Johann Michael Bach, Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr

Manuscript Mus Ms 30439 owned by the Staatsbibliothek in Berlin is, despite the bad shape it is in, an interesting manucript. Not only does it contain the piece by Henricus Radeker I published two days ago, it also contains a segment with 14 chorale preludes of unnamed composers. Two or three are definitely by Johann Pachelbel and one of them is by Johann Michale Bach. But for now the composers of the other ones are unknown to me. I’ll publish the pieces by the unknown composers is the coming weeks in the hope that perhaps a user of this site can help me identify the composer of those pieces.

But I start with the piece by Johann Michael Bach. The chorale prelude on “Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr” can also be found in the Frankenberg manuscript (owned by the Nederlands Muziekinstituut) and is there contributed to Johann Michael Bach. Interesting is that the version from the manuscript from Berlin differs is lots of details from the version in the Frankenberg manuscript. I have a feeling the Berlin version is the older one. And the Frankenberg version probably tells us a lot about the performance practice of these kind of pieces. The Frankenberg version looks like it has also written in al the little embelishment a player from might have added spontanuously while playing the Berlin version. The Frankenberg version can be found here.

The recording was done on the sample set of the Müller-organ in the Sint Bavokerk in Haarlem by Voxus Organs for Hauptwerk. I refrained from adding embellishments from myself, safe for the occasional trill. Both manuscripts prescribe the use of a Rückpositiv and an Oberwerk. So that’s what I did. Because the plenum on the Borstwerk isn’t as strong as on the Hoofdwerk or Rugwerk, I used the reeds of the Hoofdwerk instead of the read of the pedal.

Registration:
BW: Praestant 8′, Octaaf 4′, Nasard 3′, Nachthoorn 2′, Mixtuur, Schalmei 8′,
HW: Trompet 16′, Trompet 8′
Rw: Praestant 8′, Octaaf 4′,
Ped: Praestant 16′, Octaaf 8′, Holfluit 8′, Octaaf 4′, Holfluit 2′
Ped+Hw

Score
Bach, Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, Mus ms 30439

MP3:

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