Neumeister Collection


The Neumeister Collection is a compilation of 82 chorale preludes found in a manuscript copy produced by Johann Gottfried Neumeister. When the manuscript was rediscovered at the Yale University in the 1980s it appeared to contain 31 previously unknown early chorale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach, which were added to the BWV catalogue as Nos. 1090–1120, and published in 1985.

History

Neumeister compiled his manuscript after 1790. It has been suggested that the 77 earliest works in the collection may have been copied from a single source, possibly a Bach family album put together in J. S. Bach's early years. The five works by Neumeister's own music teacher, Georg Andreas Sorge, were a later addition.
Some time after 1807 the manuscript passed to Christian Heinrich Rinck, whose library was bought by Lowell Mason in 1852. After Mason's death in 1873, his collection was acquired by Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. There the Neumeister volume lay as manuscript LM 4708 until it was rediscovered "early in 1984" by musicologists Christoph Wolff and Hans-Joachim Schulze and librarian Harold E. Samuel. After satisfying themselves that the manuscript was genuine, they announced the discovery in December 1984. Their conclusions were confirmed in January 1985 by German organist , who had been working on the same material independently, and with a fatal lack of urgency, since 1981. Wolff acknowledged that he brought his announcement forward when he learned that Krumbach was in the field. Krumbach was unhappy with the way things turned out.

