Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 715

To sing or not to sing? That is one of the key questions raised by this organ version of the hymn Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr. This chorale was an important hymn, which was sung in the Lutheran service by the whole congregation. As in the case of all chorales, the melody is easy to sing and to remember. A congregational hymn like this could be accompanied by the organist, who harmonised the melody and often played a short instrumental bridge between the successive lines of the chorale – just as in BWV 715.

Usually, chorale arrangements where the congregation sings along with the melody make use of chords that are obvious for the key of this melody. However, Bach would not be Bach if he did not sprinkle the music with harmonic seasoning here and there, even in cases like this. The music theorist Athanasius Kircher hit the mark when he wrote that such variation ensures tasty music: after all, we do not want to eat the same food all the time.
(source: All of Bach)

Recorded on the 'Bach' Ahrend organ of Regensburg, with a full plenum reaching to the 32' Posaune in the pedals.