Motivic Analysis of Bach's chorale prelude
Vor Deinem Thron Tret' ich zu Dir
Motivic Analysis of Bach's chorale prelude
Vor Deinem Thron Tret' ich zu Dir
Organ version
Brass version
Playlist
This is (most likely) the last piece Bach ever wrote (or dictated from his deathbed, according to his son, C. P. E. Bach): a chorale prelude based on the chorale melody Wenn Wir in höchsten Nöthen sein The chorale melody has four phrases, which you'll be able to recognise in the organ prelude. Each phrase of the melody is preceded by a new fugal exposition (with the second subject entry in inversion, which is why it might not sound like a regular fugue), accompanied by an ensuing fugal development and then rounded off with a cadence/short coda. You'll hear this happen four times, once for each phrase. The chorale melody stands out from the texture, but if you listen to it played on the organ, the melody is played on the other keyboard so it stands out even more, but I particularly like the brass version. I think it has a nice timbre (quite suitably sombre).
“
Excerpt from the BWV 80 Analysis
in BWV 668, the first phrase of the chorale melody ‘Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein’ is used as a counterfugue subject. A cantus firmus version of the melody is played after the exposition, on the upper manual of the organ to make it stand out. This treatment is repeated for each phrase of the chorale melody—until the final phrase, where the answer is not only inverted, but also diminished! And a little later, just before the cantus firmus entry, there’s also a counter-exposition where the first entry, this time in a different voice, is the inverted version and the second, diminished entry is the original version!