Works and composers

The Neumeister Collection contains 82 chorales, most of them unpublished before the 1980s re-evaluation of the Neumeister manuscript. The attribution of a few pieces in the manuscript remains uncertain:
From the state of the manuscript Wolff concludes that the five unattributed works were written by composers represented elsewhere in the collection, whose names were omitted by accident. Weighing both textual and stylistic evidence, he proposes Johann Michael Bach as the author of all five, while allowing that one could also have been written by J. S. Bach and another by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow.
#BWVComposerChoraleKeyRISMAuthenticity
1Bach, J. M.Nun komm der Heiden HeilandG min.000105398Confirmed
2Bach, J. M.Meine Seele erhebt dem HerrnD min.000105399Confirmed
3Bach, J. M.Herr Christ der einig Gottes SohnG maj.000105400Confirmed
4Bach, J. M.Nun freut euch lieben Christen gemeinG maj.000105401Also attr. Pachelbel, J.
5Bach, J. M.Nun freut euch lieben Christen gemeinG maj.000105402Confirmed
6Bach, J. M.Gott hat das EvangeliumD min.000105403Confirmed
7Bach, J. M.Gott hat das EvangeliumD min.000105404Confirmed
8723Bach, J. M.Gelobet seist du Jesu ChristD min.000105405Also attr. Bach, J. S.
9Zachow, F. W.Gelobet seist du Jesu ChristG maj.000105406Confirmed
10Zachow, F. W.Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich herD maj.000105407Confirmed
11719Bach, J. S.Der Tag der ist so freudenreichG maj.000105408Also attr. Pachelbel, J.
12751Bach, J. S.In dulci jubiloG maj.000105409Also attr. Bach, J. M. – Walther, J. G.
13Erich, D.Christum wir sollen loben schonE min.000105410Confirmed
141090Bach, J. S.Wir Christenleut'G min.000105411Confirmed
151091Bach, J. S.Das alte Jahr vergangen istD min.000105412Confirmed
161092Bach, J. S.Herr Gott nun schleuß den Himmel aufA min.000105413Confirmed
171093Bach, J. S.Herzliebster Jesu was hast du verbrochenG min.000105414Confirmed
181094Bach, J. S.O Jesu wie ist dein GestaltG min.000105415Confirmed
191095Bach, J. S.O Lamm Gottes unschuldigF maj.000105416Confirmed
201096Bach, J. S.Christe der du bist Tag und LichtA min.000105417Also attr. Pachelbel, J.
211097Bach, J. S.Ehre sei dir Christe der du leidest NotD maj.000105418Confirmed
22AnonymusChrist lag in TodesbandenD min.000105419
23Bach, J. M.Jesus Christus unser HeilandG min.000105420Confirmed
24Bach, J. M.O Herr Gott Vater in EwigkeitG maj.000105421Confirmed
25Sorge, G. A.Vater unser im HimmelreichD min.000105422
26Bach, J. M.Der du bist drei in EinigkeitG maj.000105423Confirmed
27Bach, J. Chr.Allein Gott in der Höh sei EhrF maj.000105424Confirmed
28Bach, J. M.Allein Gott in der Höh sei EhrG maj.000105425Confirmed
29Bach, J. M.Mag ich Unglück nicht widerstahnA min.000105426Confirmed
30Bach, J. M.Dies sind die heilgen zehn GebotF maj.000105427Confirmed
311098Bach, J. S.Wir glauben all an einen GottD min.000105428Confirmed
321099Bach, J. S.Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dirG maj.000105429Confirmed
331100Bach, J. S.Allein zu dir Herr Jesu ChristC maj.000105430Confirmed
34Pachelbel, J.Allein zu dir Herr Jesu ChristA min.000105431Confirmed
35714Bach, J. S.Ach Gott und HerrB min.000105432Confirmed
36742Bach, J. S.Ach Herr mich armen SünderB min.000105433Confirmed
37Bach, J. M.Auf meinen lieben GottE min.000105434Confirmed
381101Bach, J. S.Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbtD min.000105435Confirmed
39Bach, J. M.Nun laßt uns Gott dem HerrenG maj.000105436Confirmed
401102Bach, J. S.Du Friedefürst Herr Jesu ChristB♭ maj.000105437Confirmed
41AnonymusWas mein Gott will das gescheh allzeitA min.000105438
42Bach, J. M.Kommt her zu mir spricht Gottes SohnG min.000105439Confirmed
43AnonymusIch ruf' zu dir Herr Jesu ChristD min.000105440
44AnonymusIch ruf' zu dir Herr Jesu ChristG min.000105441
45Bach, J. M.Der Herr ist mein getreuer HirtG min.000105442Confirmed
46Bach, J. M.Warum betrübst du dich mein HerzG min.000105443Confirmed
47Bach, J. M.Von Gott will ich nicht lassenG min.000105444Confirmed
481103Bach, J. S.Erhalt uns Herr bei deinem WortG min.000105445Confirmed
49737Bach, J. S.Vater unser im HimmelreichD min.000105446Confirmed
501104Bach, J. S.Wenn dich Unglück tut greifen anE min.000105447Confirmed
511105Bach, J. S.Jesu meine FreudeD min.000105448Confirmed
521106Bach, J. S.Gott ist mein Heil mein' Hilf' und TrostG maj.000105449Confirmed
53Bach, J. M.Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh dareinD min.000105450Confirmed
54Bach, J. M.Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohlG maj.000105451Confirmed
55Bach, J. M.Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hältE min.000105452Confirmed
56Bach, J. Chr.An Wasserflüssen BabylonG maj.000105453Confirmed
571107Bach, J. S.Jesu meines Lebens LebenD maj.000105454Confirmed
581108Bach, J. S.Als Jesus Christus in der NachtE min.000105455Confirmed
591109Bach, J. S.Ach Gott tu dich erbarmenD min.000105456Confirmed
601110Bach, J. S.O Herre Gott dein göttlich' WortB♭ maj.000105457Confirmed
61Zachow, F. W.Wie schön leuchtet der MorgensternD maj.000105458Confirmed
62AnonymusHeut triumphieret Gottes SohnE min.000105459
63Bach, J. M.Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden istG maj.000105460Confirmed
641111Bach, J. S.Nun laßt uns den Leib begrabenG maj.000105461Confirmed
651112Bach, J. S.Christus der ist mein LebenF maj.000105462Confirmed
661113Bach, J. S.Ich hab' mein' Sach' Gott heimgestelltB min.000105463Confirmed
671114Bach, J. S.Herr Jesu Christ du höchstes GutF min.000105464Confirmed
681115Bach, J. S.Herzlich lieb hab ich dich o HerrC maj.000105465Confirmed
691116Bach, J. S.Was Gott tut das ist wohlgetanG maj.000105466Confirmed
701117Bach, J. S.Alle Menschen müssen sterbenB♭ maj.000105467Confirmed
71957Bach, J. S.Mach's mit mir Gott nach deiner GütG maj.000105468Confirmed
721118Bach, J. S.Werde munter mein GemüteG maj.000105469Confirmed
731119Bach, J. S.Wie nach einer WasserquelleD min.000105470Confirmed
74Bach, J. Chr.Wer Gott vertrautF maj.000105471Confirmed
751120Bach, J. S.Christ der du bist der helle TagE min.000105472Confirmed
76Zachow, F. W.Erbarm dich mein o Herre GottE min.000105473Confirmed
77639Bach, J. S.Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu ChristF min.000105474Confirmed
78601Bach, J. S.Herr Christ der einige Gottes SohnA maj.000105475Confirmed
79Sorge, G. A.Auf ChristenmenschF maj.000105476Confirmed
80Sorge, G. A.Wo Gott der HerrG min.000105477Confirmed
81Sorge, G. A.Herr Jesu Christ du höchstes GutA min.000105478Confirmed
82Sorge, G. A.Freu dich sehr o meine SeeleG maj.000105479Confirmed

