Germanic
Hymn Tunes
Settings for Organ
(35 pages)
Table of Contents
Chorale Prelude
on
Es
ist ein Ros
[Rosa Mystica]
(4 pages)
Declamation
on
Grosser Gott
(3 pages)
Chorale Prelude
on Herr
Gott, dich loben alle wir
(2 pages)
Toccata
on Lasst uns erfreuen
(7 pages)
Chorale Fantasy
on
Lobe
den Herren
(3 pages)
Two Chorale Preludes
on
Nun danket alle Gott
(4 pages)
Manualiter
(3 pages)
Organo Pleno
(6 pages)
Prelude
on
Schmuecke
dich
(3
pages)
Five Variations
and
a
Postlude on
Stuttgart
(4
pages)
Notes
Chorale Prelude
on Es
ist ein Ros
(Rosa
Mystica)
draws on a beloved anonymous Christmas tune that first appeared in
Alte Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesang (Cologne, 1599), with
possible roots in the 14th or 15th century. It is better known in its
harmonization by Michael Praetorius, as found in his Musae Sionae
of 1609. This neo-Baroque setting presents a ten-measure soprano
obligato, with echoed registrational contrasts, harmonized by the
left hand. Upon repetition, development and extension, it becomes a
counter-theme for phrase-by-phrase statements of the hymn tune cantus
firmus by the organ pedal.
Declamation on Grosser Gott sets an anonymous tune first found in Katholisches Gesangbuch (Vienna, 1744) with a German verse text for the Te Deum laudamus. The tune's presentation here makes use of a conservatively contem-porary tonal language of parallel fourths, or quartal harmony. A characteristically motivic development provides the accompaniment for bold statements of the hymn’s cantus firmus in the tenor range, also sounded in harmonic intervals of fourths. The composition is in a binary structure, with the first portion repeated to match the phrase structure of the hymn; a brief coda is added at the conclusion.
Chorale Prelude on Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir appears here in the triple meter of its German source chorale, but its twin in quadruple meter can more readily be identified as the tune of Old 100th. Louis Bourgeois’ composition, or adaptation, of a melodic setting for Psalm 134 appeared in Trente Quatre Pseaumes de David (Genevan Psalter, 1551). It was subsequently published in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter and the English Psalter in 1561 with a text version of Psalm 100, hence its tune name. This chorale prelude offers a harmonic language and techniques associated with similar settings by Johann Sebastian Bach: the melody occurs lightly embellished in the soprano voice, with occasional free imitation in lower manual voices, and all grounded by a strongly motivic pedal line.
Toccata on Lasst uns erfreuen is a jubilant ‘free-for-all’ in which the familiar strains of the hymn tune, also known as Vigiles et Sancti, surface in various guises and forms. The source melody was published in Ausserlesene Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesänge (Cologne, 1623), in conjuction with an Easter text, but its roots go further back in time to a tune for Psalm 36 that appeared in Aulcuns Pseaumes et Cantiques mys en chant (Strasbourg, 1539). Its early 20th century reemergence in The English Hymnal (1906) combines a well known harmonization by Ralph Vaughan Williams with the English text, "Ye watchers and ye holy ones. The toccata begins with the first phrase of the hymn heard in combination with rolling chords and fanfare interpolations, then settles into triplet quarter note figurations that accompany subsequent phrase statements of the tune, all in quasi-quartal harmony. The introduction of eighth notes adds gathering momentum, then triplet eighths. Eventually a sixteenth-note toccata figuration emerges, with the hymn tune sounded out in boldly canonic imitation between pedal and soprano – the latter in augmented note values. An abrupt return of broad hymn-textured writing, combined with the splashy rolled chords and fanfare interpolations from the opening measures precedes a brief codetta: its pealing bell-like sounds add a rousing punctuation to the end of a venturesome setting.
