O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV 656 (Eighteen Great Chorales)

The Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668, are a set of chorale preludes for organ prepared by Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig in his final decade (1740–1750), from earlier works composed in Weimar, where he was court organist. The works form an encyclopedic collection of large-scale chorale preludes, in a variety of styles harking back to the previous century, that Bach gradually perfected during his career. Together with the Orgelbüchlein, the Schübler Chorales, the third book of the Clavier-Übung and the Canonic Variations, they represent the summit of Bach's sacred music for solo organ.

The form of these pieces varies, but many scholars classify this work to be in the "chorale partita" category.

The chorale partita is a set of variations on a chorale melody. Normally each variation repeats the chorale melody and is essentially a separate movement. This style goes back to the Dutch composer Sweelinck and was adopted by his German pupils Scheidt and Scheidemann; the tradition was continued at the turn of the 18th century by Georg Böhm and Pachelbel from Thuringia, who provided the model for Bach. Bach, however, broke the norm in the two chorale preludes of this genre, BWV 656 and 667, which each have only a small number of variations. This might be a homage to Dieterich Buxtehude, who had written similar partitas and whose music and virtuosity at the organ is known to have exercised a considerable influence on Bach in his youth.

The hymn, "O lamm Gottes, unschuldig" first appeared in Johann Spangenberg's "Kirchengesenge Deudtsch," published in Magdeburg in 1545. The text is by Nikolaus Decius (1485-1541).

The text and translation is in the First Comment.

The score is attached below as well as a portrait of Bach from 1746. A painting of the court chapel at the Schloss in Weimar where Bach was court organist. The organ loft is visible at the top of the picture. Also included is an image of the hymn in the 1545 publication.

Peace to All.