Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, Wir Christenleut (LV 14)
Zachow’s prelude on “Wir Christenleut” is a kind of double fugue based on the first phrase of the choral melody and a counter subject. The first phrase of the chorale melody is played inverted...
Category: Scores
Dietrich Buxtehude, In dulci jubilo, BuxWV197
Buxtehude’s prelude on “In dulci jubilo” is a typical example of Buxtehude’s chorale prelude style. The melody is very colourfully embellished and the middle voices are expertly crafted . The bass voice plays parts...
Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, In dulci jubilo (LV 34)
A small prelude by Zachow, but very lovely. The melody is accompanied by two flowing voices in triple meter. The recording was done on the sample set of the Bader-organ in the Walburgiskerk in...
Johann Heinrich Buttstett, Der Tag der ist so Freudenreich
Buttstett’s prelude to this chorale paints the joy of Christmas with a lively rythm and fast scale passages. The recording was done on the sample set of the Bader-organ in the Walburgiskerk in Zutphen...
Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer, Der Tag der ist so Freudenreich
This choral prelude is also known as “Ricercar pro Festis Natalytis”. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach wrote that his father considered Fischer to be one of the greatest composers of his time. This ricercar can...
Johann Adam Hiller (?), Freu dich sehr o meine Seele
One of the last pieces I transcribed from the “Wochentliche Nachrichten der Musik betreffend” is a nice prelude to the choral “Freu dich sehr o meine Seele”. Since the music does not indicate a...
Johann Nicolaus Hanff, Helft mir Gottes Güte preisen
Hanff is another composer of whom too little music survived. Just 7 chorale preludes and a few cantatas. The prelude on “Helft mir Gottes Güte preisen” is a fine example of what makes Hanff’s...
Simon Lohet, Nun welche hie Ihr Hoffnung gar (Psalm 125)
The last piece of Lohet there is for me to publish is a four voice treatment of Psalm 125. It’s not based on the melody of Psalm 125 as we know it. Rather it...
Dietrich Buxtehude, Puer natus in Bethlehem, BuxWV 217
BuxWV 217 is one of the shortest chorale preludes by Buxtehude. The character is solemn and dignified. Ideally suited I think to use a Trompet stop as cantus firmus. I wish I could play...
Johann Peter Kellner, Preludium pro Organo pleno, B dur
I recently found a digital copy of a manuscript containing two Preludes by Johann Peter Kelnner. One has a accompanying fugue, the other not. Here’s the one without a fugue. It’s not too complicated,...
Georg Friedrich Kauffmann, Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her (2)
Kauffmann is best known for the “Harmonische Seelenlust”. This work, containing all of his known chorale preludes together with figured bass settings for all but one of the used chorale melodies, was first initiated...
Georg Böhm, Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her
Georg Böhm (1661 – 1733) also wrote a chorale prelude on “Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her”, which can be found in the manuscripts of Johann Gottfried Walther. It is a masterfully crafted...
Georg Friedrich Kauffmann, Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her
Another go at this choral melody, this time by Kauffmann. It is intruiging how one melody can give rise to so many different pieces. This version is meant to play at two manuals and...
Johann Heuschkel, Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her, Vers 2
The second prelude by Heuschkel on “Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her” (in the manuscript of Walther designated as “Vers 2”) is a lovely bicinium. The trouble with bicinia is that thay are...
Johann Heuschkel, Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her, Vers 1
To the few remaining organ works of Johann Heuschkel belong two preludes to the choral “Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her”. They are not as elaborate as the prelude I uploaded a few...