15 14 Introduction

Few composers have placed the art of the chorale setting at the center of their creative According to Yoshitake Kobayashi,3 Bach began transcribing the chorales “around activity to such an extent as Johann Sebastian Bach. Reference is made here not only 1739/42” and entered the first 13 pieces (up to and including Allein Gott in der Höh sei to the organ chorales, but also to the great chorale choruses of the chorale cantata year Ehr BWV 663) in relatively quick succession. The project was then apparently put 1724/25, the Passions and the countless arias in which a chorale melody is interwo- aside for several years: the next two chorales, the Trio on Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr ven into the structure. Bach’s first engagements as organist (in Ohrdruf? Perhaps as BWV 664 and the pedaliter arrangement of Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV 665 evi- early as Eisenach?) no doubt required the composition of organ chorales. He began dence a later phase of handwriting that can be dated “circa 1746/47.” The close of the by writing such works in the style of Johann Pachelbel and Johann Michael Bach – manuscript in the form we know today raises many questions. Firstly, it seems curious pieces that were light-years away from the intricate and highly important settings in, that the next two chorales BWV 666 and 667 bear the characteristics of the hand- for example, the Clavierübung III. writing of Bach’s pupil and son-in-law Johann Christoph Altnickol; but then Bach’s Until he was (ungraciously) dismissed from his service at the court of Weimar, Bach familiar writing traits reappear in the autograph version of the five canons on Vom had always held organists’ posts (in Arnstadt, Mühlhausen and Weimar). The Weimar Himmel hoch, da komm ich her BWV 769a. This is followed by the fragment entitled Vor period (1708–1717) saw Bach “not only training himself to become a versatile organ- deinen Thron tret ich BWV 668, written on the page containing the end of the last canon ist, but also laying the groundwork for his mighty organ works.”1 Other duties had and in the hand of an unidentified copyist (see facsimiles pp. 117 and 156). claimed priority during his years as Kapellmeister in Köthen and during his first Leipzig Until a few years ago, the claim that Altnickol had transcribed the piece at Bach’s years. But already in 1726, Bach once again turned his attention to the keyboard request was undisputed. Altnickol’s handwriting characteristics had been first exam- instrument with the publication of the first Harpsichord Partita BWV 825. The six ined by Alfred Dürr on the basis of more than 40 manuscripts.4 Peter Wollny was Partitas (Clavierübung I), the Organ Sonatas and the Clavierübung II are devoted to able to provide a differentiation, however, which led him to assign about 15 of these “free” keyboard music such as the suite, sonata and concerto; but beginning approx. manuscripts to Johann Christoph Farlau, a previously completely unknown scribe.5 in 1736 organ chorale settings – a genre that recurred consistently in his works up to This new knowledge entailed a revisiting of Altnickol’s handwriting development. the end of his life – once again took on a major role in Bach’s œuvre. The printed col- Today, Peter Wollny propagates the view that the two Chorales BWV 666 and 667 lections (Clavierübung III, Canonische Veränderungen über “Vom Himmel hoch,” Schübler- were possibly only entered into P 271 after Bach’s death.6 These considerations will Choräle – see Vol. 6 of the present new edition, in the following NA) – were thus able be further elucidated in the Commentary. to reach a broad public and confirm the importance of these collections for Bach. Even more complex are the questions arising from the last chorale, Vor deinen Thron tret ich BWV 668. Is it somehow connected to the last days of Bach’s life? Is the expres- Manuscript P 271 sion “Bach’s Death Chorale” legitimate? And does it belong in any way to the collec- Apparently after the publication of the Dritter Teil der Clavierübung, released for the fall tion P 271 or was it also entered later on paper that had remained free? The legend of trade fair of 1739, Bach took the decision to collect and compile earlier chorale set- “Bach’s Death Chorale” and its origin were astutely analyzed by Christoph Wolff, but tings. At the center of the present edition is Bach’s great organ-music manuscript P 271 even he does not want to exclude the possibility that Bach worked on this chorale dur- (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Mus. ms. Bach P 271). Its first part comprises the six Organ ing the last days of his life, and perhaps made the corrections transmitted in P 271.7 Sonatas BWV 525–530 (Vol. 5 of the NA), the second part 23 chorale settings; Bach entered the organ sonatas around 1730, but did not get to the chorales until about ten 3 Yoshitake Kobayashi, Zur Chronologie der Spätwerke Johann Sebastian Bachs – Kompositions- und years later. “A conspicuous characteristic of P 271 is the consistent use of one sole type Aufführungstätigkeit von 1736 bis 1750, Bach-Jahrbuch 1988, pp. 7–72. See also Johann Sebastian Bach. of paper [...] for the two large fascicles. [...] It would thus appear that the composer Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke, ed. by Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Institut Göttingen and by Bach-Archiv Leipzig, Kassel etc. 1954–2007 (=NBA) Band IX/2, Die Notenschrift Johann Sebastian Bachs – stockpiled a considerable amount of paper while notating the sonatas – apparently Dokumentation ihrer Entwicklung, ed. by Y. Kobayashi, pp. 170–173 and p. 207. with the intent to lay down the definitive form and calligraphic appearance of further 4 Alfred Dürr, Zur Chronologie der Handschrift Johann Christoph Altnickols und Johann Friedrich Agricolas, organ works at a later date.”2 Bach-Jahrbuch 1970, pp. 44–65. 5 Peter Wollny, Tennstedt, Leipzig, Naumburg, Halle – Neuerkenntnisse zur Bach-Überlieferung in Mitteldeutschland, Bach-Jahrbuch 2002, pp. 36–47. 6 See also Yoshitake Kobayashi and Kirsten Beißwenger, Die Kopisten Johann Sebastian Bachs – Katalog 1 Johann Nikolaus Forkel, Ueber Johann Sebastian Bachs Leben, Kunst und Kunstwerke, Reprint of the first und Dokumentation, NBA IX/3, Text vol. pp. 172f. (no. 233). Note at BWV 666 and 667 reads edition, Leipzig, 1802, ed. by Axel Fischer, Kassel etc., 1999, p. 6. Ibid., Edition – Quellen – “possibly after 1750.” Materialien, vorgelegt und erläutert von Christoph Wolff, Bach-Dokumente, Vol. VII, Kassel etc., 7 Christoph Wolff, Johann Sebastian Bachs „Sterbechoral“: Kritische Fragen zu einem Mythos, in: Studies in 2008. Renaissance and Baroque Music in Honor of Arthur Mendel, ed. by Robert L. Marshall, Kassel etc., 2 Johann Sebastian Bach, Die achtzehn großen Orgelchoräle BWV 651–668 und Canonische Veränderungen 1974, pp. 281–297; Christoph Wolff, Bach – Essays on his life and music, Harvard University Press, 1993, über “Vom Himmel hoch” BWV 769 – Facsimile of the original manuscript ed. by Peter Wollny, pp. 282–294 (“The Deathbed Chorale: Exposing a Myth”); Christoph Wolff, Johann Sebastian Bach, Meisterwerke der Musik im Faksimile 5, Laaber, 1999 [Wollny Faksimile], p. VII. Frankfurt a. M., 2000, pp. 491f. 16 15