Chorale Fantasy on Lobe den Herren is a dramatic setting of a hymn tune that first appeared in altered form in Part II of the Straslund Ernewerten Gesangbuch (1665). It was adapted in 1680 for publication with a text by Joachim Neander, but not until the appearance of subsequent versions around the turn of the 18th century did it evolve into its contemporary format. Chorale Fantasy opens with broodingly chromatic harmonies that build in waves to a heroically chordal statement of the first half of the tune, presented in canon between soprano and pedal voices. The chromatic writing of the beginning returns, building in intensity to a similarly canonic restatement of the second half of the melody, and then concluded by a triumphal codetta.
The Two Chorale Preludes on Nun danket alle Gott are modeled after large scale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach; the second of them adopts and develops a motivic ostinato from one of Bach’s Orgelbuechlein chorale preludes. The first prelude is identified by the term manualiter, indicating that it is intended for perfomance on the keyboards only, without pedal. The chorale melody, a hymn tune by Johann Cruger, migrates between soprano and alto voices and is melodically ornamented. In contrast, the setting indicated for organo pleno (‘full organ’) is tightly imitative in its use of Bach’s borrowed motiv, as well as in the application of traditonal augmented cantus firmus soundings of the hymn tune, repeated here between soprano and pedaled bass registers. A strong rhythmic vitality is present throughout, generated by energetically imitative contrapuntal textures.
Prelude on Schmuecke dich is a neo-Romantic setting of a chorale by Johann Crueger that appeared with Johann Franck’s original German text, "Soul, adorn thyself with gladness," in Crueger’s own publication of Geistliche kirchen Melodien (Berlin, 1649). A gently rocking motif permeates almost every measure of this setting, along with a characteristic echoed repetition of single measures. The melody sounds in the soprano voice, while the pedal part is simple and unobtrusive.
Five Variations and a Postlude on Stuttgart treat the tune of a familiar Advent hymn. A historical form of the melody can be found in Psalmodia Sacra (Gotha, 1715), a collection edited by Christian Friedrich Witt, who is also thought to be its composer. Stuttgart was subsequently altered to its present state by William Henry Havergal (1793-1870). Following a brief introduction, the first variation presents the tune in F major in tenor register. The melody migrates to the alto and soprano voices for the second variation, remaining in the soprano for a chromatic duet. After the fourth variation's brief contrast of key (D major), the hymn tune reverts to the tenor voice, and then back to the soprano for a return of tonic (F major in the fifth variation. The postlude offers bold pedalpoints underpinning a series of building statements and echoes; it is culminated by a presentation of the entire hymn at a broader tempo, followed in turn by a briefly repeated codetta figure. The variations and postlude are technically conservative.
Declamation on Grosser Gott sets an anonymous tune first found in Katholisches Gesangbuch (Vienna, 1744) with a German verse text for the Te Deum laudamus. The tune's presentation here makes use of a conservatively contem-porary tonal language of parallel fourths, or quartal harmony. A characteristically motivic development provides the accompaniment for bold statements of the hymn’s cantus firmus in the tenor range, also sounded in harmonic intervals of fourths. The composition is in a binary structure, with the first portion repeated to match the phrase structure of the hymn; a brief coda is added at the conclusion.
Chorale Prelude on Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir appears here in the triple meter of its German source chorale, but its twin in quadruple meter can more readily be identified as the tune of Old 100th. Louis Bourgeois’ composition, or adaptation, of a melodic setting for Psalm 134 appeared in Trente Quatre Pseaumes de David (Genevan Psalter, 1551). It was subsequently published in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter and the English Psalter in 1561 with a text version of Psalm 100, hence its tune name. This chorale prelude offers a harmonic language and techniques associated with similar settings by Johann Sebastian Bach: the melody occurs lightly embellished in the soprano voice, with occasional free imitation in lower manual voices, and all grounded by a strongly motivic pedal line.
