Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Gott der Vater wohn uns bei

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

Melody & Text:

"Gott der Vater wohn uns bei" (God, the Father, stay with us), to the Johann Walter melody after Halberstadt c1500 (Zahn 8507), published in the first Wittenberg hymnal of 1524, is the three-stanza 1524 Trinityfest hymn on fundamental Trinitarian theology, modeled after 15th century Latin saints-day addressing litany hymns, says Robin A. Leaver. It is found in the NLGB as 136 with music, Trinityfest (https://books.google.com/books?id=UmVkAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA416#v=onepage&q&f=false), also for Lenten Reminiscare and Oculi as well as the 24^th Sunday after Trinity, and in the Schmelli on pp. 245-247, Suffering & Death of Jesus. In Martin Luther's hymn (English translation, http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/lyrics/tlh247.htm), Stanza 1 implores God's protection against evil, Stanza 2 seeks Christ's defense against the "Evil One," and Stanza 3 finds the Holy Spirit's intercession. Contemporary Sources: Evangelisches Gesangbuch EG 138 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a41K2SqD8Mk); Lutheran Book of Worship (Minneapolis MN: Augsburg Publishing, 1978), No. 308, "God the Father, Be Our Stay" (Repentance Forgiveness), and New Lutheran Hymnal (St. Louis MO: Concordia Publishing, 2006), No. 505, "Triune God, oh, be our Stay" (Holy Trinity).
Source: Passiontide Devotional Chorales, Other Weiße Hymns (William L. Hoffman, February 20, 2018)

Melody: Zahn 8507
Composer: Johann Walter (Wittenberg, 1524), after Halberstadt c1500

Text: Gott der Vater wohn uns bei (NLGB 136; ELG 22; EG 138)
Author: Martin Luther (1524), after a 15th century litany

Hymnal versions Bach may have known:

Melody & text of Gott der Vater wohn uns bei (NLGB 136) from the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch, pp 416-418

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text:

Chorale Gott der Vater wohn uns bei, BWV 317
Ref: RE 135; Br 134; KE 113; Birnstiel 137; AmB 46II p.114; Penzel 160; BGA 64; BC F72.1; CST 118

Untexted:

Chorale Prelude Gott der Vater wohn uns bei, BWV 748 [by Johann Gottfried Walther]

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), 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)