Text Interpretation and Cyclic Unity in Buxtehude’s Nimm von uns Herr, du treuer Gott, BuxWV 207 Markus Rathey Buxtehude’s chorale variations compositions that fulfi ll a merely utilitar- Example 1: Melody, Nimm von uns Herr The number of chorale variations in ian purpose. The following essay will fo- Dietrich Buxtehude’s organ works is cus on Buxtehude’s chorale variations on considerably smaller than in the oeuvre the hymn Nimm von uns Herr, du treuer of other northern and central German Gott, BuxWV 207, examining its musical composers like Samuel Scheidt, Georg structure, its function, and its contexts in Böhm, and Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. contemporary piety. Among Buxtehude’s organ works the chorale variations form a rather small Nimm von uns Herr, BuxWV 207 group of six sets:1 The variations are based on a Prot- estant chorale from the second half of BuxWV 177, Ach Gott und Herr, 2 the 16th century. The text has seven variations stanzas and was published in 1584 by BuxWV 179, Auf meinen lieben Gott, the 16th-century poet and theologian 5 variations Martin Moller (1547–1606); the words BuxWV 181, Danket dem Herren, 3 were traditionally combined with Mar- variations tin Luther’s melody for the hymn Vater Example 2: Buxtehude, Nimm von uns Herr, BuxWV 207/2 BuxWV 205, Meine Seele erhebt den unser, im Himmelreich. (See Example 1: Herren, 2 variations Melody, “Nimm von uns Herr.”) BuxWV 207, Nimm von uns Herr, du treuer Gott, 4 variations First movement BuxWV 213, Nun lob, mein Seel, den Buxtehude’s set of variations consists of Herren, 3 variations four verses. The fi rst verse is a three-part setting, with the cantus fi rmus in mostly An overview of Buxtehude’s chorale unembellished fashion in the upper Example 3: Sweelinck, Psalm 140 variations would, however, be incomplete voice. The occasional embellishments without considering the use of chorale- of the melody (mm. 8, 11, and 27) occur based variation in other genres. Among only at the beginning or the middle of a his organ works, we fi nd traditional tech- phrase, never at the end. This movement niques of the chorale variation in his is basically a fi guratively embellished chorale fantasies. Here, each phrase of chorale harmonization. The harmonic the melody is treated “separately and in backdrop is dissolved into a continuous different voices,”2 whereas in the chorale sixteenth-note motion. The lower voices Example 4: Scheidt, Cantio Sacra “Vater unser im Himmelreich,” versus 4 partita (or chorale variation) the tech- serve primarily as accompaniment. Only nique of variation changes with each occasionally (in the interludes between stanza of the hymn.3 Yet another type the lines of the chorale or later in mm. of “chorale variation” in Buxtehude’s 21–24) does the alto voice develop a cer- oeuvre is the variation of chorale melo- tain degree of independence and engage dies in his numerous chorale cantatas. into a motivic dialogue with the bass. The chorale cantatas are based on the The texture of the movement re- texts and melodies of Protestant hymns, sembles the type we fi nd in the chorale in which each movement (or larger sec- variations of Buxtehude’s contemporary second and the beginning of the third Monody and expression: the third tion) treats a single stanza employing a Johann Pachelbel, and even in the works phrase. Only the short melismatic em- movement of BuxWV 207 different technique.4 Buxtehude’s cho- of Johann Gottfried Walther, who was of bellishment of the last phrase in the fi rst The third movement is exceptional. rale cantatas range from rather simple a later generation. Buxtehude himself movement fi nds no correspondence in It conforms to the type of chorale set- settings like In dulci jubilo, BuxWV 52, used this type only rarely. The single the second movement. ting that is traditionally labeled as “or- to complex compositions that transform chorale setting Jesus Christus, unser We pass over the third movement for gan chorale” (Orgelchoral) or “monodic the traditional melody into an expressive Heiland, BuxWV 198, is very similar to a moment and come to the last section organ chorale” (monodischer Orgelcho- vocal concerto, like Jesu, meine Freude, the fi rst verse of BuxWV 207. In both of Buxtehude’s chorale partita. It is an- ral).9 The melody in the upper voice BuxWV 60.5 pieces Buxtehude employs an analogous other bicinium with the cantus fi rmus in is highly embellished, while the lower While there is no doubt that Buxtehu- “running” sixteenth fi guration in the the upper voice and a vivid, motivically three voices serve as an accompaniment de’s chorale cantatas and chorale fanta- lower voices, while the chorale melody is independent lower voice of wide tes- and bridge