These factors led to the various titles attributed to the cycle. Bach had left one page penned a “draft” of the revised version as an intermediary level between the Weimar free, most likely for the entry of a further title, but this page was ultimately left blank. version and the autograph P 271; though this may sound convincing, there are no Wilhelm Rust, the editor of the Alte Bach-Gesamtausgabe, suggested the title unequivocal documents to support this. Bach’s surviving sketches and drafts have “Achtzehn Choräle von verschiedener Art” (Eighteen Chorales of Various Types)8 in since become accessible to the public thanks to the supplement volume of the NBA.14 analogy with the Schübler Chorales; in the NBA Hans Klotz corrected the number Klotz’ often highly illustrative and effective presentation (“the documents concerning to “Seventeen Chorales.”9 The last chorale can most likely rightfully claim a special Bach’s drafts[...], which were housed in the cabinets of the ‘composition room’ of position in the manuscript. If we opine that Altnickol’s contributions (BWV 666 and Leipzig’s Thomaskantorat”)15 must be amended or at least relativized.16 The path from 667) probably did not reflect Bach’s will, we would even have to speak of “Fifteen the Weimar-era autographs to the Leipzig autograph P 271 was possibly quite complex; Chorales.”10 Despite all these imponderabilities, the order of the pieces should be today, scholars are assessing the possibility that Bach may have had to leave behind kept as in the source P 271, which meant so much to Bach during the last decade of many manuscripts upon his dismissal from his post at the Weimar court.17 his life. The collection comprises almost all types of “major” pedaliter chorale settings of the Also questionable is the term “Leipzig Chorales” used in many program notes and Weimar creative period. It thus constitutes a supplement to the Orgelbüchlein (“minor” CD recordings. Bach ascertainably wrote first versions of the “Seventeen Chorales” organ chorales), to the Chorale Fughettas (BWV 696–699 and 701–704) and to the during his Weimar creative period (or earlier); further, a connection can also be traced manualiter arrangements (BWV 695, 711, 713, 717, 734). The forms range from large between BWV 668 and the (Weimar) Orgelbüchein. The clearest evidence of its genesis pedal cantus firmus works (BWV 651, 661) to the ornamented chorales, typical for in Weimar is provided by the trio arrangement of the Advent hymn Nun komm der Weimar (BWV 653, 654, 659, 662) and up to motivically structured pieces analogous Heiden Heiland BWV 660: this is one case in which, next to the later Leipzig autograph, to those of the Orgelbüchlein (BWV 656, 658). The two “Chorale Ricercari” (also we also have Bach’s full draft featuring the characteristic writing traits of his middle designated as Chorale Motets) BWV 652 and 665 as well as BWV 666 which is close Weimar period, and on paper readily found in Weimar. The other early versions can to them, can be regarded as relatively early pieces.18 A rich transmission of copies also be attributed unquestionably to the pre-Leipzig period thanks to copies penned makes the two Chorale Trios (BWV 655 and 664) stand out in particular. These more in the Weimar circle (in particular by Johann Gottfried Walther and Johann Tobias modern forms were apparently very up-to-date. Krebs). The expressive, often calligraphically elaborated autograph demands clarification The Early Versions only at a few passages. Hans Klotz had incorporated into his edition (NBA IV/2) a The autograph of the early version of the Trio based on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland few readings that differed from the autograph under the assumption that these were BWV 660a consists of one independent sheet with a title page, two inner pages with the last emendations made by Bach.11 These variants stem from two copies whose reli- music and an overhang of two measures which was appended to the verso page ability has been put in doubt by recent research. The copyist of the manuscript P 1109 (P 271 Anhang, later united with the main corpus of P 271, see facsimile p. 107). The is Christian Friedrich Penzel (1737–1801), who matriculated at the Thomasschule Weimar autographs of the other chorales are most conceivably in a comparable as an extern student in 1749 and resident student in 1751; Penzel’s role after the form. Kobayashi dates Bach’s handwriting traits in P 271 Anhang to “1714/17.”19 The deaths of Bach and his successor, Gottlob Harrer (1755), has yet to be fully elucidated, along with the background of his Bach copies, which occasionally contain errors.12 P 1160 bears the owner’s note “Joh. Christoph Oley, Aschersleben.” Oley 14 Beiträge zur Generalbass- und Satzlehre, Kontrapunktstudien, Skizzen und Entwürfe, ed. by Peter Wollny, NBA Supplement, Kassel etc., 2011. 13 (1738–1789), however, is – contrary to Klotz’ assumption – not the scribe of P 1160. 