page_title: Orgelbüchlein
section_title: Epiphany BWV 616–617
hierarchical_section_title: Orgelbüchlein / Chorale Preludes BWV 599–644 / Epiphany BWV 616–617
caption_attribution_description: English: Stained glass window from Mariawald Abbey depicting the Presentation in the Temple
context_page_description: The Orgelbüchlein BWV 599−644 is a set of 45 chorale preludes for organ — one of them is given in two versions — by Johann Sebastian Bach. All but three were written between 1708 and 1717 when Bach served as organist to the ducal court in Weimar; the remainder and a short two-bar fragment came no earlier than 1726, after the composer’s appointment as cantor at the Thomasschule in Leipzig.
  The plan was for a collection of 164 settings of chorale tunes sung during the Church year so that each part of the year was represented. Although this number was not to be, the Orgelbüchlein does span the calendar and more importantly signals a maturity and new breadth in Bach’s compositional style, not only with regard to this instrument.
  Each setting takes an existing Lutheran chorale, adds a motivic accompaniment, and quite freely explores form. Many of the preludes are short and in four parts, requiring only a single keyboard and pedal, with an unadorned cantus firmus. Others involve two keyboards and pedal. These include several canons, four ornamental four-part preludes with elaborately decorated chorale lines, and one prelude in trio sonata form.
context_section_description: BWV 616 Mit Fried' und Freud' ich fahr' dahin [With peace and joy I depart] play MIDI  • play MP3
  Below is the first verse of Martin Luther's version of the Nunc dimittis,  Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin, with the English translation of Catherine Winkworth.
  Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin
  in Gottes Willen;
  getrost ist mir mein Herz und Sinn,
  sanft und stille,
  wie Gott mir verheißen hat:
  er Tod ist mein Schlaf worden.
  In peace and joy I now depart,
  According to God's will,
  For full of comfort is my heart,
  So calm and sweet and still;
  So doth God His promise keep,
  And death to me is but a sleep.
   BWV 617 Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf [Lord God, now unlock Heaven] play MIDI  • play MP3
  Below are the first and last verses of Tobias Kiel's hymn with the English translation of Catherine Winkworth.
  Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf!
  mein Zeit zu End sich neiget,
  ich hab vollendet meinen Lauf,
  des sich mein Seel freuet;
  hab g'nug gelitten,
  mich müd gestritten,
  schick mich fein zu
  zur ewig'n Ruh
  laß fahren, was auf Erden
  will lieber selig werden.
  ∘∘∘
  Laß mich nur, Herr, wie Simeon
  im Friede zu dir fahren.
  Befiehl mich Christo, deinem Sohn
  der wir mich wohl bewahren;
  wird mich recht führen
  im Himmel zieren
  mit Ehr und Kron;
  fahr drauf davon;
  laß fahren, was auf Erden
  will lieber selig werden.
  Lord God, now open wide Thy heaven,
  My parting hour is near;
  My course is run, enough I've striven,
  Enough I've suffered here;
  Weary and sad
  My heart is glad
  That she may lay
  her down to rest;
  Now all on earth I can resign.
  But only let Thy heaven be mine.
  ∘∘∘
  Then let me go like Simeon
  In peace with Thee to dwell.
  For I commend me to Thy Son,
  And He will guard me well,
  And guide me straight
  To the golden gate:
  And in this hope
  I calmly die;
  Yes, all on earth I can resign.
  If but Thy heaven may now be mine.
caption: Feast of the Purification, early 16C stained glass from Mariawald Abbey near Cologne
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