Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works
Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit

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

Melody & Text:

The Litany is a recast of the “Kyrie summum bonum: Kyrie fons bonitatis,” printed, apparently at Wittenberg, in 1541. The melody is a literal adaptation of the Latin plainsong. It is printed supra from the Teutsch Kirchenamt (Erfurt, 1525), where it is set to other words. Bach’s melodic text, in Choralgesange, No. 225 (BWV 371), and the Organ movements infra, is invariable and follows the original (1525), to which Witt (No. 187) also conforms.
Source: Charles Sanford Terry: Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works (Cambridge University Press, 1921. pp 227-228

Melody: Zahn 8600c
Composer: Anon (Naumburg, 1537/1538), after Kyrie fons bonitatis (c950)

Text: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit (NLGB 423ff; EG 178.04; ELG 21)
Author: Anon (Naumburg, 1537/1538), a German translation of the Latin Kyrie summum bonum: Kyrie fons bonitatis

Use of the Chorale Melody by Bach:

Text: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit
Author: Anon

Chorale Kyrie! Gott Vater in Ewigkeit, BWV 371
Ref: Ri 132; Br 132; Birnstiel 134; AmB 46II p.83 & p.112; Penzel 104; BC F129

Untexted:

The two sets of three movements, the one long (N. xvi. 28-35), the other short (N. xvi. 36-38), are in the Clavierubung. Schweitzer points out that the majority of the long movements in the Clavierubung are worked out to such excessive length as to diminish the impression they would otherwise make. The criticism does not apply to the “Kyrie.” The longer set is developed in the style of Pachelbel rather than that of the Choral Fantasia, with magnificent tonal effect. The shorter set is of a different texture, written for the manuals only, and in another mood.
The chorale includes the melodies of the 3 following parts:

Part 1: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit

Chorale Prelude Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit (I), BWV 669

Chorale Prelude Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit (II), BWV 672

Part 2: Christe, aller Welt Trost

Chorale Prelude Christe, aller Welt Trost (I), BWV 670

Chorale Prelude Christe, aller Welt Trost (II), BWV 673

Part 3: Kyrie, Gott Heiliger Geist

Chorale Prelude Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist (I), BWV 671

Chorale Prelude Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist (II), BWV 674

Use of the Chorale Melody by other composers:

Sources: Bach Digital; BGA; Zahn; Charles Sanford Terry: Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works (Cambridge University Press, 1921. pp 227-228
Prepared by Aryeh Oron (October 2018)