15 NBA IV/2, Critical Report, p. 50. In fact, this volume stems from the commerce with manuscript sheet-music conduct- 16 Klotz’ argumentation is broadly based on a musico-stylistic evaluation of the variants of the musi- ed by the publisher Breitkopf & Härtel (for more information see the Kommentar, cal texts: readings that are more richly ornamented are held to be of a later date or even to contain Bach’s final emendations. Volume IV/2 of the NBA is one of the early volumes of the Neue Bach- p. 171f.). Also deserving of further scrutiny is Hans Klotz’ thesis that Bach always Ausgabe (Music vol. 1958, Critical Report 1957); the methodology did not yet allow for a new assess- ment of the sources. It required preliminary work of many years and the collaboration of many 8 J. S. Bach’s Werke, Gesamtausgabe der Bach-Gesellschaft, Vol. 25.2, ed. by Wilhelm Rust, Leipzig, 1878. scholars. Nevertheless, the hypotheses of NBA IV/2 have penetrated the BWV. At the most, one can 9 Johann Sebastian Bach, Die Orgelchoräle aus der Leipziger Originalhandschrift, ed. by Hans Klotz, take into account traces of a sketch version of BWV 664 (see the commentary on this chorale). NBA IV/2, Kassel etc., 1957/58, Critical Report, p. 13. This volume also contains the Canonische 17 Weimarer Orgeltabulatur – Die frühesten Notenhandschriften Johann Sebastian Bachs sowie Abschriften Veränderungen BWV 769/769a. seines Schülers Johann Martin Schubart, ed. by Michael Maul and Peter Wollny, Kassel etc., 2007, 10 This view is held by Hans Musch, Freiburg im Breisgau, in a letter to the editor. Preface, p. XI. 11 NBA IV/2, Critical Report, p. 14. 18 Jean-Claude Zehnder, Die frühen Werke Johann Sebastian Bachs – Stil, Chronologie, Satztechnik, Schola 12 Hans-Joachim Schulze, Studien zur Bach-Überlieferung im 18. Jahrhundert, Leipzig, 1984, pp. 93–94. Cantorum Basiliensis Scripta 1, Basel, 2009, pp. 226, 307–311 and 478. Russell Stinson, J. S. Bach’s 13 Also erroneous is Klotz’ statement that Oley had studied with Bach (NBA IV/2, Critical Report, p. Great Eighteen Organ Chorales, Oxford University Press, 2001, pp. 4–6. 50). On Oley see Andrew Talle, Nürnberg, Darmstadt, Köthen – Neuerkenntnisse zur Bach-Überlieferung 19 NBA IX/2 (Kobayashi, Die Notenschrift Johann Sebastian Bachs – Dokumentation ihrer Entwicklung), in der ersten Hälfte des 18. Jahrhunderts, Bach-Jahrbuch 2003, in particular pp. 162–165. p. 207. 17 16 handwriting, with the dynamic forms of the note heads and beams, should perhaps at the Hallelujah (m. 89); the difference is slight. Most convincing is Werner Breig’s be attributed to a somewhat later date than the delicately written cantatas of 1714; the line of arguments that the added measures represent a later stylistic phase of Bach’s.23 origin in Weimar is also confirmed by the watermark.20 Luckily, we have an early version in Bach’s autograph, and we are in the fortunate position to examine the Komm, Heiliger Geist BWV 652 reliability of Johann Tobias Krebs. His copy of BWV 660a in P 802 is, down to the For the interpretation of this work, it is important to note that it is not an actual can- beaming of the notes and the appearance of the ornaments, a faithful copy written tus-firmus setting at all, but a “chorale ricercar:” each line of the chorale is elaborated after Bach’s autograph. Thus the Weimar copies by Johann Tobias Krebs and Johann imitatively, as a fughetta with four (five, once) subjects. The registration of the middle Gottfried Walther must be taken as main sources of the early versions (see facsimiles parts should thus do justice to the contrapuntal demands (namely, to be not too soft) pp. 42 and 59). Most of these copies are transmitted in the extensive manuscript P 802, in order to allow the long, two-part sections to sharpen their musical profiles. In the which unfold an alternating succession of handwriting traits of Walther, Johann early version, the coloration of the soprano part is notated with little notes; this recalls Tobias Krebs and his son Johann Ludwig (in the later entries). A welcome addition the ornamentation of French sarabandes and other dance pieces, especially from is provided by the copies of Johann Gottlieb Preller, whose biography also reveals Marin Marais and François Couperin.24 The meter and character of BWV 652 echo contacts with Weimar (see facsimile p. 63). the sarabande as well. Also French is the use of the turn symbol that Bach had pre- With the exception of BWV 665 and 666, the chorales with the same titles in the early sumably become familiar with while transcribing the table of ornaments of Jean Henry versions are listed separately. Bach thus did not collate the two settings of Komm, d’Anglebert (see facsimile p. 23 and the section “On the Ornaments”). Heiliger Geist (BWV 651 and 652) until his Leipzig years, and fashioned the three-part group on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland and Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (BWV An Wasserflüssen Babylon BWV 653 659–661, 662–664). Nevertheless, it is conceivable that Bach had laid down a partic- The early versions of this chorale pose a particular problem, since we have two versions ular strophe from the very start, while he was composing. This is quite evident in the written directly one after the other in the sources (whether indicated by the annota- cycle based on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, where the Trio setting with its often tion “alio modo” or even “Verse 1 – Verse 2”).25 Which of the two versions is the canonical voice leading by “due bassi” was apparently intended for the strophe “Der du “Urfassung” is a matter of conjecture, but it should be pointed out that the use of the bist dem Vater gleich.”21 Significant for Bach’s artistic personality is the fact that more double pedal in Central Germany around 1710/12 represented an extreme perform- than 25 years after composing these pieces, he expressly re-affirmed their validity and ance-practical challenge. Moreover, another aspect that has hardly been discussed to honed them into a definitive form with his vivid, graphic notation. this day is the notably experimental writing in the five-part version: see for example The sequence of the works in the NA does entail one disadvantage in that the succes- the last eighth-note beat in m. 70 – the sound B-c1-a1 – and its unorthodox resolution. sion of the works in the autograph is interrupted by the insertion of the early versions. Some unusual passages were standardized in the Manuscript P 802, presumably by One advantage, however, is that the immediate comparison of the versions is thus Johann Ludwig Krebs (see facsimile p. 59). Seen against this background – both as a facilitated: in many cases it is possible to glean valuable information on interpretation performance-technical simplification as well as a compositional polishing – the four- from the early versions. part version should be regarded as a secondary version.

About the Works Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele BWV 654 Fantasia super Komm, Heiliger Geist BWV 651 The probably most popular work of the collection owes its status to Mendelssohn’s Peter Williams is of the opinion that the longer version might have been composed at legendary organ recital of 1840. In his Erinnerungen an Mendelssohn Robert Schumann the same time as the version BWV 651a.22 It should be noted, however, that Bach inter- weaves a shortened cantus firmus of this hymn in the duet Komm, lass mich nicht länger 23 Stinson, J. S. Bach’s Great Eighteen Organ Chorales (see note 18), pp. 42–45; Werner Breig, Zu Bachs warten from the Whitsun cantata Erschallet, ihr Lieder BWV 172 (written in 1714), as Umarbeitungsverfahren in den „Achtzehn Chorälen“, in: Festschrift Georg von Dadelsen zum 60. well. Russell Stinson claims to have recognized that Bach’s writing loses “its well-bal- Geburtstag, ed. by Thomas Kohlhase and Volker Scherliess, Neuhausen-Stuttgart, 1978, pp. 35–37. anced calligraphical visual appearance” in the newly composed sections, particularly Expanded version: Werner Breig, The “Great Eighteen” Chorales: Bach’s Revisional Process and the Genesis of the Work, in: J. S. Bach as Organist, ed. by George Stauffer and Ernest May, Indiana University Press, 1986, pp. 103–110. 24 Thomas Synofzik, Avec les Agréments – Beobachtungen zur Verzierungspraxis des Bachkreises, in: Bachs Musik für Tasteninstrumente, Bericht über das 4. Dortmunder Bach-Symposion 2002, ed. by Martin 20 NBA IX/1, Katalog der Wasserzeichen in Bachs Originalhandschriften, text vol. p. 46, watermark 36. Geck, Dortmund, 2003, p. 52. 21 Helene Werthemann, Johann Sebastian Bachs Orgelchoral „Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland“ a due bassi e 25 Thomas Synofzik, Neues aus Bachs Werkstatt – Die Choralbearbeitung „O Lamm Gottes unschuldig“ aus canto fermo, Musik und Gottesdienst 1959 [Werthemann 1959], pp. 161–167. See also note 32. der Sammlung Mempell-Preller, elucidated and edited by Thomas Synofzik, Concerto Jg. 17 (2000), vol. 22 Peter Williams, Johann Sebastian Bachs Orgelwerke, vol. 2, Mainz etc., 1998, p. 170; Peter Williams, The 155, p. 26 notes that Walther’s formulation Verse 1 – Verse 2 could point to a “consecutive perform- Organ Music of J. S. Bach, vol. II, Cambridge University Press, 1980 [Williams 1980/1998], p. 131. ance of both pieces.” 18 17 wrote that his fellow composer told him “with the most heartfelt expression that if life Von Gott will ich nicht lassen BWV 658 were to take everything from him, this piece would still bring him comfort.”26 Bach In P 1160 (Breitkopf scribe) we find the annotation “Pedal 4 Fuss” at the entry of the musically transposes the “adornments” invoked in the text through subtle embellish- pedal (c. f., m. 4), perhaps in analogy to the Schübler Chorales. Lending weight to the ments. Even if the two versions differ only slightly, one can gather valuable informa- 4’ registration is Bernhard Haas’ observation that parallel fifths arise (m. 19, between tion on the execution of the ornaments by comparing the two versions. Some of the pedal and alto part) with an 8’ pedal registration.30 subtleties that challenge every organist to a varying extent will be discussed in the sec- tion “On the Ornaments”. Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 659 The far-ranging spinning of the chorale melody harks back to models laid down by Trio super Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend BWV 655 Georg Böhm: after the first notes of a chorale line, an interval is freely sequenced. This It is highly probable that the two Chorale Trios BWV 655 and 664 are the earliest con- evokes the unique roaming character of the piece and thus the “affect” of expectation certante organ trios “à 2 Clav. et Ped.” in history. Georg Böhm rather knows about (Advent). Also deserving of attention is the andante bass (“nun komm”) which unfolds “empfindsame” chorale trios such as, for example, Verse 3 in the cycle Auf meinen lieben in eighth notes and is to be played marcato, according to the custom of the times.31 Gott; but it was most likely Bach’s idea to transfer the Italian “Sonata a tre” to the organ. A chorale section and a concertante section in which a short ritornello is heard Trio super Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 660 in several “key stations,” are interconnected through the primary subject derived from The two continuously interweaving bass parts call for a registration in the same the beginning of the chorale melody; nevertheless, their adjacent positions next to position (generally 8’). Helene Werthermann was most likely making a reference to the one another makes them rather isolated. See the comments on the C-major Toccata strophe “Der du bist dem Vater gleich, führ hinaus den Sieg im Fleisch.”32 This not BWV 564.27 well known interpretation is based on the analogy to duets with a Christological text in the Mass in B minor. Roswitha Bruggaier and Pieter Dirksen have reflected upon O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig BWV 656 “ur-versions” for soprano, gamba and basso continuo, or oboe, gamba and basso Thomas Synofzik brought to the attention of the public a second early version of continuo.33 In this context, one should also point out the aria Lass mein Herz die this piece (available on the CD-ROM) in a copy by Johann Gottlieb Preller (Ms. 7).28 Münze sein in the cantata Nur jedem das Seine BWV 163/3 composed in 1715; with This chorale perhaps has a longer preliminary history, and the three verses were two obbligato celli – next to the vocal part sung by the bass – the low sonorities possibly originally