Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Den Vater dort oben

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

Melody & Text:

"Den Vater dort oben" (The Father up there) in five 7-line stanzas, set to the 1531 associated melody, was published again in the Moravian Hymnbook of 1554. It is used as an omnes tempore Communion hymn and Grace after Meals (Wackernagel iii: 321). It is found in the 1682 NLGB with music (Zahn 7495), No. 225 Catechism Thanksgiving (https://books.google.com/books?id=UmVkAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA600#v=onepage&q&f=false, and is known in English as "Father, Lord of mercy," by John Christian Jacobi, 1722. Bach set it as a plain chorale, BWV 292 in C Major (http://www.bach-chorales.com/BWV0292.htm, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqLIj4KVVTg). Stanzas 1, 3, and 5 are translated in Terry's Four-Part Chorales of J. S. Bach (London: Oxford University Press, 1929, No. 63; Bach Digital, https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000362?XSL.Style=detail), and in the Helmut Rilling Edition Bachakademie Vol. 83, A Book of Chorale-Settings for Thanks & Praise (http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Vocal/BWV250-438-Rilling.htm, English translation, Stanza 1: "The father high above / We will praise now, / Who has kindly fed us / in his divine mildness, / And Christ, his son, / Through whom blessing come / From the highest throne."
Source: Passiontide Devotional Chorales, Other Weiße Hymns (William L. Hoffman, February 20, 2018)

Melody: Zahn 4795
Composer: Michael Weisse (1531)

Text: Den Vater dort oben (NLGB 225)
Author: Michael Weisse (1531)

Hymnal versions Bach may have known:

3 pages of melody & text of Den Vater dort oben from the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch, pp 600-602

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Den Vater dort oben

Chorale Den Vater dort oben, BWV 292
Ref: RE 239; Br 239; KE 60' AmB 46II p.199; Penzel 175; BGA 39; BC F40.1

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Sources: Bach Digital; BGA; Zahn
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)