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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 Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Du, o schönes Weltgebäude
Text and Translation of Chorale

EKG: NLGB 385
Author: Johann Franck (1653)
Chorale Melody: Du geballtes Weltgebäude (Zahn 6773) | Composer: Johann Crüger (1649)

Description:

The melody and words of the concluding Choral of Cantata BWV 56 are from Johann Franck’s Hymn, “Du, O schones Weltgebaude.” The melody was first published, with the first stanza only of J. Franck’s Hymn (but with the first line as, “Du geballtes Weltgebaude”), in Johann Crüger’s Geistliche Kirchen-Melodien (Leipzig, 1649).
The melody does not appear elsewhere in the Cantatas or Oratorios. Another harmonisation of it is in the Choralgesange, No. 71 (BWV 301).
The complete text of it was first published, along with the melody, in Christoph Runge’s edition of J. Crüger’s Praxis Pietatis Melica (Berlin, 1653).
Source: Charles Sanford Terry: Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts [1917], pp 277-278:

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorale Komm, o Tod (Mvt. 5) from Cantata BWV 56 (verse 5)
Re: RE 87; BR 86; KE 72; BC A146:5

The words of the concluding Choral are the sixth stanza of J. Franck’s Hymn.

Chorale Du, o schoönes Weltgebäude, BWV 301
Ref: RE 134; Br 137; KE 71; Birnstiel 141; AmB 46II p.124; Penzel 164; BGA 48; BC F50.1; CST 74

 

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1

Du, o schönes Weltgebäude,
magst gefallen, wem du willst;
ist doch deine eitle Freude
stets mit lauter Angst umhüllt.
Denen, die den Himmel hassen,
will ich ihre Weltlust lassen;
mich verlangt nach dir allein,
lieber Herr und Heiland mein!

You, O beautiful building of the world,
May please whom you will;
But your vain joy
Is always involved with sheer anxiety.
To those who hate heaven
I gladly leave their worldly pleasure;
My longing is for you alone,
My dear Lord and Saviour.

2

Müde, die der Arbeit Menge
und der heiße Strahl beschwert,
wünschen, daß des Tages Länge
werde durch die Nacht verzehrt,
daß sie nach so vielen Lasten
könnten sanft und süße rasten.
Mein Wunsch ist, bei dir zu sein,
lieber Herr und Heiland mein!

The weary, who complain about the amount
Of work and the sun’s heat,
Wish that the length of the day
Were consumed by the night
So that after so many burdens
They could rest gently and pleasantly.
My wish is to be with you,
My dear Lord and Saviour.

3

Andre mögen durch die Wellen
und durch Wind und Klippen gehn,
ihren Handel zu bestellen,
und da Sturm und Not bestehn;
ich will auf des Glaubens Schwingen
aufwärts in den Himmel dringen,
ewig da bei dir zu sein,
lieber Herr und Heiland mein!

Others may like to go
Through waves and wind and rocks
To carry out their business
And withstand storm and distress;
On the wings of faith I want
To penetrate upwards into heaven,
There to be always with you,
My dear Lord and Saviour!

4

Tausendmal pfleg´ ich zu sagen
und noch tausendmal dazu:
Würd´ ich doch ins Grab getragen,
o so käm´ ich ja zur Ruh,
und mein bestes Teil das würde,
frei von dieses Leibes Bürde,
dort im Himmel bei dir sein,
lieber Herr und Heiland mein!

A thousand times I am accustomed to say
And then a thousand times more:
If only I were carried to my grave,
O then I would come to rest
And that would be best for me,
Free from the burden of this body,
To be there in heaven with you,
My dear Lord and Saviour

5

Komm, o Tod, des Schlafes Bruder,
komm und führe mich nur fort!
löse meines Schiffleins Ruder,
bringe mich zum sichern Port!
Mag, wer immer will, dich scheuen,
mich vielmehr kannst du erfreuen,
denn durch dich komm´ich hinein
zu dem lieben Heiland mein.

Come,O death, you brother of sleep,
come and lead me away from here;
release my little ship's rudder,
bring me to a safe harbour!
Those who will may shun you
you can gladden me much more
since through you I shall come
To my dear Saviour.

6

Ach daß ich des Leibes Bande
heute noch verlassen müßt,
käme zum gelobten Lande,
wo das Haus des Friedens ist!
Da wollt´ ich in heilgen Chören
mit den Engeln dich verehren,
rühmen deinen Gnadenschein,
lieber Herr und Heiland mein!

Ah, how I wish that today I had to
Leave the bonds of the body,
And go to the promised land
Where is the house of peace!
There I would in the holy choirs
Honour you with the Angels,
Praise your mercy,
My dear Lord and saviour

7

Doch weil ich die Friedensauen
und den goldnen Himmelssaal
jetzt nicht kann nach Wünschen schauen,
sondern muß im Tränental
noch im Prüfungskampfe leben,
soll mein Geist sich doch erheben,
unterdessen bei dir sein,
lieber Herr und Heiland mein!

But while the fields of peace
And the Golden Hall of heaven
I cannot look on according to my wish
But must in the vale of tears
Still live a life of testing struggle,
Yet may my spirit be raised
In the meantime to be with you
My dear Lord and Saviour!

   

Source of German text: http://www.christliche-gedichte.de/?pg=11867
(This version differs in some details from the text used by Bach)
English Translation by Francis Browne (May 2012)
Contributed by Francis Browne (May 2012)


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




 

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Last update: Saturday, January 04, 2020 13:41