Johann Christoph Conrad, Jesu meine Freude (1)

Conrad’s publication contains 4 choral preludes, two of which are based on the choral melody of “Jesu meine Freude”. Perhaps he liked the melody of the choral or perhaps he or his publisher thought it would sell good. Whatever the reason, they are both well written compositions. In the first one each phrase of the choral melody in the cantus firmus is preceded by that same phrase in the other two voices. The other building block for the accompaniment is introduced in the first bar, played with the left hand. Througout the piece that motive returns numerous times, in both the left hand part and the pedal part and both in it’s normal form and inversed form. Conrad evidently knew his counterpoint.

The source edition notates the composition on two staves. As I think it was meant as an pedaliter composition I use three staves in my score.

The recording was done with the Sweelinq software and the sampleset of the Wolfferts-Heijneman organ in the Maartenskerk, Zaltbommel (https://sweelinq.com/product/zaltbommel-nl-st-maartenskerk-wolfferts-heijneman-organ/).

Score (three staves)
Conrad, Jesu, meine Freude (1)

Performance

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