Christoph Graupner - Chorale No. 1144: Will sie mich gleich von sich treiben (from GWV 1124/47)

Details

Description

Chorale No. 1144 of 1345
Music: Christoph Graupner (1683-1760)
First performance: 19/03/1747 (Judica - 5th Sunday of Lent)
Text source: 8th verse of "Sollt es gleich bisweilen scheinen" (Christoph Tietze, 1663)
Chorale melody: "Sollt es gleich bisweilen scheinen" (Origin unknown - Darmstadt late 17th Century?)
7th movement of cantata "Im Anfang war das Wort" (GWV 1124/47)
Scoring: SATB, Strings and Continuo

The cantata from which this chorale comes, "Im Anfang war das Wort" (In the beginning was the Word) is scored for strings, continuo and SATB. This cantata seems a little atypical for (late) Graupner in that it includes 3 arias, one each for solo tenor, soprano and bass. The tenor aria appears somewhat shorter and less challenging than the other two - it has been assumed by Graupner researchers that he did struggle to source a tenor with skills to match his obviously world-class soprano and bass. And in this cantata the soprano really got to strut her stuff - twice in the A section there is a sequence of 3, then 4 fast (demisemiquaver) down and up scales. Fittingly, these runs are on the word "Freuden" (Joy)!
Perhaps due to having 3 arias Graupner decided to keep his final chorale, which starts with the words "Will sie mich gleich von sich treiben", as short as possible. The text is a verse from the hymn "Sollt es gleich bisweilen scheinen, als verließe Gott die Seinen" (Seems it in my anguish lone, as though God forsook his own) written by Christoph Tietze in the second half of the 17th Century:

Will sie mich gleich von sich treiben,
muß mir doch der Himmel bleiben;
wenn ich nur den Himmel krieg,
hab ich Alles zur Genüg.

Translation: Catherine Winkworth (1868), Lyra Germanica, The Christian Life

Earth may all her gifts deny,
safe my treasure still on high;
and if heaven at last be mine,
all things else I can resign.

The tune used by Graupner for Tietze's hymn can be found in his own hymn book from 1728. However, it does not appear to be the same as that used in other churches and in modern times (more standard seems to be the tune "Culbach" by Johann Scheffler). Perhaps someone listening can identify the tune?

Graupner's setting is 12 bars long, 8 of them occupied by the chorale melody, leaving just 4 for an introduction and coda, and the tiniest of interludes between the lines of text. Despite its brevity, Graupner is enable to enact a measurable development of the accompanying music during the length of the chorale. Things start fairly stately, with a falling motive to a ornamented dotted rhythm in the first violin line. The viola counterpoints this, while the second violins are on soprano-doubling duty. As we move to the second half of the chorale, the occurrence of repeated semiquavers gets more frequent and intense in the firsts, the violas and continuo. This supports the climax in the chorale melody. The falling motive also appears twice again, but has developed from its original dotted form into something more smooth. Finally, Graupner ends this elegant little chorale with a brief coda based around the repeated note motive.

Sources:
Picture: pxfuel.com
My mp3 file, Graupner's manuscript and parts (Plus a recently uploaded modern edition by Andrey Sharapov - maybe a performance/recording is coming soon?): https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Im_Anfang_war_das_Wort,_GWV_1124/47_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=3060706
Winkworth's translation of the hymn text: https://www.christmysong.com/1603/jtr1603en4_seems_it_in_my_anguish_lone.html