Work

Dietrich Buxtehude

Dietrich Buxtehude Composer

Auf meinen lieben Gott, BuxWV179

Performances: 4
Tracks: 13
MIDIs: 1
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Musicology:
  • Auf meinen lieben Gott, BuxWV179
    Key: E-
    Genre: Prelude / Fugue
    Pr. Instrument: Organ (Baroque)
    • 1.Allemande
    • 2.Double
    • 3.Sarabande
    • 4.Courante
    • 5.Gigue

This work by Buxtehude is a chorale partita, a set of dance variations on the chorale "Auf meinen Lieben Gott." In the late seventeenth century in North Germany, variation suites with the same harmonic progression for the Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue were somewhat common. This piece by Buxtehude not only utilizes the same harmonic progression, but the same basic melody in the soprano range for each dance of the partita, only unlike a typical suite or partita, none of the dances are in binary form. The dances included in this partita are: Allemande, Double, Sarabande, Courante, Gigue. The allemande is an old-fashioned allemande in the manner of Froberger, expressive, and without continuous moving sixteenth notes. The double is more like the eighteenth-century allemande with continuous sixteenth notes. The sarabande and courante are much like those in Buxtehude's harpsichord suites; however, most of Buxtehude's gigues are imitative, and this one avoids imitation perhaps in order to allow the chorale melody to appear unabated in the soprano range.

This sort of piece was most likely intended for domestic devotional purposes, and could have been played on any domestic keyboard instrument such as the harpsichord and clavichord; however, it may have also been played on the organ at church. The chorale deals with the subject of placing hope and trust in God. The first verse reads, "Upon my dear God I trust in times of fear and pain, He can save me any time from sorrow, fear and trouble, He can change my bad fortune, everything is in his hands."

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