [midi] | Mvt. 7 (Leusink) [ram]

-

BWV 280

-

?

65

43

66

-

F65.1

PDF

Chorale (MG) [midi]

 

Text 2: Was alle Weisheit in der Welt | EKG:
Author: Paul Gerhardt (1653)

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

8

BWV 176

Mvt. 6

1725

119

   

-

A92:6

PDF

Mvt. 6 (MG) [midi] | Mvt. 6 (Leusink)

 

Untexted:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

-

BWV 684

-

1739

-

-

-

-

K16

-

 

-

BWV 685

-

1739 

-

-

-

-

K17

-

 

BWV 684 Chorale Prelude for Organ Klavierübung III/16
BWV 685 Chorale Prelude for Organ Klavierübung III/17

 

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Wolff Heintz (c1490- 1552(?):
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, setting for 4 voices in G. Rhau, Newe deudsche geistliche Gesenge (Wittenberg, 1544)

Hieronymus Praetorius (1560-1629)::
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, Chorale Prelude for Organ (1625)

Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612):
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, 4vv (1607), C vii;
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, 4vv (1608), C viii

Michael Praetorius (1571-1621):
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, Chorale Ricercare for Organ
The chorale ricercare quickly became one of the favourite organ chorale forms of the time. Particularly large-scale examples were contributed by the leading master of the vocal chorale motet,
Michael Praetorius (see his Ein feste Burg and Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam) as well as by the Hamburg organist Jacob Praetorius and others.

Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630):
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, SATB [bc] ( 1627); A ii/1, 88
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, SS, 2 instruments, bc (1618); A iv, 65, P v, 56

Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654):
Christ unser Herr, 4-pt. setting, SSWV 472 (Görlitz, 1650). See: Score
Christ unser Herr/Ich ruf zu dir (chorale) STB, bc, SSWV 184, in Newe geistliche Concerten … prima pars (
Halle, 1631)
Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam (chorale), STB, bc, SSWV 320, in Geistlicher Concerten … dritter Theil (
Halle, 1635)

Christoph Bernhard (1627/1628-1692):
Missa: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, 5vv

Dietrich Buxtehude (c1637-1707):
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, Chorale Prelude for Organ Dorian, BuxWV 180

Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706):
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (1663-1712):
Christ unser Herr zum Jodan kam, Chorale Prelude for Organ

Siegfried Reda (1916-1968):
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, Choralconcerto for Organ (1948)

 

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 (April 2006)


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




 

Back to the Top


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