Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen

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

Melody & Text: Zahn: 5267 | EKG: [uses not this melody, but rather Von Gott will ich nicht lassen]

The source of this melody as used by Bach and which contains only a few similarities with the Monica theme is either uncertain or unknown. There is a good likelihood, however, that either Wolfgang Figulus (Töpfer), one of Bach’s predecessors as Thomaskantor or else Cornelius Freundt (Bonamicus) could possibly be considered the composer. There is a 4-pt setting by Wolfgang Figulus (Töpfer) (c 1525 - after 1588) of Paul Eber’s (c1580) chorale text as well as one by Cornelius Freundt (Bonamicus) (c1535-1591).

[Some confusion has been created by musicologists who have perhaps relied incorrectly upon the EKG (the current hymnal used by the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Germany) which uses in this instance the melody for Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, in a variant form, instead of the melody listed here. The error can be seen in the last paragraph of the current article on the Monica melody in the Grove Music Online. In the latter, the reference to Magdeburg also needs to be updated since an older source, older than the French 1559 source mentioned in the article, has been located and is known to musicologists for almost a half century. See: The "Monica" - Historical Background.]

For a closer, one-above-the-other comparison of the Monica melody (with the greatest resemblance to the latter melody appearing in the chorale setting by Samuel Scheidt (the notes are given in red) and the melody for Von Gott will ich nicht lassen also derived from the same original French source (1557) and the very different melody that Bach uses for Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen, see: Comparison:

Text 1: Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen | EKG: 37
Author: Paul Eber (c1580)

Text 2: Zeuch ein zu deinen Toren | EKG: 105 (with a different melody by Johann Crüger)
Author: Paul Gerhardt (1653)

Possible Chorale Melody Source used by Bach:

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text 1: Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen | EKG: 37
Author: Paul Eber (c1580)

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

6

BWV 16

Mvt. 6

1726

99

125

99

-

A23:6

PDF

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

6

BWV 28

Mvt. 6

1725

23
88

124

23

8

F80
A20:6

PDF

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

Text 2: Zeuch ein zu deinen Toren | EKG: 105
Author: Paul Gerhardt (1653)

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

5

BWV 183

Mvt. 5

1725

123

126

23

-

A79:5

PDF

Mvt. 5 (MG) [midi] | Mvt. 5 (Leusink) [ram]

Untexted:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Score

Music Examples

-

BWV 613

-

1713/15

-

-

-

-

K42

-

BWV 613: Orgelbüchlein No. 15

Simlified form from Bach's versions:

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Cornelius Freundt (Bonamicus) (c1535-1591)
4-pt setting of Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen

Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630):
Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen for 2 Sopranos (parts) + bc (1626)
Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen for SATB + bc (1627)

Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654):
Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen, Chorale Prelude for Organ
Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen, Setting for Soprano, Tenor, Bass + bc SSWV 300

Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (1663-1712):
Helft mir Gottes Güte preisen, 4vv, chorus 4vv, tpt, cornettino, 3 trbn, 2 vn, 2 va, bc

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

See list of Piano Transcriptions of BWV 613 by various composers/arrangers at:
Piano Transcriptions of Bach's Works - Index by BWV Number Part 4: Chorale Preludes for Organ

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 (January 2006)