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  • ART::MUSIC
    • 2023-2024 Concerts >
      • The Most Famous Motet
      • The Treasury of Petrus Alamire
      • Ein Kind ist uns geboren!
      • Appear and Inspire
      • The Singing Walls
      • Two Tall Tales
      • The Most Ambitious Project
    • Learning and Exploration >
      • Brombaugh Organ Exploration
      • BachTalks
      • The Choir Loft >
        • The National Anthems by David Lang - Steve Osborn
        • Heinrich Schütz Symphoniae Sacrae I from 1629
    • Tickets
    • Donate today!
  • Who we are and What we do
    • Mission Statement
  • Our Ensembles
    • Sonoma Bach Choir
    • Circa 1600
    • Green Mountain Consort
    • Live Oak Baroque Orchestra
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Sponsor a Singer!
    • Escrip & Amazon Smile
  • Resources
    • Virtual Offerings - Archive >
      • The Choir Loft
      • Virtual BachTalk
      • Adventures in Sightsinging
      • Parliamo Italiano! Language Workshop
      • Madrigal Mondays
      • Chorale Wednesdays
      • Motet Fridays
      • Virtual Recording Projects
      • Virtual Concerts >
        • Live Oak Baroque Orchestra
        • Music for these Distracted Times - Barefoot All-Stars
        • Agave Baroque American Originals
        • Bach's Long Walk to Lübeck - Anne Laver, organ
    • Concert Programs
    • Scores & Parts
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Nimm von uns by J.S. Bach
I'm sitting on the lanai while Margaret and our friends Tim and Cara are working. I guess I'm working too, but it doesn't really seem so given the tropical weather and surroundings.

Nevertheless, I do have a chorale for you today. The melody is called 'Vater Unser', often ascribed to Martin Luther. We know for certain that Luther wrote the text that originally went with this tune, a versification of the German Lord's Prayer, because a manuscript copy of it in his own handwriting has been preserved. The authorship of the tune is uncertain; in the same manuscript, Luther did write a melody; but it was crossed out and never saw the light of day. The one which was originally published in 1539 under Luther's name was probably adapted by him from an earlier melody.

To give you a chance to see and hear and learn the staunch tune, a score of it as it appears in the final chorale of Bach's Cantata 90: Es reißet euch, is attached; and here's a link to a good recording on YouTube.

But our focus today is on the tune as it appears in the opening and closing movements of Bach's Cantata 101: Nimm von uns. This piece is based upon a later (1584) poem by Martin Moller, set to the tune of 'Vater Unser'. In this chorale cantata from Jahrgang II (1724-25), Bach's librettist presents the outer verses of the tune verbatim, while the inner verses are paraphrased. The cantata is of special interest because some of the inner movements--recitatives, arias and a duet--interpolate parts of the chorale into the texture.

The first verse is presented, as was Bach's customary practice in Jahrgang II, in the soprano, supported by the lower voices and accompanying instruments. Generally the lower voices enter first, adumbrating the given chorale line in imitation; and then the soprano crowns the texture with the melody in long notes. The orchestration calls for strings, basso continuo, brass doubling the choral parts, and a fairly rare (for Bach) combination of three oboes.

In the last movement, again as per Bach's usual practice, the last verse of the chorale is set in a four-part homophonic texture, with the full orchestra doubling the choir.

The score for the cantata is attached; text and translation is available via the link above. And here's a link to an excellent recording of the entire piece.
Click here to download learning materials
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