NEW - Partita "Jesu, meine Freude" (part 1 of 2)

(1.)
Jesu, meine Freude,
meines Herzens Weide,
Jesu, meine Zier.
Ach, wie lang, ach lange
ist dem Herzen bange,
und verlangt nach dir!
Gottes Lamm, mein Bräutigam,
außer dir soll mir auf Erden
nichts sonst Liebers werden.

Johann Frank (1650)

Many improvisations by Sietze de Vries on this tune can be found on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV8P9Hf56Ws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9tX9Hni2JM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW31P6qDsAI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPTEBGh9ocw

From this precious source, I transcripted a choral partita including 12 variations that can be played as a whole or in parts. The score is attached for free download.

Transcripting Sietze‘s chorale improvisations keep challenging the listener: the repetitions of chorale lines („Stollen“) are similar, but not identical, according to the nature of an improvisation, so a (subjective) decision is always required to choose the (perhaps) most convincing suitable version. In this respect, the transcription score does not reflect 100% of all details of the original texture of all those improvisations, but always shows the result of an editing process. Rare playing errors or parallels have been corrected; very few changes in notation are indicated by smaller prints.


The incomparably beautiful OAM-sample of the Hus/Schnitger organ at St. Cosmae in Stade (D) offered me wonderful opportunities to demonstrate these variations in different colors and sounds, although Sietze improvised most of them just on a chest organ in Portugal with just one single 8' stop.
Those improvisations have been the basis and my inspiration to realize this partita. At last, I added a chorale arrangement from Bach's same named motet, with which the partita may be concluded, since it begins with a three voice piece.

Hope you enjoy and mind the score.

Listen also to the second part
(variations 9-12 and Bach's choral setting):
http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/52379