Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Keinen hat Gott verlassen

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

Melody & Text:

"Keinen hat Gott verlassen". [Trust in God.] Wackernagel, v. p. 275, gives this hymn from the Geistliche Lieder (Erfurt, 1611), and the Christliches Gesangbuchlein (Hamburg, 1612), in 8 stanzas of 8 lines. Also in Mutzell, 1855, No. 590, and the Berlin Geistliche Lieder (ed. 1863), No. 847. In the 1612 it is entitled "A hymn on the name of the serene right honourable princess and lady, Lady Katharina, by birth and marriage Margravine and Electress of Brandenburg." As she died September 30, 1602, the hymn probably dates from the 16th century. The initials of the 8 stanzas form the name Katarina. The common ascription to Andreas Keßler, who was only born in 1595, is baseless.
Source: John Julian: Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Melody: Zahn 5394
Composer: Anon (Berlin, 1640), to "O Gott, ich thu dirs klagen", based on an anonymous melody 1609

Text: Keinen hat Gott verlassen (NLGB 292; ELG 517)
Author: Anon (Erfurt, 1611)

Hymnal versions Bach may have known:

Melody & text of Das walt’ mein Gott, Vater, Sohn und heiliger Geist (NLGB ) from the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch, pp 762-765

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Keinen hat Gott verlassen

Chorale Keinen hat Gott verlassen, BWV 369
Ref: RE 129; Br 129; KE 217; Birnstiel 133; AmB 46II p.85 & p.115; Penzel 154; BGA 116; BC F124.1; CST 223

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Sources: Bach Digital; BGA; Zahn; BCML discussions on BCW; Charles Sanford Terry's Bach Chorals books
Photos from Gottfried Vopelius: Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (Vopelius 1682) & Christian Friedrich Witt: Psalmodia Sacra, Oder: Andächtige und schöne Gesänge… (Gotha Hymnal, 1715), were taken from digital copies of the books downloaded from Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München. These copies are Out of copyright - non commercial re-use (Europeana Rights).
Prepared by Aryeh Oron (October 2018)