Johann Sebastian Bach: My God alone this heart possesses - Sheet music | Carus-Verlag

Johann Sebastian Bach My God alone this heart possesses

Cantata for the 18th Sunday after Trinity BWV 169, 1726

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Bach's cantata "My God alone this heart possesses" BWV 169 is from his third annual cantata cycle in Leipzig; it was first performed on 20 October 1726 for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. As recent research has shown, the text was written by the Leipzig student, Christoph Birkmann. With the exception of the final chorale, this is a cantata for solo alto with, of course, a rich orchestral scoring consisting of three oboes, obbligato organ and strings. The first purely instrumental movement can be traced back to an instrumental concerto, which has been lost, after Bach had also composed the Keyboard Concerto in E major BWV 1053. The lyrical-vocal highpoint of the cantata is the fifth movement, which is also based on the concerto and it shows off Bach's arranging artistry to the highest degree. Among the movements are an aria-like recitative vocal movement, as well as another aria with an almost virtuoso organ accompaniment.
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    1 Sinfonia

    2 Arioso (Basso)

    My God alone this heart possesses.
    I know the things of earth
    are naught but dust of little worth,
    tho’ they to me appear so dear,
    the world would have me stay
    and seeks to lead my soul away:
    but no: My God alone this heart possesses,
    I find in him the highest good.
    Sometimes on earth
    we notice, here and there,
    a little brook of peacefulness,
    is flowing from the wells of heaven:
    God is a mighty fount, whose streams are always flowing,
    when weary, from this source I drink
    and find what truly does refresh me.
    My God alone this heart possesses.

    3 Aria

    God in my heart abides forever,

    ...
  • 

    1 Sinfonia

    2 Arioso (Basso)

    Gott soll allein, mein Herze haben.
    Zwar merk ich an der Welt,
    die ihren Kot unschätzbar hält,
    weil sie so freundlich mit mir tut,
    sie wollte gern allein
    das Liebste meiner Seelen sein;
    doch nein: Gott soll allein mein Herze haben,
    ich find ihn ihm das höchste Gut.
    Wir sehen zwar
    auf Erden hier und dar
    ein Bächlein der Zufriedenheit,
    das von des Höchsten Güte quillet:
    Gott aber ist der Quell,
    mit Strömen angefüllet,
    da schöpf ich, was mich allezeit
    kann sattsam und wahrhaftig laben.
    Gott soll allein mein Herze haben.

    3 Aria

    ...
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full score Carus 31.169/00, ISMN 979-0-007-17073-8 52 pages, DIN A4, paperback
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18,50 € / copy
vocal score Carus 31.169/03, ISMN 979-0-007-17074-5 32 pages, paperback
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choral score Carus 31.169/05, ISMN 979-0-007-17075-2 2 pages, DIN A4, without cover Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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from 40 copies 2,07 € / copy
from 60 copies 1,84 € / copy
study score Carus 31.169/07, ISMN 979-0-007-24236-7 52 pages, DIN A5, paperback
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set of parts, complete orchestral parts Carus 31.169/19, ISMN 979-0-007-20936-0 23 x 32 cm, without cover
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  • 1 x set of parts, harmony parts, oboe d'amore 1, oboe d'amore 2, English horn (31.169/09)
    each: 11,80 €
    4 x individual part, violin 1 (31.169/11)
    each: 4,10 €
    4 x individual part, violin 2 (31.169/12)
    each: 4,10 €
    3 x individual part, viola (31.169/13)
    each: 4,10 €
    4 x individual part, basso continuo (31.169/14)
    each: 4,10 €
    1 x individual part, harpsichord (31.169/48)
    each: 14,50 €
    1 x individual part, organ (31.169/49)
    each: 14,50 €
individual part, organ, transposed Carus 31.169/47, ISMN 979-0-007-25084-3 24 pages, 23 x 32 cm, without cover
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individual part, organ Carus 31.169/49, ISMN 979-0-007-20937-7 24 pages, 23 x 32 cm, without cover
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full score digital (download), pdf file Carus 31.169/00-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-25827-6 52 pages, DIN A4
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text (without music) for download, html file, Singing text, english translation Carus 31.169/00-360-000
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text (without music) for download, html file, Singing text, original Carus 31.169/00-380-000
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set of parts (digital), zip file, pdf file, harmony parts Carus 31.169/09-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32883-2
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  • 1 x individual part, pdf file, oboe d'amore 1 (31.169/21-010-000)
    each: 4,20 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, oboe d'amore 2 (31.169/22-010-000)
    each: 4,20 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, English horn (31.169/23-010-000)
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individual part, pdf file, violin 1 Carus 31.169/11-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32358-5 8 pages, 23 x 32 cm Minimum order quantity: 2 copies
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individual part, pdf file, violin 2 Carus 31.169/12-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32359-2 8 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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individual part, pdf file, viola Carus 31.169/13-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32360-8 8 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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individual part, pdf file, basso continuo Carus 31.169/14-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32361-5 12 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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set of parts (digital), zip file, pdf file, complete orchestral parts Carus 31.169/19-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32705-7
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  • 1 x individual part, pdf file, violin 1 (31.169/11-010-000)
    each: 6,15 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, violin 2 (31.169/12-010-000)
    each: 6,15 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, viola (31.169/13-010-000)
    each: 6,15 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, basso continuo (31.169/14-010-000)
    each: 6,15 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, oboe d'amore 1 (31.169/21-010-000)
    each: 4,20 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, oboe d'amore 2 (31.169/22-010-000)
    each: 4,20 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, English horn (31.169/23-010-000)
    each: 4,20 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, harpsichord (31.169/48-010-000)
    each: 14,50 €
    1 x individual part, pdf file, organ (31.169/49-010-000)
    each: 14,50 €
individual part, pdf file, oboe d'amore 1 Carus 31.169/21-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-33618-9 4 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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individual part, pdf file, oboe d'amore 2 Carus 31.169/22-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-33644-8 4 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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individual part, pdf file, English horn Carus 31.169/23-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-33115-3 4 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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individual part, pdf file, organ Carus 31.169/47-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32362-2 24 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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individual part, pdf file, harpsichord Carus 31.169/48-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-33092-7 20 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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individual part, pdf file, organ Carus 31.169/49-010-000, ISMN 979-0-007-32363-9 24 pages, 23 x 32 cm
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  • Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most important composers of Western music history. He came from a widely ramified musical dynasty, which produced numerous musicians and organists in the Thuringian-Saxon area.

    Bach vocal

    Ever since Carus-Verlag was founded in 1972, publishing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach has been a special focus for us. In the 2017 Reformation anniversary year we completed the Bach vocal project. Bach's complete sacred vocal works are now available in modern Urtext editions, together with performance material. A complete edition of all the full scores is also available in a high quality box set. Personal details

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Frequent questions about this work

Which situation is the transposed organ part intended for?

Bach planned this cantata with concertante organ for the organs in the main Leipzig churches. These were tuned a whole tone higher (c. a1=466 Hz, ‘Chorton’ [choir/organ pitch] than strings and woodwinds (a1=415 Hz, ‘Kammerton’ [chamber pitch]). In order to allow for this difference, the organ part was notated a whole tone lower (in C major instead of D major). Today, many Baroque organs are still tuned to a higher pitch. In order to enable performances to take place in such churches, we offer the transposed organ part in C major (31.169/47). Especially in a cantata with obbligato organ, the use of a historical organ is appropriate. For all other performance situations where there is no difference in pitch, there is a normal, untransposed organ part in D major (31.169/49).
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