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JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH 1685-1750
“O Sacred Head Now Wounded”
Great composer John Sebastian Bach must also be recognized for his work with hymns of the church. Two hundred years after the melody was written to Martin Luther’s hymn “Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands,” Bach arranged it. He also arranged the tune that we now associate with “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” as part of his Cantata BWV 147. In several cases Bach wrote a harmony to accompany hymn tunes, including that of “O Sacred Head Now Wounded.” The tune for the hymn “How Tedious and Tasteless the Hours,” written by John Newton of “Amazing Grace” notoriety, was also written by Bach, originally used in his Cantata BWV 212. Having been inspired by Luther and the Reformation, Bach included strong Christian themes in his elaborate cantatas, and some refer to him as the “Fifth Evangelist.” |
