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.
As most Bach mavens are aware, many of the composer's
works are difficult to date, including th...(+)
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.
As most Bach mavens are aware, many of the composer's
works are difficult to date, including those in the
Neumeister Collection. This assemblage of 82 chorales
unearthed in 1985 at the Yale Library by organist
Christoph Wolff contains 38 works by Bach, a few of
which are sometimes considered to be of doubtful
origin. Although most of the items in the Neumeister
Collection are thought to come from the period 1700 -
1708, no firm dates can be established. This effort,
"Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf," was almost
certainly written in the early 1700s since it is
modeled on Buxtehude's chorale preludes and shows
little of the style Bach would use in the chorale
preludes in his Orgelbüchlein (1713 - 1715). The work
opens with the chorale theme stated in big chords in
declamatory fashion. A striking, arched-shaped run
announces the character of the accompaniment, which
sporadically joins with the chorale theme thereafter,
occasionally yielding to further chordal thematic
pronouncements. The work closes with a flashy run that
leads to an emphatic final chord. While this two-minute
effort is not a major Bach work, it is well crafted and
has become one of the most popular Neumeister chorale
preludes among performers.
Although originally written for Organ, I created this
Arrangement of the "Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel
auf" (Lord God, now open wide Thy heaven) BWV 1092 for
Brass Quartet (Bb Trumpet, Flugelhorn, French Horn &
Euphonium).
PARTITION