Johann Sebastian Bach Komm, Jesu, komm

Coro Come, Jesu, for I am weary;
my powers grow less from day to day,
and I desire thy peace and glory;
the bitter path grows hard for me.
O come and make me thy possession;
thou only art the way,
all truth and all salvation.
Paul Thymich 1684 for the funeral of Jacob Thomasius (Str. 1)

Aria Into thy hands I yield my spirit,
and say, O world, a last good night.
If death comes now, I shall not fear it;
in thee my spirit is content.
In God’s own house I would be standing,
for Jesus now and ever
shows us life abounding.
Paul Thymich 1684 for the funeral of Jacob Thomasius (verse 11)

Translation: Jean Lunn

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Coro Komm, Jesu, komm, mein Leib ist müde,
die Kraft verschwindt je mehr und mehr,
ich sehne mich nach deinem Friede;
der saure Weg wird mir zu schwer!
Komm, komm, ich will mich dir ergeben;
du bist der rechte Weg,
die Wahrheit und das Leben.
Paul Thymich 1684 zum Begräbnis von Jacob Thomasius (Str. 1)

Aria Drum schließ ich mich in deine Hände
und sage, Welt, zu guter Nacht!
Eilt gleich mein Lebenslauf zu Ende,
ist doch der Geist wohl angebracht.
Er soll bei seinem Schöpfer schweben,
weil Jesus ist und bleibt
der wahre Weg zum Leben.
Paul Thymich 1684 zum Begräbnis von Jacob Thomasius (Str. 11)

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Uwe Wolf
Translation (abridged): Elizabeth Robinson

The first printed edition of Johann Sebastian Bach’s motets appeared in Leipzig in 1802/03, over fifty years after the composer’s death. This was not only the first edition of the famous motets, but was also the first printed edition of Bach’s vocal works at all since 1708. It differs in some respects from our present-day editions, primarily in the inclusion in the place of the motet Lobet den Herrn of Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, attributed a little later to Johann Christoph Bach. In reprints of the first printed edition, accordingly, this was replaced by Lobet den Herrn, establishing the group of six motets which ultimately found their place in the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalog) as BWV 225–230, where they long held an undisputed position.

But doubts remain about Lobet den Herrn. There is so much which is curious about this motet, which breaks every rule, so that in the form in which it is known to us, it may well not be by Bach. On the other hand, we nevertheless believe that we find so much of Bach in it that hardly any other composer can be contemplated. We

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