BWV 16.6

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Original source: Cantata, Herr Gott, dich loben wir, BWV 16 (bach–digital page)
Chorale Text: Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen (verse 6), by Paul Eber (c.1580)
Tune: Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen, Anon. 1575, after secular Ich ging einmal spazieren (1569) (Zahn 5267)
First Performance: 1 January 1726, New Year’s Day
Appearance in Early Collections (Key): Riemenschneider 99; Breitkopf 99; Birnstiel 103; Fasch p.7
Other Harmonizations: BWVs 28.6, 183.5

Instrumentation: Colla parte — S: violin 1, oboe 1, horn di caccia. A: violin 2, oboe 2, viola. T: (none). B: continuo.

Original manuscripts
Score: 1) D–B Mus. ms. Bach P 45, Faszikel 7, 2) D–B Mus. ms. Bach P 100 (c. 1731/1732) (Note: In this second manuscript of BWV 16, in the hand of Christoph Nichelmann, the concluding chorale from BWV 28 (of the same hymn) is substituted in the place of the setting that originally closed BWV 16.)
Parts: D–B Mus. ms. Bach St 44
(Provenance details at www.bach–cantatas.com)

Notes

Phrases 1, 3 and 4 of this setting are virtually identical to the respective phrases of BWV 419, a setting that in the Fasch manuscript is attributed jointly to J.S. and C.P.E. Bach. (See the notes for BWV 419.) Despite these three phrases being virtually identical melodically, the two settings feature different chorale melodies. For a full comparison of the two melodies, see the www.bach-cantatas.com pages devoted to either melody: Helft mir Gotts Güte preisen (BWV 16.6) or Von Gott will ich nicht lassen (BWV 419).