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Track(s) taken from CDA67666

Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BuxWV178

composer
chorale prelude (usual English words to the tune are O sacred head sore wounded)

Christopher Herrick (organ)
Recording details: April 2007
Helsingør Cathedral, Denmark
Produced by Paul Spicer
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: May 2008
Total duration: 2 minutes 40 seconds

Cover artwork: Procession in a Cathedral. Bartolomeus van Bassen (c1590-1652)
Leeds Museums and Art Galleries (Temple Newsam House), UK / Bridgeman Images
 

Reviews

‘A magnificent sound … Herrick's razor-sharp articulation is at one with Buxtehude's fastidiously chiselled counterpoint … an auspicious beginning’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Herrick displays great energy and a keen ear for registrational variety’ (American Record Guide)

‘Herrick embarks on another epic for Hyperion, and the first instalment whets the appetite. Buxtehude's delicate contrapuntal intricacy is offset by occasional flamboyance … the organ of Helsingør Cathedral, on Buxtehude's home ground of Denmark, offers an excellent colour’ (Classical Music)
The melody of the Chorale Prelude ‘Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder’, BuxWV178 (‘Ah Lord, me, a poor sinner’) is familiar from J S Bach’s St Matthew Passion, and in the English-speaking world it evokes the words ‘O sacred head sore wounded’. It is given to the uppermost voice and skilfully embedded in a contrapuntal matrix based upon it, and although ornamented, its shape is well preserved throughout, which suggests that this is a prelude intended to introduce the singing of the hymn.

from notes by Relf Clark © 2008

On connaît la mélodie du Prélude de choral «Ach, Herr, mich armen Sünder» BuxWV178 («Ah, Seigneur, moi, pauvre pécheur») grâce à la Passion selon Matthieu de J. S. Bach; dans le monde anglophone, elle évoque les paroles «O sacred head sore wounded». Confiée à la voix la plus aiguë, elle est habilement enchâssée dans une matrice contrapuntique qui s’appuie sur elle; malgré les ornements, sa forme demeure constamment préservée, suggérant que ce prélude devait introduire le chant de l’hymne.

extrait des notes rédigées par Relf Clark © 2008
Français: Hypérion

Die Melodie des Choralpräludiums „Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder“, BuxWV178 ist aus Bachs Matthäuspassion bekannt, und in der Deutschsprachigen Welt wird sie daher eher mit den Worten „O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden“ assoziiert. Sie wird der Oberstimme übergeben und geschickt in eine kontrapunktische Matrix eingewoben, die auf ihr aufbaut, und obwohl verziert, bleibt ihre Form durchweg klar, was andeutet, dass dies ein Präludium ist, das das Singen der Hymne in der Kirche einleiten soll.

aus dem Begleittext von Relf Clark © 2008
Deutsch: Renate Wendel

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