Chorale prelude "Wir glauben all' an einen Gott" BWV680
Original Title
Composer
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Year
1739
Editor
Arranger
Shaw, Lowell E.
Year Arranged
1972
Original Instrumentation
Organ
Type of Arrangement
2
Availability
1
Publisher
Hornists Nest
Year Published
1972
Catalogue Number
HN 20
Sheet Music Format
A4, Score (6) & parts (1,1,1,2,1 = 6, optional horn 6, 1, total = 7)
Horns
5
Additional Equipment
Others
Other Instruments
Difficulty
1
Duration
3
Structure / Movements
One movement.
Moderato
Clefs
Treble, bass
Meters
2/4
Key signatures
1b
Range
Horn 1: f1 - bb2
Horn 2: g - e2
Horn 3: c1 - ab2
Horn 4: Bb - c2
Horn 5: a - g2
Horn 6: F - g1
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
The chorale prelude BWV 680 is part of a series of harmonisations of Lutheran chorales Bach undertook in 1713-1714. They are written for organ, and this particular one is in A minor. Shaw’s arrangement however is in G minor (D minor horn pitch), which saves the first horn some c3’s. Apart from that it is a straight forward transcription, with an optional sixth horn part (that doubles other parts, and on occasion transposes them an octave down). The prelude is essentially a fugue, with an ending in the dominant (major) key. Shaw also provides alternate parts for the higher horns, which, if played, would reduce the level of difficulty considerably.