Jesu, der du meine Seele

"Jesu, der du meine Seele"
Lutheran hymn
Johann Rist, the author of the text
Textby Johann Rist
LanguageGerman
Melodyby Johann Rist
Published1641 (1641)

Jesu, der du meine Seele (Jesus, you who [rescued] my soul)[1] is a Lutheran Passion hymn in German with text by Johann Rist and a melody also attributed to him, first published in 1641. It reflects in 12 stanzas the Passion of Jesus cleansing the believer. Johann Sebastian Bach used it as the basis for his chorale cantata Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78.

History

Johann Rist wrote the text in 12 stanzas, reflecting the Passion of Jesus with a focus on cleansing the believer.[2] The hymn was published in 1641 with a melody also attributed to Rist.[3][4]

The song was contained in many hymnals, but interest faded in the 19th century.[4] In the 21st century, the hymn is no longer part of major hymnals in Germany, but of the Moravian Church.[5]

Music

The hymn became the basis for Johann Sebastian Bach's chorale cantata Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78 for the 14th Sunday after Trinity, first performed on 10 September 1724.[6][7] Bach used the original text of the first and last stanzas, together with the melody, for the opening chorus and the closing chorale. He set the last stanza, "Herr, ich glaube, hilf mir Schwachen, laß mich ja verzagen nicht" (Lord, I believe, help my weakness, let me never despair),[1] for four parts.[7][8]

\header { tagline = " " } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } } global = { \key g \minor \numericTimeSignature \time 4/4 \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \set Timing.beamExceptions = #'()} soprano = \relative c'' { \global d4 d a bes | c bes8 a a4 g\fermata | bes bes a g | fis g a2\fermata | d4 d a bes | c bes8 a a4 g\fermata | bes bes a g | fis g a2\fermata | a4 bes c a | bes a8 g g4 f\fermata | bes c d d | ees d8 c c4 bes\fermata | d d c d | bes c d2\fermata | d4 d c bes | a a g2\fermata \bar "|." } alto = \relative c'' { \global g4 g a g | g g fis d | d ees ees8 d d c | c4 d d2 | d4 g fis g | g g fis d | d ees ees8 d d c | c4 d d2 | fis4 g g f | f f e c | f g8 a bes4 bes | bes bes a f | f f f8 ees d4 | d g fis2 | g4 g a g | g fis d2 } tenor = \relative c' { \global bes8 c d4 d d | c8 d ees4 d8 c bes4 | g g g8 fis g4 | a bes fis2 | bes8 c d4 d d | c8 d ees4 d8 c bes4 | g g g8 fis g4 | a bes fis2 | d'4 d c c | bes8 c d4 c8 bes a4 | bes ees f f | es8 f g4 f8 ees d4 | bes bes a a | g8 bes a g a2 | bes8 c d4 ees d | ees d8 c b2 } bass = \relative c' { \global g8 a bes4 fis g | ees c d g, | g'8 f ees d c d ees4 | a, g d'2 | g,8 a bes c d4 g8 f | ees d c4 d g, | g'8 f ees d c d ees4 | a, g d'2 | d4 g8 f ees4 f | d bes c f | d c bes bes'8 a | g f ees4 f bes, | bes8 c d ees f4 fis | g8 f! ees4 d2 | g8 a bes4 fis g | c, d g,2 } \score { \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff \with { midiInstrument = "choir aahs" } << \new Voice = "soprano" { \voiceOne \soprano } \new Voice = "alto" { \voiceTwo \alto } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" { Herr, ich glau -- be, hilf mir _ Schwa -- chen, lass mich ja ver -- za -- gen nicht; du, du kannst mich stär -- ker _ ma -- chen, wenn mich Sünd und Tod an -- flicht. Dei -- ner Gü -- te will ich _ trau -- en, bis ich fröh -- lich wer de _ schau -- en dich, Herr Je -- su, nach dem Streit in der sü -- ßen E -- wig -- keit. } \new Staff \with { midiInstrument = "choir aahs" } << \clef bass \new Voice = "tenor" { \voiceOne \tenor } \new Voice = "bass" { \voiceTwo \bass } >> >> \layout { } \midi { \tempo 4=82 } }

Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling composed an chorale prelude for organ in 1929.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Dellal 2024.
  2. ^ Browne 2005.
  3. ^ a b Chorale melody 2006.
  4. ^ a b Hymnary 2024.
  5. ^ Evangelium 2024.
  6. ^ Bach Digital 2024.
  7. ^ a b Leininger 1999.
  8. ^ Dahn 2024.

Cited sources

  • "Jesu, der du meine Seele BWV 78; BC A 130". Bach Digital. 2024.
  • Browne, Francis (2005). "Jesu, der du meine Seele / Text and Translation of Chorale". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  • Dahn, Luke (2024). "BWV 78.7". bach-chorales.com. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  • Dellal, Pamela (2024). "BWV 78 – "Jesu, der du meine Seele"". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  • Leininger, Ulrich (1999). "Foreword". Johann Sebastian Bach / Jesu, der du meine Seele / Jesus, you have freed my spirit / BWV 78 (PDF). Carus-Verlag. p. 4. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  • Oron, Aryeh (2024). "Cantata BWV 78 Jesu, der du meine Seele". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  • "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works Jesu, der du meine Seele". Bach Cantatas Website. 2006. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  • "Jesu, der du meine Seele". evangeliums.net (in German). 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  • "Jesu, der du meine Seele hast durch deinen bittern Tod". hymnary.org. 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2010.