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

Melody & Text: Zahn: 5404a | EKG: 318

Original Source of Melody:

The composer is Melchior Teschner (1584-1635) and the melody together with the text with which it continues to be associated first appeared in print in Leipzig in 1614. The title of the work in which it is contained is: “Ein andächtiges Gebet, damit die Evangelische Bürgerschafft zu Frawenstadt Anno 1613 den Herrn erweichet hat” [“A Reverent Prayer with which the Evangelical Citizens of Frauenstadt Moved the Lord in the Year 1613.”]

Here is the melody from Teschner’s original 5-pt. setting (1613):

The NBA has given a composite representation of the melody as it may have appeared in various hymnals during the 17^th century:

Text: Valet will ich dir geben

The text is by Valerius Herberger (1562-1627) He was born in Fraustadt, began as a teacher, but then took on a position as a pastor at St Mary’s in Fraustadt. When this church was forcibly overtaken by Catholic Poles during the Counter-Reformation, he built a provisional, ‘emergency’ church called “Das Kripplein Christi” [“Christ’s Little Crib.”] He was severely tested by the events of the Counter-Reformation and suffered from the ravages of war.

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Valet will ich dir geben | EKG: 318
Author: Valerius Herberger

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

1

BWV 95

Mvt. 3

1723

-

-

-

-

A136:4

-

Mvt. 3 (Leusink) [ram]

3

BWV 245

Mvt. 26

1724

108

315

108

142

D2:26

PDF

Mvt. 26 (MG) [midi]

Untexted:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

-

BWV 415

-

?

24

314

24

-

F18:1

PDF

Chorale (MG) [midi]

-

BWV 735

(a)

1700-17

-

-

-

-

K104

-

-

BWV 736

-

1700-17

-

-

-

-

K131

=

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Georg Österreich (1664-1735):
Valet will ich dir geben, corale, SATB, 3 str, bn, bc

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767):
Valet will ich dir geben (Neumeister), 1:1458 Cantata (1722)

Georg Friedrich Kauffmann (1679-1735):
Valet will ich dir geben Chorale Prelude for Organ from “Harmonische Seelenlust” (Leipzig, 1733)

Johann Ernst Bach (1722-1777):
Valet will ich dir geben, Chorale for Organ

Carl Karow (1790-1863):
Valet will ich dir geben, Choral for Organ

Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911):
Choral prelude for organ Valet will ich dir gehen

Max Reger (1873-1916):
Valet will ich dir geben, Chorale Prelude for Organ, Op. 135a/23 (1914)

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

Peter Baekgaard
Organ arrangements of J.S. Bach' Chorale Valet will ich dir geben (Mvt. 3) from Cantata BWV 95. See: Details | PDF

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 (September 2005)