The Neumeister Collection is a compilation of 82
chorale preludes found in a manuscript copy produced by
Johann Gottfried Neumeister (1757–1840). When the
manuscript was rediscovered at the Yale University in
the 1980s it appeared to contain 31 previously unknown
early chorale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach, which
were added to the BWV catalogue as Nos. 1090–1120 and
published in 1985.
This chorale prelude first appeared in the
late-eighteenth century in the Neumeister Collection...(+)
The Neumeister Collection is a compilation of 82
chorale preludes found in a manuscript copy produced by
Johann Gottfried Neumeister (1757–1840). When the
manuscript was rediscovered at the Yale University in
the 1980s it appeared to contain 31 previously unknown
early chorale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach, which
were added to the BWV catalogue as Nos. 1090–1120 and
published in 1985.
This chorale prelude first appeared in the
late-eighteenth century in the Neumeister Collection, a
compilation of 82 chorales by various composers.
Assembled by Johann Gottfried Neumeister (1757 --
1840), the collection was passed on to others and
forgotten for centuries. It was finally unearthed in
1985 by Christoph Wolff at the Yale Library. Of its
chorales, 38 are attributed to Bach, including this
one, "Ach Gott, tu dich erbarmen" (Oh God, have pity).
Along with the others in the collection, it is thus a
relatively new composition to most listeners. Many
"complete" organ recordings, in fact, lack these works
and even some relatively recent ones. This chorale
prelude is an attractive piece, even if it is not a
major rediscovery. It presents the glorious chorale
melody in a lovely, songful manner in the first half.
Thereafter, the textures darken a bit and much of the
writing moves from the upper to middle and lower ranges
on the manuals. Still, the character of the music
remains glorious and reverential and Bach's
contrapuntal writing is masterful here and throughout
the entire work.
Although originally written for Organ, I created this
Transcription of the Chorale Prelude "Ach Gott, tu dich
erbarmen" (Oh God, have pity) BWV 1109 for Pipe Organ
(2 Manuals & Pedals).
SHEET MUSIC