independent. This is suggested by a fermata at the end of Verse 1 are even more clearly favored in this aria. Both works are opened by ritornellos with and the notation of the transition from Verse 2 to Verse 3 in the copy transcribed by comparable structures; BWV 660a can be viewed as a particularly late contribution Johann Tobias Krebs (P 802).29 Since the verses in Ms. 7 are listed successively, and within the “Great eighteen Chorales”. the figuration there is more abundant, the P 802 version was possibly written before Bach’s creative period in Weimar, and Ms. 7 would then be designated as the Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 661 “Weimar Version”. The transcription from a Á meter (with sixteenth notes) to the notational image of the “Allabreve” À (eighth notes as fastest note value) can also be found in a few Nun danket alle Gott BWV 657 works in the Art of Fugue between the autograph version (ca. 1742) and the printed Bach used three staves for the chorales with two manuals and colored cantus firmus (BWV 652, 653, 654, 659, 660, 662 and 663), but only two here. This is perhaps to be seen in the context of the central German organ chorale with unadorned cantus fir- mus in the soprano (Pachelbel, Johann Michael Bach), in which the “cantus planus” 30 Bernhard Haas, Zur Registrierung der canonischen Veränderungen über „Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich was not played on a solo manual; these pieces eschew the pedal as well. BWV 657 her“ BWV 769/769a von J. S. Bach, Ars Organi 2008 [Haas 2008], p. 165. can be performed without problem on one manual (and pedal, of course), which 31 Gerhart Darmstadt, Andante und Mystik – Zur Symbolik des Weges in der Barockmusik, in: Symbolon, better suits the hearty, exultant character of this chorale on smaller organs. Jahrbuch für Symbolforschung, New series, vol. 12, Frankfurt a. M. etc., 1995, pp. 43–104, in particular p. 55. 32 Werthemann 1959 (see note 21). This verse is also found in movement 6 of the Advent Cantata “Schwingt freudig euch empor” (BWV 36, later version). Together with the first verse (movement 2) and the last one (movement 8), we obtain a plausible text model for the organ chorales BWV 659, 26 As cited in Matthias Pape, Mendelssohns Leipziger Orgelkonzert 1840, Wiesbaden, 1988, p. 22. The 660, and 661. program announcement of the organ recital is illustrated in facsimile in vol. 4 of the NA, p. 26. 33 Roswitha Bruggaier, Das Urbild von Johann Sebastian Bachs Choralbearbeitung „Nun komm, der Heiden 27 NA, vol. 4, p. 10. Heiland“ (BWV 660) – eine Komposition mit Viola da Gamba?, Bach-Jahrbuch 1987, pp. 165–168; 28 Synofzik, Neues aus Bachs Werkstatt (see note 25). Pieter Dirksen, Ein verschollenes Weimarer Kammermusikwerk Johann Sebastian Bachs? Zur Vorgeschichte 29 Already as such in Williams, Bachs Orgelwerke (see note 22), vol. 2, p. 187. der Sonate e-Moll für Orgel (BWV 528), Bach-Jahrbuch 2003, pp. 7–36, in particular p. 34. 19 18 version (ca. 1749). Bach apparently wanted to communicate the concept of “heavy” rather by the soprano part, which is the last to enter, as is clearly heard in, for execution to the player.34 example, the 4th line (mm. 47f.). As with Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV 663, the position of a part is not precisely laid down; here it is the bass part that is played Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV 662 partly by the manual and partly by the pedal (see for example m. 5). This special The use of the small hook or curve for the appoggiatura (called “accent” by Bach) circumstance presents an occasion to use Bach’s notation on two staves exceptional- was probably borrowed from Jean Henry d’Anglebert’s Table of Ornaments or ly in the NA as well. BWV 665 is one of the few organ works by Bach whose textual the suites of Charles Dieupart that Bach had transcribed. See the section “On the reference emerges so clearly that no negative comments have, to my knowledge, been Ornaments” further below. expressed to this day. The pungent chromaticism of the third chorale line refers to the text “durch das bittre Leiden sein,” and the sudden upsurge of the fourth line to Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV 663 “half er uns aus der Höllenpein.” This setting is probably also related to Bach’s copies of French organ music: in Nicolas de Grigny’s Pange lingua the ornamented melody of this Gregorian cantus Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV 666 firmus is played by the tenor in the third verse.35 What is curious is the transition of As the sole work without obbligato pedal – but through other stylistic details as well the tenor voice from “accompanying manual” to the cantus firmus played on the – BWV 666 takes its place among the earlier pieces in the collection, and perhaps as solo manual (see in particular mm. 15–16 and 44–45); this is generally understood as the earliest of all.38 As elucidated above, Johann Christoph Altnickol had entered it the sign of a relatively early origin of BWV 663a.36 in P 271, possibly only after Bach’s death. But since the copy made by J. G. Walther transmitted the early versions of the two settings BWV 665a and 666a as a pair, it is Trio super Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV 664 very likely that the entry was in keeping with Bach’s intentions. Again, as with BWV 655, a broadly diversified transmission documents the pop- ularity of the modern genre of the chorale trio. There is, however, a new perspective Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist BWV 667 on the early version. Ever since the publication of the “Alte Bach-Gesamtausgabe,”37 The situation is less clear with