Opus 67-14: Herzlich tut mich verlangen

Imho one of the most beautiful choral preludes in opus 67: no more than a very intricate harmonized setting of this magnificent choral melody.

It is just one page long, but fascinating to hear Regers' harmonies exactly fitting the mood and words of the text.

The indication is Langsam (Slow)

"Herzlich tut mich verlangen" (I do desire dearly) is a German hymn, with lyrics written in 1599 by Christoph Knoll, with a melody adapted from a secular song by Hans Leo Hassler.

It is a prayer for a blessed death, beginning "Herzlich tut mich verlangen nach einem sel'gen End" (I do desire dearly a blessed end). Its hymn tune was later also used for Paul Gerhardt's "Befiehl du deine Wege" and "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden".