Musicologist Christoph Wolff rescued this chorale prelude, along with 37 others by Bach, from complete oblivion in 1985 when he discovered the Neumeister Collection at the Yale Library. Johann Gottfried Neumeister (1757 - 1840) had assembled 82 chorales by several different composers, but his collection became lost over the years. Wolff had determined that most of Bach's chorale preludes included date to the years 1700 -1708; this one, "Christ, der du bist Tag und Licht" (Christ, you are the day and light), was probably written at the beginning of this period since its music betrays stylistic influences from Pachelbel and Buxtehude that the composer would later shed. This work might really be called a fughetta, since Bach's writing is obviously fugal. And it is also quite imaginative, the chorale theme growing from a rather somber opening into a more colorful and glorious treatment later on. The music exhibits a sense of joy, even if it is somewhat restrained in the first half of the piece. As the work progresses, it develops greater tension and expectation, but rather abruptly ends. Lasting about two minutes, this is a minor but still significant work.

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