Organ Sonata VI

Mendelssohn’s Sonata VI is known as the ‘chorale’ sonata and uses the well-known Lutheran chorale melody associated with the words ‘Vater unser im Himmelreich’, the Lord’s Prayer. Beginning with a straightforward rendition of the chorale, the piece is a set of variations on the melody, not unlike the chorale partita’s of J.S. Bach.

Each variation has been associated with the stanzas of Luther’s text.
1. ‘Our Father, who art in heaven’
The opening chorale stands as a call to prayer and was written in January 1845.

First variation:
2. ‘Defend us. Lord, from lying lore;
Thy poor misguided folk restore.’
The wandering semiquaver accompaniment (reminds me of ‘Ich ruf zu dir), traverses a chromatic pathway of its own, featuring repeated upward melodic leaps almost gamba-like in shape (cf. Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion, No. 57). Originally (c.1830) the Chorale prelude ‘Nimm von uns, Herr’ in E minor.

Second variation:
3. ‘The devil's wrath and greatness strong
Crush, that he do Thy Church no wrong.’
Also recalls the ‘harrowing of hell’ and the crushing of Satan under Christ’s feet!

Third variation:
5. ‘Give us our daily bread…
That we in happy peace may rest,
By care and greed all undistressed.’
A gentle calm before the storm, providing a prayer for daily sustenance, peace and health.

Fourth variation – ‘toccata’
6. ‘Forgive, Lord, all our trespasses,
That they no more may us distress.’
An unceasing litany of ascending figuration over a bold pedal cantus firmus.

Fugue (January 1845):
7. ‘Into temptation lead us not.
When the evil spirit makes battle hot
Upon the right and the left hand.’
Strict counterpoint and a steady granite-like tempo represents a safe pathway through life.

Final movement – move to D major:
9. ‘In Thy name, trusting in Thy word.
We say a soft Amen, O Lord.’
The text explains Mendelssohn’s use of this gentle end to the sonata.