As organist at Weimar, Johann Sebastian Bach was
charged with providing a harmonic underpinning for the
singing of Lutheran chorale tunes chosen for each day.
Bach wrote out many of these harmonizations, in part as
instruction for younger composers (they are still used
for this purpose). A derivation of this practice,
Bach's conception of the organ chorale, as manifested
in the chorale preludes, dates from 1713 -1714, about
the time he became familiar with Vivaldi's
concertos.
In all hi...(+)
As organist at Weimar, Johann Sebastian Bach was
charged with providing a harmonic underpinning for the
singing of Lutheran chorale tunes chosen for each day.
Bach wrote out many of these harmonizations, in part as
instruction for younger composers (they are still used
for this purpose). A derivation of this practice,
Bach's conception of the organ chorale, as manifested
in the chorale preludes, dates from 1713 -1714, about
the time he became familiar with Vivaldi's
concertos.
In all his chorale arrangements, Bach took inspiration
for the style and atmosphere from the words of the hymn
on which his composition was based. But the main role
in his chorale partitas seems to be given to pure
pleasure in playing and inventiveness. For his
variations on ‘Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig’, he
literally pulls out all the stops. For over twenty
minutes, he explores the harmonic, rhythmic and
stylistic possibilities of the melody forming the base
of the piece. The art of variation was already
considered old-fashioned in Bach’s day. But Georg
Böhm, the organ virtuoso with whom the
fifteen-year-old Bach became acquainted during his
schooldays in Lüneburg, was a master of variation.
Through Böhm, Bach also came into contact with
Reincken, and through him with Buxtehude, who were both
composers with a flair for the art of variation. There
was much that Bach could learn from these masters, but
the challenge of variation must have held particular
appeal for the young composer. It was not just
conceiving of the most varied and sophisticated series
possible, but also the virtuoso interpretation of that
series that provided the opportunity of rivalling his
idols.
The chorale partita (BWV 766-770) is a special form of
chorale arrangement, as the chorale (or hymn) serves as
the starting point for a series of variations. The art
of variation was at its peak in the seventeenth
century. Usually, a folk song was taken as the starting
point for a series of variations that increased in
difficulty and speed. The genre was not restricted to
keyboard instruments. The blind Dutch recorder and
carillon player Jacob van Eyck was also a master in the
art, for example. The five compositions by Bach bearing
the name of chorale partita do not come from a single
source, nor are they dated, but it is supposed that
they originated in his teens and may have been revised
later on.
This setting of "Christ, der du bist der helle Tag"
(Christ, You Are the Bright Day) is a quite early Bach
work, likely dating to the composer's years in
Lüneberg. While it may not contain the subtlety and
craftsmanship of many later keyboard efforts by Bach,
it is nevertheless a worthwhile piece. It has become
fairly popular and highly regarded, too, standing above
his other subsequent keyboard setting of this chorale,
the Chorale Prelude "Neumeister" (BWV 1120). This
earlier version is a quite substantial work, both in
length -- lasting around nine or ten minutes -- and in
scope as it is a fairly elaborate set of variations
successfully modeled on the form as espoused by
Pachelbel, Scheidt, and Böhm. The work begins with the
stately chorale tune slowly and grandly presented in
fairly simple harmonies. The ensuing first variation
comes in two parts, bringing with it a much livelier,
busier atmosphere. The variations that follow feature a
fairly sophisticated level of contrapuntal writing,
with the main line often in the upper ranges. There is
a lovely slow variation at the center of this work, as
well as a majestic, triumphant one to close out the
piece. Although not a major masterwork, this Chorale
partita clearly exhibits the burgeoning genius of
Bach.
Source: AllofBach
(http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-768).
I created this transcription of the Chorale Partita
(BWV 766) "Christ, der du bist der helle Tag" (Christ,
You Are the Bright Day) for Pipe Organ.
PARTITION