BWV 667; its relation to the eponymous chorale a curiously corrupted version (BWV 664b) has been designated as the earliest BWV 631/631a in the Orgelbüchlein raises the question as to the meaning of this con- version. In consideration of the revised versions of the Trio Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu flation of two chorale depictions which are otherwise very rare in Bach’s œuvre. Only uns wend BWV 655, a later redaction must also be viewed as plausible here, too; the in the Neumeister chorale Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ BWV 1102, an early work, do Commentary provides more details on this. The early version, transmitted by Johann we find a comparable combination. In my view, the often mentioned framework func- Tobias Krebs and Johann Gottlieb Preller, excels by its violinistic slurring. This is an tion of the Whitsun chorales BWV 651, 652 and 667 does not fully clear up the mat- early form of indication not to perform an organ trio in broad lines as with an organo ter. Bach could, for example, have chosen a work such as the large Valet will ich dir geben pleno work, but rather with chamber-musical subtlety. (D major, BWV 736) as a close. In the event that BWV 667 was entered only after Bach’s death by Altnickol (see above), the scribe then had to look for a rather succinct Jesus Christus, unser Heiland BWV 665 piece, since the five canons on Vom Himmel hoch had already been inserted.39 This is the last piece entered by Bach himself. Just as Komm, Heiliger Geist BWV 652, this work is a chorale ricercar; the overriding structure is the imitative elaboration Vor deinen Thron tret ich / Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten BWV 668/668a of each individual line of the hymn. The pedal takes part in this imitative interplay, As mentioned above, this chorale has assumed a particular status. In P 271 it follows yet it should not sound like a cantus firmus; the role of the cantus firmus is assumed the five Canons on Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her BWV 769a, written by Bach himself, and entered by an unknown scribe (see the Kommentar). Here it bears the title “Vor deinen Thron tret ich;” since the last sheet of the fascicle is lost, the transcript 34 An overview of Bach’s transcriptions from Á to À is found in Pieter Dirksen, Studien zur Kunst der breaks off in the middle of m. 26. The loss of the sheet seems to have occurred very Fuge von Joh. Seb. Bach – Untersuchungen zur Entstehungsgeschichte, Struktur und Aufführungspraxis, early: the numbers on the bottom margin stem from the hand of Anna Carolina Wilhelmshaven, 1994, pp. 103–107. As to the concepts “heavy execution” and “light execution” see Philippina Bach, the daughter of Carl Philipp Emanuel, and probably refer to the sale Johann Philipp Kirnberger, Die Kunst des reinen Satzes in der Musik, Berlin and Königsberg, 1776–79 (Reprint Hildesheim, 1968), second part, first chapter, p. 118; Daniel Gottlob Türk, Klavierschule, Leipzig and Halle, 1789 (Reprint Kassel etc., 1967), p. 360. 35 Nicolas de Grigny, Premier Livre d’Orgue – Edition originale 1699, Copie manuscrite de J. S. Bach, Copie manuscrite de J. G. Walther; presented by P. Hardouin, P. Lescat, J. Saint-Arroman and J. C. Tosi, 38 Zehnder, Die frühen Werke (see note 18), p. 226. Editions J. M. Fuzeau, Courlay, 2001. 39 The following scenario would also be plausible: space had been reserved for the entry of BWV 666. 36 NBA IV/2, Critical Report, p. 81; Williams 1980/1998 (see note 22), vol. 2, p. 206. Accordingly, what was free was the verso of this sheet and the recto page that was probably intend- 37 BG, vol. 25.2 [Wilhelm Rust, 1878]. ed for a title to Vom Himmel hoch BWV 769a. 20 19 of the manuscript.40 In its complete form, BWV 668a – bearing the heading “Wenn from about 1600 to 1800 and to the book about Bach’s ornaments by Hans Klotz.45 wir in höchsten Nöten” – was added by the editors at the end of the original print of An often discussed ornament that recurs frequently in Bach’s Leipzig years is the the Art of Fugue BWV 1080 as a replacement for the missing close of Contrapunctus appoggiatura, called “accent” by Bach (in France generally “port de voix”) depicted 14, in order to indemnify the buyers (see facsimile p. 156). The source (“Vorlage”) for either by a little note or a small hook. This is illustrated in the following form by the print version is not known. In the preface one finds the first occurrence of the Bach in the ornament table for Wilhelm Friedemann (1720):46 curious observation that Bach, “in his blindness, dictated this piece extemporarily c c 41 into the quill of one of his friends.” accent accent Perhaps one should add a question mark to the term “extemporarily,” for it is an ascending descending uncommon, and perhaps even utterly unique fact that the four-part sections (during the soprano voice’s execution of the chorale melody) are borrowed from the Orgelbüchlein chorale Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein BWV 641. The chorale melody Most likely after the model of the most profuse French table of ornaments, that of that is richly colored in BWV 641 is, however, reduced to its core notes in BWV Jean Henry d’Anglebert, which Bach personally copied around 1709 (see facsimiles 668/668a. The expanded version of BWV 668/668a apparently dates from the last pp. 23 and 24).47 This “accent” already appears in the early version of Allein Gott in decade of Bach’s life;42 in any event, there is no mention of any Weimar sources. It is der Höh sei Ehr BWV 662. In their tables, both d’Anglebert and Bach prescribe the also unlikely that Bach, shortly after composing the Orgelbüchlein chorale