Johann Michael Bach

The rediscovery of the Neumeister Collection quadrupled the number of keyboard works indisputably written by Johann Michael Bach, from eight to thirty-two, with six more arguably also his. Of the twenty-five pieces attributed to him in the manuscript, seven were known but had been credited to other composers and eighteen were entirely new, making this the largest single trove of his work. This remains the case even if, as some have suggested, one of the chorales that appears under his name would have been composed by Johann Heinrich Buttstett. Wolff has proposed that the five unattributed works in the volume could also be by Johann Michael Bach—confidently in three cases, less so in the other two.
Generally attributed to J. M. Bach:
  1. Nun komm der Heiden Heiland,
  2. Meine Seele erhebt dem Herrn,
  3. Herr Christ der einig Gottes Sohn,
  4. Nun freut euch lieben Christen gemein,, however also attributed to J. Pachelbel
  5. Nun freut euch lieben Christen gemein,
  6. Gott hat das Evangelium,
  7. Gott hat das Evangelium,
  8. Gelobet seist du Jesu Christ,, BWV 723, previously attributed to J. S. Bach.
  9. Jesus Christus unser Heiland,
  10. O Herr Gott Vater in Ewigkeit,
  11. Der du bist drei in Einigkeit,
  12. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr,
  13. Mag ich Unglück nicht widerstahn,
  14. Dies sind die heilgen zehn Gebot,
  15. Auf meinen lieben Gott,
  16. Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren,
  17. Kommt her zu mir spricht Gottes Sohn,
  18. Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt,
  19. Warum betrübst du dich mein Herz,
  20. Von Gott will ich nicht lassen,
  21. Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh darein,
  22. Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl,
  23. Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält,
  24. Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist,
Likely by J. M. Bach:
  1. In dulci jubilo,, BWV 751, partially attributed to J. S. Bach, possibly by J. G. Walther.
Possibly by J. M. Bach, the five anonymous preludes:
  1. Christ lag in Todesbanden,
  2. Was mein Gott will das gescheh allzeit,
  3. Ich ruf' zu dir Herr Jesu Christ,
  4. Ich ruf' zu dir Herr Jesu Christ,
  5. Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn,

    Johann Sebastian Bach

The rediscovered manuscript prompted revisions to J. S. Bach's catalogue and reconsideration of his musical development. The collection contains 40 chorales with a BWV number:
Two chorales of the first edition of the BWV catalogue are no longer generally associated with J. S. Bach:
The other thirty-eight works are most often attributed to J. S. Bach, and are sometimes referred to as the Arnstädter Chorales. Five of them were already known from other sources:
The other thirty-three were partly or wholly new:
  1. Wir Christenleut, BWV 1090
  2. Das alte Jahr vergangen ist, BWV 1091
  3. Herr Gott nun schleuß den Himmel auf, BWV 1092
  4. Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen, BWV 1093
  5. O Jesu, wie ist deine Gestalt, BWV 1094
  6. O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV 1095
  7. Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht, BWV 1096, a.k.a. Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ, possibly by J. Pachelbel, moved to Anh. III in BWV2a. The Bach Digital website lists both Bach and Pachelbel as possible composers.
  8. Ehre sei dir, Christe, der du leidest Not, BWV 1097
  9. Wir glauben all an einen Gott, BWV 1098
  10. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir, BWV 1099
  11. Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 1100
  12. Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, BWV 1101
  13. Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 1102
  14. Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort, BWV 1103
  15. Wenn dich Unglück tut greifen an, BWV 1104
  16. Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 1105
  17. Gott ist mein Heil, mein Hilf und Trost, BWV 1106
  18. Jesu, meines Lebens Leben, BWV 1107
  19. Als Jesus Christus in der Nacht, BWV 1108
  20. Ach Gott, tu dich erbarmen, BWV 1109
  21. Oh Herre Gott, dein göttlich Wort, BWV 1110
  22. Nun lasst uns den Leib begraben, BWV 1111
  23. Christus, der ist mein Leben, BWV 1112
  24. Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt, BWV 1113
  25. Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut, BWV 1114
  26. Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr, BWV 1115
  27. Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, BWV 1116
  28. Alle Menschen müssen sterben, BWV 1117
  29. Werde munter mein Gemüte, BWV 1118
  30. Wie nach einer Wasserquelle, BWV 1119
  31. Christ, der du bist der helle Tag, BWV 1120
The Arnstädter Chorales are considered on stylistic grounds to be early works, probably dating from 1703 to 1707, when Bach was active at Arnstadt, and possibly even earlier. They provide a new window on his formative years as a composer and cast the chorale preludes in the Orgelbüchlein, previously considered his earliest essays in the form, in a fresh light: the Orgelbüchlein pieces are not the work of a precocious beginner, but of an already practised hand.