Toccata on Lasst uns erfreuen is a jubilant ‘free-for-all’ in which the familiar strains of the hymn tune, also known as Vigiles et Sancti, surface in various guises and forms. The source melody was published in Ausserlesene Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesänge (Cologne, 1623), in conjuction with an Easter text, but its roots go further back in time to a tune for Psalm 36 that appeared in Aulcuns Pseaumes et Cantiques mys en chant (Strasbourg, 1539). Its early 20th century reemergence in The English Hymnal (1906) combines a well known harmonization by Ralph Vaughan Williams with the English text, "Ye watchers and ye holy ones. The toccata begins with the first phrase of the hymn heard in combination with rolling chords and fanfare interpolations, then settles into triplet quarter note figurations that accompany subsequent phrase statements of the tune, all in quasi-quartal harmony. The introduction of eighth notes adds gathering momentum, then triplet eighths. Eventually a sixteenth-note toccata figuration emerges, with the hymn tune sounded out in boldly canonic imitation between pedal and soprano – the latter in augmented note values. An abrupt return of broad hymn-textured writing, combined with the splashy rolled chords and fanfare interpolations from the opening measures precedes a brief codetta: its pealing bell-like sounds add a rousing punctuation to the end of a venturesome setting.
Chorale Fantasy on Lobe den Herren is a dramatic setting of a hymn tune that first appeared in altered form in Part II of the Straslund Ernewerten Gesangbuch (1665). It was adapted in 1680 for publication with a text by Joachim Neander, but not until the appearance of subsequent versions around the turn of the 18th century did it evolve into its contemporary format. Chorale Fantasy opens with broodingly chromatic harmonies that build in waves to a heroically chordal statement of the first half of the tune, presented in canon between soprano and pedal voices. The chromatic writing of the beginning returns, building in intensity to a similarly canonic restatement of the second half of the melody, and then concluded by a triumphal codetta.
The Two Chorale Preludes on Nun danket alle Gott are modeled after large scale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach; the second of them adopts and develops a motivic ostinato from one of Bach’s Orgelbuechlein chorale preludes. The first prelude is identified by the term manualiter, indicating that it is intended for perfomance on the keyboards only, without pedal. The chorale melody, a hymn tune by Johann Cruger, migrates between soprano and alto voices and is melodically ornamented. In contrast, the setting indicated for organo pleno (‘full organ’) is tightly imitative in its use of Bach’s borrowed motiv, as well as in the application of traditonal augmented cantus firmus soundings of the hymn tune, repeated here between soprano and pedaled bass registers. A strong rhythmic vitality is present throughout, generated by energetically imitative contrapuntal textures.
Prelude on Schmuecke dich is a neo-Romantic setting of a chorale by Johann Crueger that appeared with Johann Franck’s original German text, "Soul, adorn thyself with gladness," in Crueger’s own publication of Geistliche kirchen Melodien (Berlin, 1649). A gently rocking motif permeates almost every measure of this setting, along with a characteristic echoed repetition of single measures. The melody sounds in the soprano voice, while the pedal part is simple and unobtrusive.
Five Variations and a Postlude on Stuttgart treat the tune of a familiar Advent hymn. A historical form of the melody can be found in Psalmodia Sacra (Gotha, 1715), a collection edited by Christian Friedrich Witt, who is also thought to be its composer. Stuttgart was subsequently altered to its present state by William Henry Havergal (1793-1870). Following a brief introduction, the first variation presents the tune in F major in tenor register. The melody migrates to the alto and soprano voices for the second variation, remaining in the soprano for a chromatic duet. After the fourth variation's brief contrast of key (D major), the hymn tune reverts to the tenor voice, and then back to the soprano for a return of tonic (F major in the fifth variation. The postlude offers bold pedalpoints underpinning a series of building statements and echoes; it is culminated by a presentation of the entire hymn at a broader tempo, followed in turn by a briefly repeated codetta figure. The variations and postlude are technically conservative.