the gaps between the chorale sies are signifi cant contributions to their played in the upper voice. Like BuxWV situra. The embellishments of the me- lines with short, imitative interludes. It respective genres, his chorale variations 207/1, the piece is not a strict trio but lodic line (again mainly passing notes) is the type of chorale setting Buxtehude stand, as far as their reception goes, in rather a fi guratively embellished chorale are at the same places as in the fi rst bi- uses in most of his single-movement the shadow of these more elaborate com- harmonization. The same is true for the cinium—a feature that ensures a certain chorale preludes.10 The structure is the positions. Kerala Snyder, in her seminal fi rst verse of the chorale variations on degree of motivic consistency between same as in the chorale preludes: the up- biography of Buxtehude, gives a rather Danket dem Herren, BuxWV 181, and the two bicinia. per voice begins (here with a vivid em- negative assessment: the second verse of the chorale partita Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren, BuxWV Chorale variations play the least impor- 213. Even though he used it only rarely, DPMKMSP4AP?N@MMI tant role in Buxtehude’s keyboard music. Buxtehude seems to have preferred this 4A?RRCPCBJC?TCQ Not only are they few in number, but the style in which most of them are composed type of chorale setting mostly in his cho- is not distinctive. [...] With one signifi cant rale variations rather than in indepen- exception [BuxWV 179] these variation dent chorale preludes. Only one such in- “The Schoenstein speaks with a decid- sets do not form convincing cycles, and dividual setting (BuxWV 198) has come firm has carved edly English accent. It they appear to have been composed either down to us; however, it cannot be ruled out an enviable provides the general for alternatim performance or for teaching out that other, similar compositions by purposes.6 Buxtehude have been lost. reputation in recent tonal impression of a years for excellent vast cathedral organ Similarly, Kathryn Welter states that Second (and fourth) movement(s) Symphonic-style in what is really quite Buxtehude’s chorale variations have a The second movement of Nimm von organs. This large a small building. “non-distinctive style.”7 uns Herr is a traditional bicinium, stand- Arnfried Edler, on the other hand, ing in the tradition of similar pieces by 4-manual specimen Nigel Potts exploits its in his recent history of keyboard music, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck and Samuel is particularly well- potential and masters fi nds more positive words for Buxtehu- Scheidt. The melody in the upper voice, equipped for its task, its tricks with aplomb de’s chorale variations: even less embellished than in the fi rst as it was built primar- [in his new Herald movement, is accompanied by a lower The principle of a unifying climax in voice of extraordinarily wide tessitura, ily to accompany the CD British Fantasies sound and tension can be seen [in Buxte- spanning the range from alto (mm. 7–9) fine Anglo-Catholic and Fanfares].” hude’s chorale variations] to different de- to a low bass voice (m. 28). (See Example liturgy at St. Paul’s, grees; it is most obvious in Nun lob mein Peter Jewkes Seel den Herren (BuxWV 213), where the 2.) A comparison with similar settings and thus already variations begin with a bicinium; then fol- by Sweelinck (Example 3) and Scheidt Sydney Organ Journal lows a tricinium with cantus fi rmus in the (Example 4) exhibits Buxtehude’s roots upper voice until the set is closed by a tric- in these traditions. All three examples inium with bass cantus fi rmus.8 begin with the fi rst note of the cantus fi rmus; the accompanying voice enters For other chorale variations, however, later (here a quarter note) in unison, be- the unifying elements are less obvious fore it reaches the third of the chorale and often nonexistent. melody through passing notes. While the chorale partitas seem to lack The few embellishments of the mel- the compelling structural coherence and ody (mainly simple passing notes) in the depth in text interpretation exhibited Buxtehude’s bicinium are encountered by the fantasies and the cantatas, they at the same places as they were in the e are more than simple Gebrauchsmusik, fi rst movement: in the middle of the JULY, 2009 21 July 09 pp. 21-23.indd 21 6/11/09 7:34:44 AM bellishment of the fi rst note of the hymn) The combination of unembellished Example 5: Buxtehude, Nimm von uns Herr, BuxWV 207/3 before the three lower voices enter with and highly embellished verses in a cho- a mostly homophonic accompaniment.11 rale variation was not entirely unusual in (See Examples 5 and 6.) the 17th century.