BWV 641, execution on the beat; this usage is still as controversial today as it was back then. would have penned a version in which the highly expressive arabesques of the melody In French keyboard music, playing the “port de voix” before the beat had a strong would have been removed again. Notwithstanding, the eschewal of the coloration tradition ranging from Nivers to Raison and Gigault to Nicolas de Grigny.48 “Vor- suits the late Leipzig chorale settings, which are exemplified above all by the Dritter Teil schläge” (appoggiaturas) and “Nachschläge” were also heatedly discussed by the der Clavierübung.43 A parallel to the Clavierübung III is, moreover, the chorale Aus tiefer generation of the Bach sons and students. And if we take into account that Bach’s Not schrei ich zu dir BWV 687: here, too, Bach works with pre-imitations applying the second eldest son describes the ornaments he calls “Nachschläge” technique of the “fuga contraria,” in which one subject in normal form is followed by its inversion. This might also be an image reflecting God’s answer to the call of man.44 Between the versions BWV 668 and 668a there are four variants that can all be as “ugly”, the execution “on the beat” becomes likelier, also for the works of his considered as rhythmic sharpening or harmonic enrichment (see the Kommentar, father.49 p. 183). Are these emendations perhaps Bach’s last creative act, his final striving for A particular facet of the “accent” comes to the fore in the two versions of the artistic perfection? The idea that at that moment he had appended the title “Vor colored, or embellished, chorale Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 659/659a. deinen Thron tret ich,” would be a striking testimony to his Christian faith. Whereas in the first and fourth lines of the early version of the chorale (they are melodically identical), we only find the sign N (m. 5), in the Leipzig version Bach About the Ornaments differentiates the symbol in such a way that we have a little note in the first line instead The autograph P 271 stands out for its particularly subtle treatment of the ornaments. of the trill (BWV 659, m. 5, soprano). Bach no doubt wanted a softer ornament for the There is also a second factor involved here: a comparison with the early versions often first line, a kind of “half trill”50 (a “short appoggiatura”). Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach allows additional insight into the interpretive workshop, whether it is through some- what more concrete instructions on the execution, or whether it is through alterna- tives. The following comments are intended to underscore the peculiarities of the 45 Frederick Neumann, Ornamentation in Baroque and Post-Baroque Music – with Special Emphasis on ornaments in “The Great Eighteen;” for the basic knowledge on the theories of orna- J. S. Bach, Princeton University Press, 1978 (Neumann 1978). Hans Klotz, Die Ornamentik der Klavier- und Orgelwerke von Johann Sebastian Bach – Bedeutung der Zeichen, Möglichkeiten der Ausführung, Kassel mentation, we refer to Frederick Neumann’s comprehensive depiction of ornaments etc., 1984 [Klotz 1984]. 46 NBA V/5, Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, ed. by Wolfgang Plath, Kassel etc., 1962, p. 3. 47 Frankfurt am Main, Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek, Mus. Hs. 1538. 40 Personally communicated by Peter Wollny. 48 It stems from the “anticipazione della syllaba” and is also demonstrated by André Raison with a 41 See the complete quote in the Kommentar, p. 182, and the literature mentioned in note 7. texted instructional example; see Neumann 1978 (see note 45), pp. 52–96. Klotz 1984 (see note 45) 42 At a later date, most likely in the mid 1740s, Bach worked with the Orgelbüchlein once again and completely excludes this French tradition. entered the chorale Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen BWV 613 into the Autograph P 283. See the Wollny 49 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen, Erster Teil (Reprint facsimile (see note 2), Preface, p. VI. Leipzig, 1957 and others), p. 70 and figure XX (a). 43 Bach borrowed chorale coloration from North-German sources (Buxtehude, Böhm). But from 50 According to Marpurg, the trill is “basically nothing but a series of appoggiaturas repeatedly about 1730 onwards, this practice no longer seems to have been “à la mode;” it is missing in the falling in the greatest speed one behind the other;” Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg, Anleitung zum Clavierübung III, in the Canonische Veränderungen BWV 769 and among Bach’s Leipzig pupils. Clavierspielen, Berlin, 1755 (Reprint of the second improved printing of 1765, Hildesheim, 1970), 44 I owe this interpretation to my teacher Anton Heiller, Vienna (1923–1979). p. 53. 21 20 also described short appoggiaturas, which have belonged to the repertoire since the Also belonging to the terminations in a broader sense of the word are the “trillo und Erster Teil der Clavierübung (1726–1731). mordant” (“tremblement et pincé” in d’Anglebert): Notating ornaments with little notes has the advantage that also unconventional figurations can be depicted. The notation in Komm, Heiliger Geist BWV 652a may trillo und mordant have proceeded as follows: first the main notes were written, then the possibilities of “decoration” added in small notes (not metrically divisible), which emerges most clearly in mm. 116–118.51 In the Leipzig version BWV 652 there is a slight reduction of the ornaments, and the remaining ones have been modeled into a metrically Unfortunately Bach’s explanation in the table for Wilhelm Friedemann looks as if he binding form (see below for