Musical contribution - December 2009

Dear organist,

It goes without saying that we are taking the time of year into consideration. And this is why we have opted for the beautiful “Ich steh an Deiner Krippen hier” by the poet Paul Gerhardt.

Johan Sebastiaan Bach already made use of the first stanza in the Weihnachtsoratorium, but with an existing melody.  Bach apparently got the feeling at some later stage that Gerhardt’s text deserved its own melody.  This is why he composed the melody we are familiar with today some time later.

The arrangement you now have in front of you is a so-called “Choralvorspiel”.  Not specifically intended as a prelude to the part-song, but more as a piece to be played before the service or during the collection.

The melody is richly ornamented.  I would recommend a quiet tempo.

With Kind Regards,

André van Vliet.