Advent and Christmas (24): "Vom Himmel hoch"

Georg Böhm (1661-1733) studied in Jena and then moved for some years to Hamburg, where he probably plays Italian Music in the newly opened opera, before he was appointed organist at St. John's Church in Lüneburg, where he most likely also became a mentor of fifteen years old Bach who was educated at the local Latin school.

Some of Böhm's chorale based organ works are partitas with varied figurations, which show French influence. However, the setting of his famous chorale prelude "Vom Himmel hoch" is closer to North German style: Each section of the four-part work begins with a fugato imitating the melody line, before the chant appears in half notes in the soprano. This version was copied by Johann Gottfried Walther, who perhaps modified the original score with some extra ornaments.