Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her

Georg Böhm (1661 – 1733) also wrote a chorale prelude on “Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her”, which can be found in the manuscripts of Johann Gottfried Walther. It is a masterfully crafted piece. The accompanying voices have each part of the melody in fugual treatment, before that part of the melody is stated in the cantus firmus. The cantus firmus is very plane, with one notable exception: a 32th-note run in bar 23. It is not clear whether this run is original, or an embelishment from Walther. I play the piece including the 32th-note run, but it is very easy to leave it out. And perhaps the piece is even better without it. Well, you can try out for yourself.

Registration
Bovenwerk: Baarpijp 8′, Vox Humana 8′ (LH)
Rugwerk: Holpijp 8′, Quint 3′ (RH)
Pedaal: Subbas 16′, Gedekt 8′

Score available here: http://partitura.org/index.php/georg-bohm-vom-himmel-hoch-da-komm-ich/