Johann Caspar Vogler, Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod (BWV Anh. II 57, Emans 115)

Johann Caspar Vogler (1696 – 1763) was a German organist and composer. He was born in Hausen, near Arnstadt. Vogler studied with Johann Sebastian Bach, first in Arnstad when Bach was organist there, and later again in Weimar from 1710 to 1715. Vogler was appointed organist at Stadtilm in 1715, leaving in May 1721 to take up Bach’s former post of organist at the Weimar court. He remained there for the rest of his life.

Most of Vogler’s compositions are lost nbowadays. Only three compositions for organ remain, of which this choral prelude is one. Vogler modelled his composition on Bach’s O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622. Both are written in E flat major and both feature a heavily embellished choral melody, though the one by Bach is not nearly so extreme as the one by Vogler. Vogler writes onehundredandtwentie-eighth notes, and in one place even two twohundredandfiftysixth notes:

There was a time the piece was though to be possibly composed by Bach, hence it’s inclusion in the second appendix of the catalogue of Bach works.

The recording was done with the Hauptwerk software and the sampleset, made by Sonus Paradisi, of the Janke organ in the Stadtkirche of Bückeburg (https://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organs/germany/buckeburg-janke-organ.html).

Score
Vogler, Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod

Score (non alto)
Vogler, Jesu Leiden, Pein und Tod (non alto)

Performance

Visits: 561