Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Ich dank dir schon durch deinen Sohn

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

Melody & Text:

“Ich dank’ dir schon durch deinen Sohn” (I thank Thee, Lord, through Thy dear Son) is a personal morning song in ten 4-line stanzas of Michael Praetorius (1571-1621), based on the 1586 Leipzig text of Franz Burchart. M. Praetorius set his melody, published in Musae Sioniae, Part 8 (Wolfenbüttel 1610), which is based on the Bohemian Brethren hymnbook (Nürnberg c1580, Zahn 247). J.S. Bach set this hymn as a plain chorale, BWV 349, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BGDI5y6rQE, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggu3E_1efy4). It is found in the NLGB as No. 195 as is listed in the Orgelbüchlein as Ob. 146 but not set. The M. Praetorius setting is in four parts and lists the text source as Zacharius Berwaldt Gesangbuch (Leipzig, 1582). Dietrich Buxtehude set the hymn as a chorale prelude (BuxWV 195, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyHJY8BV8YY).
Source: Devotional Hymns: Morning, Evening Songs (William L. Hoffman, December 14, 2017)

Melody: Zahn 247b
Composer: Michael Praetorius (1610), based on Nürnberg c1580

Text: Ich dank dir schon durch deinen Sohn (NLGB 195; KGEL 301)
Author: Franz Burchart (Leipzig, 1586)

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text:

Chorale Ich dank dir schon deinen Sohn, BWV 349
Ref: Ri 188; Br 188; Birnstiel 194; AmB 46II p.197; Penzel 177; BC F4.1

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Sources: Bach Digital; BGA; Zahn
Prepared by Aryeh Oron (September 2018)