Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

Andreas Raselius, also known as Andreas Rasel (c. 1563 – 6 January 1602) was a German composer and kapellmeister during the Renaissance. He worked for much of his career as a teacher and cantor in Regensburg, before being appointed as the court conductor of the Elector Palatine in Heidelberg. He is today best noted as the author of a cycle of motets for use throughout the year, the first such cycle to be composed in the German language, which was published in 1594.

A strict Lutheran, he declared himself "outraged at the Calvinist machinations" that he witnessed in Heidelberg and moved later in 1584 to Regensburg. There he became a teacher of the 2nd class at the city's Gymnasium Poeticum and was appointed as cantor at the gymnasium and the Neupfarrkirche , the town's first Lutheran church.

I believe that this chorale is a transcription/arrangement of one of Raselius' sung chorale. In this performance, the melody is heard a solo voice in the Pedal.

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" ("Savior of the nations, come") is a Lutheran chorale of 1524 with words written by Martin Luther, based on "Veni redemptor gentium" by Ambrose, and a melody, Zahn 1174, based on its plainchant. It was printed in the Erfurt Enchiridion of 1524.

The song was the prominent hymn for the first Sunday of Advent for centuries. It was used widely in organ settings by Protestant Baroque composers, most notably Johann Sebastian Bach, who also composed two church cantatas beginning with the hymn. Later settings include works by Max Reger, Brian Easdale and Siegfried Strohbach.

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of a page from one of Andreas Raselius' publications, dated 1589.

The English translation of the hymn, "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland is given in the First Comment.