- O Mensch, Bewein' dein' Sünde Gross, BWV 622
[4:47] (A=465)
"[A]nother illustration of Bach's florid treatment of chorales containing the element of sadness. Words cannot begin to describe the depth of feeling
expressed. It has been said by one who heard the statement, that M. Widor considered this the finest piece of instrumental music written. The
expression, at the close, in music of the words 'Should bear our sins o'erwhelming load, the shameful cross enduring' is most striking. The climax on
the upper B-flats is tremendous, and the dissonant relationships in the last line combined with the chromatic pedal is outstanding." -- Suggestions
for interpretation by the editor, Albert Riemenschneider. The Phantom Organist as a young organ student had occasion to play this piece at St. John's
Episcopal Church for the funeral of an important University of Southern California dignitary, and the procession arrived near the front just as the
music slowed for the dramatic ending, an electrifying but chilling convergence. The Chorale is sounded on the Hauptwerk 8 Prinzipal + Spiz Fleute 4 +
Cornett III Fach, with 16 Sub Baß and 8 Oktaven Baß in the Pedal and Hinterwerk Gedacktes 8 + Rohrfleute 4.
Midi File available.
Instrument:
Gottfried Silbermann Organ, Reinhardtsgrimma / Sachsen, Germany (1731) -
Samples by Prof. Helmut Maier
- Chorale Text
German:
O Mensch, bewein' dein' Sünde gross,
darum Christus sein's Vaters Schooss
äussert und kam auf Erden.
Von einer Jungfrau rein und zart
für uns er hier geboren ward,
er wollt' der Mittler werden.
Den Todten er das Leben gab
und legt' dabei all' Krankheit ab,
bis sich die Zeit herdrange,
dass er für uns gekopfert würd',
trug uns'rer Sünden schwere Bürd'
wohl an dem Kreuze lange.
English:
O man, bewail thy grievous fall,
For which Christ left His Father's hall
And came to earth from heaven.
He of a virgin maiden pure
Was born, of man the Savior sure,
And came earth's ills to leaven.
The dead He raised again to life,
The sick He loosed from pain and strife,
Until the time appointed
That He for us should shed His blood
And take on Him our sin's dark load,
Stretched on the Cross accursed.
--Tr. C. S. Terry
Audio track was created with Hauptwerk v. 1 software
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