the turns). were dealing with a normal trill and termination (see facsimile p. 24). The positioning The more complex forms of the trill are illustrated in the table of ornaments for of this ornament and several suggestions gleaned from French practice make it clear, Wilhelm Friedemann, again based on d’Anglebert. What Bach calls “accent und however, that the lower neighboring tone is to be touched only very briefly, followed trillo” is an ornament that can be written in two different ways: the first is with the by the main (notated) note which is to be held for another moment.52 A particularly small hook, which is immediately self-evident; the second (see Komm, Heiliger Geist refined execution is found in André Raison’s table (1688): BWV 652, m. 1) had already lost its familiarity among many later scribes, so that only a normal trill was inserted. Bach seems to have initially written his trills with “Vorschleife” (“double cadence”) with two consecutive signs (slide + trill): see Allein The lesson to be derived here is that the touching of the lower neighboring note Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV 663 in the two versions: should have the effect of a mere shadow and that it is even possible to not strike the main note again (and thus to hold down the third-to-last note).53

BWV 663a, m. 33 BWV 663, m. 33 In all likelihood, Bach intended two different styles of execution for Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV 662: in m. 14 a normal trill with closing turn, in m. 13 the above- described “trillo und mordant”. In the first case we have a clear sense of closure in the Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele BWV 654 invites one to study the trill termination or context of a V-I cadence; in the second, the effect of closure should be weaker, since closing turn. The longer trills (comprising a half note) are always notated the same the ornament stands in the middle of the chorale line. way. In contrast, when applied to trills comprising only one quarter-note value, the The turn symbol occurs more frequently only Bach’s late organ works: we find it in closing turn can be written with two sixteenth notes or with two 32nd notes: the print of the Clavierübung III and the chorales of P 271, but not yet in the organ sonatas (exception: BWV 652a).54 The handwritten reproduction of this sign is nei-

BWV 654, m. 3 m. 29 m. 90 ther horizontal nor vertical but at a light slant and with an elegant impetus (see fac- simile on p. 42). It is printed in the normal form in the NA. This is generally about a Bach presumably wanted to convey the idea that the closing turn was to be played connecting ornament that leads to a following, accentuated note. The early versions slower in some cases; Johann Gottfried Walther provides the following trill instruc- occasionally provide aid for the execution: tion: ~ ~

BWV 654, m. 66 BWV 659, m. 28

What seems important to me here, is that no stop is made before the two termination BWV 654a, m. 66 BWV 659a, m. 4 (Ms. 7) notes; the flowing character is to be maintained. However, it should be said that several authors expressly demand the stop before the closing turn (in particular G. G. Nivers in the first organ book of the year 1665).

52 Klotz 1984 (see note 45), pp. 126f. 51 J. G. Walther notated the colored organ chorale Vater unser im Himmelreich by Georg Böhm in a 53 André Raison, Livre d’Orgue contenant cinq Messes (1688), Reprint J. M. Fuzeau, Courlay, 1993, similar manner (Klavier- und Orgelwerke, vol. 2, ed. by Johannes Wolgast [Edition Breitkopf 6635], Preface “Au Lecteur,” p. 2. no. 12/2, p. 138; source is P 802, p. 90). 54 Probably a direct borrowing from the aforementioned table of d’Anglebert. 22 21

A turn can weave around a leading tone in the cadence as well; it thus assumes the they make them delightful to listen to and, as a result, arouse the listener’s attention. position that was intended for a trill in the early version: They also help explain their contents, which can be sad or merry, or of whatever kind ~ they may be – yet no matter how, the ornaments always contribute their share.”57

BWV 660, m. 7 BWV 660a, m. 7 In connection with the sources, the conversations with Peter Wollny and Christine It should be noted that only one note differs, whereas the turn sounds more supple Blanken at the Bach-Archiv Leipzig were of invaluable help. Likewise, I would like than the short trill. to express my heartfelt thanks to the editorial board for the good cooperation, in Peter Wollny pointed out that J. S. Bach entered many “Manieren” (embellishments) particular to Pieter Dirksen, and – last but not least – the many knowledgeable in his own hand in a sonata by his son Carl Philipp Emanuel. This suggests that contributions by the editor Eva-Maria Hodel. “the subtle and refined ornamental practice of the old Bach” – in our case that of the manuscript P 271 – “should be interpreted in this progressive sense and be Basel, Fall 2014 Jean-Claude Zehnder understood as a central link between Baroque and galant performance techniques,”55 in contrast to the profusely brilliant embellishments of his youth.56 C. P. E. Bach attributes a central function to the ornaments: “They hold the notes together, they The english translation of the “Kommentar” (pp. 171ff.) can be found on the CD- invigorate them, they lend them a particular emphasis and weight whenever necessary, ROM or downloaded under www.breitkopf.com.

55 Peter Wollny, Eine Klaviersonate von C. P. E. Bach aus dem Besitz J. S. Bachs, Bach-Jahrbuch 2012, p. 191. 56 See the ornamented versions of several pieces in vol. 4 of the NA (CD-ROM). 57 C. P. E. Bach, Versuch (see note 49), p. 51.