The Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668, are
a set of chorale preludes for organ prepared by Johann
Sebastian Bach in Leipzig in his final decade
1740-1750, from earlier works composed in Weimar, where
he was court organist. The works form an encyclopedic
collection of large scale chorale preludes, in a
variety of styles harking back to the previous century,
that Bach gradually perfected during his career.
Together with the Orgelbüchlein, the Schübler
Chorales and the third book of ...(+)
The Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668, are
a set of chorale preludes for organ prepared by Johann
Sebastian Bach in Leipzig in his final decade
1740-1750, from earlier works composed in Weimar, where
he was court organist. The works form an encyclopedic
collection of large scale chorale preludes, in a
variety of styles harking back to the previous century,
that Bach gradually perfected during his career.
Together with the Orgelbüchlein, the Schübler
Chorales and the third book of the Clavier-Übung, they
represent the summit of Bach's sacred music for solo
organ.
"Now comes the gentiles' Saviour" (Nun komm' der Heiden
Heiland), BWV 659, is written in meantone temperament
over the quavers of the continuo-like "walking bass" in
the pedal, the two inner parts move forward
meditatively in canon, beneath the florid and
melismatic cantus firmus. The beautiful melody,
endlessly prolonged and never fully perceptible amid
the freely spiraling arabesques, evokes the mystery of
the incarnation; it is matched by the perfection of the
accompaniment.
Although this work was written for solo voice and basso
continuo, I created this arrangement for Flute and
Harpsichord.
PARTITION