Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzugleich Bach

Some of the spurious compositions attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach, are not even included in the second appendix of Schmieder’s catalogue of Bach’s works. That could be because Schmieder considered them not to be compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, or because they were not known in the time Schmieder compiled his catalogue. Some 30 years ago Reimar Emans compiled a list of possible Bach compositions. Some of these works are now known to be composed by other composers than Bach. Of some however, the composers are still not known and they remain attributed to Bach, however unlikely the authorship pf Bach is.

Emans 129 is one of these pieces of which it seems unlikely that Bach was the comp-oser, even though it is attributed to him in the only manuscript source that is available of this composition.

The choral melody features twice in this composition. First it is played with the right hand in an eleborate version. Then it is played with the feet in plain notes, while the rioght hand plays a lively accompaniment. The left hand is silent in this part of the piece.

The piece feels rather uneven, more like two sketches joined together then a coherent composition. If Bach was the composer he was probably just an early teenager and just begun to learn to compose. Or he just did not have a very good day.

The recording was done on the sampleset, made by Voxus, of the Matthijs van Deventer-orgel in the Grote Kerk, Nijkerk.

Nikolaus Herman�s text first appears with a melody that may be a sacred contrafactum of an unknown secular melody/dance: Kommt her, ihr lieben Schwesterlein {�Come over here, all of you dear sisters�) as found in Ein Christlicher Abentreien (A Christian Evening Round Dance), Leipzig, 1554. Here is the melody as it appeared in 1554:

Bach may have been acquainted with this melody as found in the Gotha Hymnal from 1715.

Chorale Text 1:

Nikolaus Herman (c1480-1561) chorale text is based upon a Christmas antiphon, the introit Puer natus es nobis from the Middle Ages.

Chorale Text 2:

Text by Paul Gerhardt. Usually associated with this CT is the CM by the same name (EKG 231) by Johannes Crüger (1653). However, Bach used this CT with the CM Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich (Zahn: 198, originated from Kommt her, ihr lieben Schwesterlein) and not Crüger's melody from 1653.

Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich

EKG:

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Ver

Work

Mvt.

Year

Br

RE

KE

Di

BC

Type

8

1725

54

235

54

-

A17:5

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

-

-

?

276

233

276

58

F127.1

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

-

-

?

341

234

342

-

F128.1

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

German Text

English Translation

1

Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich,
In seinem höchsten Thron,
Der heut schließt auf sein Himmelreich
Und schenkt uns seinen Sohn.
Und schenkt uns seinen Sohn.

Praise God, you Christains, all together,
on his highest throne,
who today unlocks his heavenly kingdom
and bestows on us his son.

2

Er kommt aus seines Vaters Schoß
Und wird ein Kindlein klein,
Er liegt dort elend, nackt und bloß
In einem Krippelein.
In einem Krippelein.

He comes from his Father's bosom
and will be a little baby,
he lies there poor, naked and bare
in a little crib.

3

Er äußert sich all seiner G'walt,
Wird niedrig und gering
Und nimmt an sich ein's Knechts Gestalt,
Der Schöpfer aller Ding.
Der Schöpfer aller Ding.

He shows all his might,
he becomes humble and small,
and he takes on a servant's form,
the creator of all things.

4

Er wechselt mit uns wunderlich:
Fleisch und Blut nimmt er an
Und gibt uns in sein's Vaters Reich
Die klare Gottheit dran.
Die klare Gottheit dran.

He makes a wonderful exchange with us:
he takes on flesh and blood
and in his Father's kingdom gives us
in return clear divinity.

5

Er wird ein Knecht und ich ein Herr;
Das mag ein Wechsel sein!
Wie könnt' es doch sein freundlicher,
Das herz'ge Jesulein.
Das herz'ge Jesulein.

He becomes a servant and I a lord,
what an exchange that is!
How could he be more friendly,
dear little Jesus.

6

Heut schleußt er wieder auf die Tür
Zum schönen Paradeis:
Der Cherub steht nicht mehr dafür,
Gott sei Lob, Ehr und Preis!
Gott sei Lob, Ehr und Preis!

Today he again unlocks the door
to the beautiful paradise,
the cherub no more stands in front,

7

Er liegt an seiner Mutter Brust,
Ihr Milch, die ist sein Speis,
An dem die Engel sehn ihr Lust,
Denn er ist Davids Reis,
Denn er ist Davids Reis

He lies at his mother's breast,
her milk is his food,
he in whom angels see their delight.
For he is David's scion.

8

Das aus seinem Stamm entsprießen sollt
In dieser letzten Zeit,
Durch welchen Gott aufrichten wollt
Sein Reich, die Christenheit.
Sein Reich, die Christenheit.

He was destined to spring from his lineage
in this last time,
through whom God wanted to set up
his kingdom, Christendom.

--

English Translation by Francis Browne (May 2009)
Contributed by Francis Browne (May 2009)

Cantata BWV 151