Clavierbüchlein for Anna Magdalena Bach
Between 1725 and 1740. BG 43. 2; NBA V/4. BWV 299 Dir, dir Jehova, will ich singen (#39a and 39b) Bartholomäus Crasselius, all verses of the hymn, 1695. For where is to be found a God like thee? To thee I will my anthems offer, Ah, for this give thy Spirit’s strength to me, To do this in the name of Jesus Christ, So that it may through him thy favor win. Draw me, O Father, to the Son now, So that thy Son in turn draw me to thee. Thy Spirit dwell within my bosom, Both mine intention and my mind command, That I the peace of God may taste and feel, For thee with grateful heart may sing and play. O lend me, Highest, this great kindness And surely will my singing be well done; And fair resound will then my anthem, As I adore thee with my soul and truth; So let thy Spirit lift my heart to thee, That I the psalms may sing with choirs above. For he(1) can bring my cause before thee BWV 508 Bist du bei mir, geh ich mit Freuden (#25) Poet unknown; Music by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel. Be thou with me and I'll go gladly
If, pressing with thy hands so lovely, Thou wouldst my faithful eyes then close. BWV 509 Gedenke doch, mein Geist, zurücke (#41) Poet unknown. Be mindful yet, my soul, remember BWV 511 Gib dich zufrieden und sei still (#13a) Paul Gerhardt, verse 1 of the hymn, 1666 (Fischer-Tümpel, III, #474). Yield to contentment and be quiet BWV 513 O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (#42) Johann Rist, verse 1 of the hymn, 1642 (Fischer-Tümpel, II, #204) Eternity, thou thundrous word, BWV 514 Schaff's mit mir, Gott, nach deinem Willen (#35) Benjamin Schmolck, verse 1 of the hymn, 1725. Deal with me, God, as thou desirest, BWV 515a Erbauliche Gedanken eines Tobackrauchers (#20b and 20c) Poet unknown. Each time I take my pipe’n tobaccoWith goodly wad filled to the brim For fun and passing time with pleasure, It brings to me a thought so grim And adds as well this doctrine fair: That I’m to it quite similar. The pipe is born of clay terrestrial, Of this I am as well conceived. Ah, one day I’ll become earth also— It falls and breaks, before ye know’t, And often cracks within my hand: My destiny is much the same. The pipe our wont is not to color, It’s always white. And thus I think That I as well one day while dying In flesh at least shall grow as pale. But in the tomb my body will Be black like it when used at length. When now the pipe is lit and burning, We witness how within a trice The smoke into thin air doth vanish, Nought but the ashes then are left. And thus is mankind’s fame consumed, Its body, too, in dust assumed. How oft it happens when we’re smoking That, when the tamper’s not at hand, We use our finger for this service. Me thinks, then, when I have been burned: Oh, if these cinders cause such pain, How hot indeed will hell yet be? I can amidst such formulations BWV 516 Warum betrübst du dich und beugest dich zur Erden (#33) Poet unknown. Wherefore art thou so sad and bowed to earth so prostrate, BWV 517 Wie wohl ist mir, o Freund der Seelen Wolfgang Christoph Dreßler, verse 1 of the hymn, 1692 (Fischer-Tümpel, V, #390). How blest I am, O friend of spirits, BWV 518 Willst du dein Herz mir schenken Poet unknown. Wouldst thou thine heart now give me, Proceed in secrecy, That twixt us our intentions No one may ever guess. Since love must be, if mutual, Forever silent kept, So hide thy greatest pleasures Within thy heart’s recess. O cautious be and silent, And never trust a wall, Love inwardly, and, outward, Appear quite unattached. Suspicion give thou never, Disguise is ever meet. Enough, that thou, my being, My faith art e’er assured. O covet no attentions Of my devotion, none, For jealousy so many Snares for our work hath laid. Thou must conceal thy feeling, Heart’s fancy hold within. The joy which brings us rapture Must e’er a secret be. Now license and indulgence © Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose |