Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Danket dem Herrn, denn er ist sehr freundlich

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

Melody & Text:

“Danket dem Herrn, denn er ist sehr freundlich” (Thank the Lord, for he is good, Psalm 107) is an After Meal hymn by Johann Horn (Jan Roh, 1487-1547; sometimes attributed to Michael Weisse) to the associated melody (Nürnberg 1544), found in the tenor Vitam quae faciunt and Vivamus mea Lesba by Ludwig Senfl (1534) (Zahn 12), text in six 8-line stanzas, from a Thanks to God song in Ein Gesangbuch der Brüder inn Behemen und Merherrn (Nürnberg 1544), based on Psalm 136. It is found in the NLGB as No. 218, in the Orgelbüchlein, No. 154 (from Gotha-Witt Hymnbook No. 452), and in the Telemann 1730 chorale book, No. 164, Christian Life, and No. 235, ?Prayer of Thanksgiving. Bach set it as a plain chorale, BWV 286.
Source: Blessing & Thanks Hymns as Chorales at Meals; Tafelmusik (William L. Hoffman, Dec 21, 2017)

Melody: Zahn 12
Composer: found in the tenor Vitam quae faciunt and Vivamus mea Lesba by Ludwig Senfl (1534)

Text: Danket dem Herrn, denn er ist sehr freundlich (NLGB 218), based on Psalm 136
Author: Johann Horn ((Nürnberg, 1544)

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Danket dem Herrn, denn er ist sehr freundlich

Chorale Danket dem Herren, BWV 286
Ref: RE 228; Br 228; KE 53; AmB 46II p.198; Penzel 170; BGA 33; BC F183.1

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)