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The melody of the Chorale “Ist Gott mein Schild und Helfersmann” (If God is my protection and faithful Shepherd) was published, with Ernst Christoph Homburg’s Hymn, in Hundert ahnmuthig- und sonderbahr geistlicher Arien (Dresden, 1694), a collection from which few melodies have passed into common use.
The melody has been attributed incorrectly to J.S. Bach. He has not used it elsewhere and material is not available to enable the originality of his variations of the tune to be tested.
The words of E.C. Homburg’s hymn “Ist Gott mein Schild und Helfersmann,” or “Gott ist mein Schild und Helfersmann in 7 6-line stanzas,” were first published, with a different melody, in Part I of E.C. Homburg’s Geistlicher Lieder (Naumburg, 1659 [1658]).
Source: Charles Sanford Terry: Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 2 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Cantatas and Motetts [1917], pp 292-293 |
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Form. Simple (2 Ob., Strings, Continuo). Choralgesänge, No. 216. Erk, No. 78 |
