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."[1]
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."[2] 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.[3]
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 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 here.
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. Dacapo Records. CD $27.00 MP3 $11.95
Free Online
Ich dank dir, lieber Herre, BuxWV 194, performed by Harald Vogel [1].
Pay to Listen
Buxtehude: Complete Works, organist Ulrik Spang-Hanssen [2], MP3.
Other Resources
Apel, Willi, A History of Keyboard Music to 1700, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1972, p. 618.
Notes
- ↑ Hyperion Records Limited, London, England, http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/tw.asp?w=W14289, accessed 3 February 2015.
- ↑ Hymnoglypt, http://matthaeusglyptes.blogspot.com/2009/04/ich-dank-dir-lieber-herre.html, accessed 3 February 2015.
- ↑ Hymnoglypt, http://matthaeusglyptes.blogspot.com/2009/04/ich-dank-dir-lieber-herre.html, accessed 3 February 2015.
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