View source for Ich dank dir, lieber Herre (chorale fantasia) (BuxWV 194)

one of the [[Chorale Preludes]] by [[Dieterich Buxtehude]]

==Background==

Buxtehude's Chorale Fantasia on ''Ich dank dir, lieber Herre,'' BuxWV194, is a free work in a phantasticus style.  "Unusually, the first line of the melody is heard right at the outset, fully harmonized. The subsequent lines are not stated, but bars 3 to 35, and the ostinato-like passage beginning at bar 54 (...heard most clearly in the pedal part), take the first few notes of the second line as their cue; and at bar 73, where the time signature changes from 4/4 to 6/4, a dance-like, more extensive ostinato begins: its material, like that of the stately coda (bar 96), appears to be independent of the chorale melody, as if the composer had abandoned the chorale fantasia and embarked on a praeludium."<ref>Hyperion Records Limited, London, England, http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/tw.asp?w=W14289, accessed 3 February 2015.</ref>

The chorale text is from an "old Reformation-period morning-hymn “Ich dank dir lieber Herre” by Johann Kolross (a.k.a. Rhodanthracius, “Rosycoal”), published (a part) in Musika Deutsch, Nürnberg, 1532."<ref>Hymnoglypt, http://matthaeusglyptes.blogspot.com/2009/04/ich-dank-dir-lieber-herre.html, accessed 3 February 2015.</ref>  A poetic English translation of the text is:

1. I thank Thee, Lord, for keeping
Thy watch throughout the night
And guarding me while sleeping
In slumber’s fetters tight,
When shadows circled round me,
And in distress I lay,
Thy ramparts did surround me
Until I saw the day!

2. With thanks I bow before Thee
O Thou my God and Lord
And urgently implore Thee:
This day Thy help afford;
O Father, hear my pleading,
Yet, let Thy will be done,
In Thine own way be leading,
My will with Thine be one!

3. From wand’ring, Lord, prevent me,
That I not slip or stray,
Grant not the foe to tempt me
To take the erring way:
I pray Thee, help in shunning,
O Lord, by all Thy grace,
The devil’s snares and cunning
Which wait in every place.

4. With solid faith endue me,
In Jesus Christ to trust;
Forgive my sins, renew me,
For Him declare me just;
This shalt Thou not deny me,
Just as Thy lips did swear,
That Christ from sin would pry me,
And all its burden bear.

5. And with that hope provide me
Which no corruption sees,
Put Christlike love inside me
For all mine enemies,
That I may show compassion,
Nor seek or serve mine own,
But love them in the fashion
That Thou to me hast shown.

6. Thy Word be my confession
Before the world profane,
Nor let me make concession
To fear, might, wealth or gain,
But make me serve Thee ever
In Thy clear truth, my rock,
Nor my connection sever
With Thy true Christian flock.

7. The day grant me to finish
In glory to Thy name,
Nor let my faith diminish,
But Thee till death acclaim,
Uphold my earthly haven
Defend me till I die,
All things Thy hand hath given,—
All in Thy hand doth lie.

8. Lord Christ, I give Thee praises
For all Thy goodness fair,
Which Thou as each day passes
Revealest everywhere;
Thy name, all names exceeding
I’ll praise, for Thou art good,
Thou giv’st Thy flesh for feeding,
Thou bid’st me drink Thy blood.

9. We worship and we bless Thee
We praise Thee, God, alone;
Grant that, as we confess Thee,
Thy blessings to us come;
That we in peace may slumber,
Thy grace upon us pour;
For Satan’s darts in number
Grant faith, Thy weapon sure.

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2009.<ref>Hymnoglypt, http://matthaeusglyptes.blogspot.com/2009/04/ich-dank-dir-lieber-herre.html, accessed 3 February 2015.</ref>

==Registration and Organs==

Buxtehude served as organist at Marienkirche, in Lübeck, which had two organs.  There was a large one for services and a smaller one for devotionals and funerals.  A stop list for each organ may be found online at [https://books.google.com/books?id=dU5DAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA373&lpg=PA373&dq=marienkirche,+l%C3%BCbeck+organ+spec&source=bl&ots=-NfR2YFYZ8&sig=9qpYFVYPVMj4eAJ8Ac9QbKUolhk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jLvRVLHdCcuoyATirYCoBw&ved=0CGMQ6AEwEA#v=onepage&q=marienkirche%2C%20l%C3%BCbeck%20organ%20spec&f=false  ''The Organ, its history and construction: a comprehensive treatise on the ...''  By Edw. J. Hopkins] (Accessed 3 February 2015.)

==Fingering and Pedaling==
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==Articulation and Phrasing==
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==Ornamentation==
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==Tempo and Meter==
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==Scores and Editions==
A free download is available [http://www.sheetmusicfox.com/Buxtehude/buxorg05.pdf  here].

[http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/5/58/IMSLP04608-Buxtehude-Chorales_1.pdf  IMSLP] has a free download of the Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, (1888, rev.1903-04) edition.

==Recordings==
''DIETRICH BUXTEHUDE: Organ Works Vol. 5,'' Bine Bryndorf, organ.  Performed at St. Jacobi church in Hamburg.  [http://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/recording-organ-works-vol--5.aspx  Dacapo Records].  CD $27.00   MP3 $11.95

===Free Online===
''Ich dank dir, lieber Herre,'' BuxWV 194, performed by Harald Vogel [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv3dpGUaA2M].

===Pay to Listen===
''Buxtehude: Complete Works,'' organist Ulrik Spang-Hanssen [http://www.classicalarchives.com/album/4011222904041.html], MP3.

==Other Resources==
Apel, Willi, ''A History of Keyboard Music to 1700,'' Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1972, p. 618.

==Notes==
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