Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her BWV 700

Bach composed several settings of Martin Luther’s cheerful Christmas chorale, ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ist her’ during his lifetime. His setting BWV 769 is probably the most famous, and was composed just two year’s before his death. This setting, BWV 700, dates from a much earlier period in Bach’s life and was written before 1710, as were all the chorales in the collection known as the Kirnberger Chorales. The text paraphrases the message of the angel who brings glad tidings to the shepherds.

The opening of this piece seems like a fugue, each of the four parts entering from high to low in turn with the opening of the chorale melody, depicting the descent of the aforementioned angel. This followed by several ‘false’ entrances before the pedal enters with a strong statement of the opening melody. The piece continues in an imitative, quasi-fugue style, the last statement of each phrase of the chorale always given to the pedals.

The mixture-plenum of the Janke organ of the Stadtkirche in Bückeburg, sampled by Sonus Paradisi (https://www.sonusparadisi.cz), is perfect for the grandeur of this majestic setting, ideal for the Christmas season.