Hanbury Church - Songs of Praise

 Organist Keith plays Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ BWV 639.  The power of this chorale prelude comes from its simplicity. The melody is not over embellished and the simple repeated pedal notes bind the piece together, with a rippling accompaniment. The text:

Lord, hear the voice of my complaint, To thee I now commend me;

Let not my heart and hope grow faint, But deign thy grace to send me;

True faith from thee, my god, I seek, keeps me lowly, and prompt to aid the week, and mark each word that thou dost speak.

This Chorale setting of the Passion Chorale uses only slight decoration of the melody. The power of it comes through the intensification of the harmonies. The occasional decoration throws light where needed and darken a shadow where needed.

This is Martin Luthers translation of the Agnus Dei from the Latin mass. The Chorale is treated as a cantus firmus, alongside being also in a cannon at the twelfth. The chorale stands against the accompaniment which is entirely made of ascending and descending scales.

“Christ Lamb of God, Who bears the sins of the World, Have mercy on us”

St Mary the Virgin PC - Hanbury, Worcestershire. Pleased I asked the tuner to de tune the Swell Dulciana against the Swell Gedact which has created a pleasant undulating effect what with the lack of strings.