Publication

Wolff published the chorale preludes by J. S. Bach in 1985, and a facsimile of the complete collection in 1986.

Entire Neumeister Collection

A facsimile of the entire collection was published in 1986. In the 21st century facsimile renderings of the Neumeister manuscript became available on the Bach Digital website.

21st-century editions of Johann Sebastian Bach's ''Neumeister Chorales''

Christoph Wolff's 2003 edition Orgelchoräle der Neumeister-Sammlung, Score and Critical Commentary, Volume 9 of Series IV: Organ Works of the New Bach Edition, includes 36 chorales. Of the 40 Neumeister chorales with a BWV number, four are not included in this edition:
The NBA volume presented Bach's Neumeister Chorales in the order in which they occurred in the Neumeister manuscript. The 2018 last two volumes of Breitkopf & Härtel 's new Urtext edition of Bach's organ works included them in alphabetical order, that is, together with other chorale preludes transmitted independently of the collections collated by the composer. The B&H edition includes 35 chorale preludes of the Neumeister Collection: apart from the four BWV numbers not adopted in the NBA edition, it additionally omits BWV 1096.
NBABWVTitleB&H
1719Der Tag, der ist so freudenreichIX, 33
21090Wir ChristenleutX, 57
31091Das alte Jahr vergangen istIX, 31
41092Herr Gott nun schleuß den Himmel aufX, 5
51093Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochenX, 11
61094O Jesu, wie ist deine GestaltX, 37
71095O Lamm Gottes, unschuldigX, 39
81096Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht—
91097Ehre sei dir, Christe, der du leidest NotIX, 36
101098Wir glauben all an einen GottX, 60
111099Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu DirIX, 22
121100Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu ChristIX, 18
13714Ach Gott und HerrIX, 13
14742Ach Herr, mich armen SünderIX, 14
151101Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbtIX, 35
161102Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu ChristIX, 34
171103Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem WortIX, 40
18737Vater unser im HimmelreichX, 43
191104Wenn dich Unglück tut greifen anX, 49
201105Jesu, meine FreudeX, 18
211106Gott ist mein Heil, mein Hilf und TrostIX, 47
221107Jesu, meines Lebens Leben, BWVX, 20
231108Als Jesus Christus in der NachtIX, 20
241109Ach Gott, tu dich erbarmenIX, 12
251110O Herre Gott, dein göttlich WortX, 36
261111Nun lasst uns den Leib begrabenX, 34
271112Christus, der ist mein LebenIX, 29
281113Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestelltX, 13
291114Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes GutX, 8
301115Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o HerrX, 9
311116Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetanX, 47
321117Alle Menschen müssen sterbenIX, 19
33957Machs mit mir Gott, nach deiner GütX, 30
341118Werde munter mein GemüteX, 53
351119Wie nach einer WasserquelleX, 54
361120Christ, der du bist der helle TagIX, 24

Performances and recordings

The Bach chorales in the Neumeister Collection attracted the interest of organists even before they were published. They were first performed privately by Wilhelm Krumbach at Utrecht in January 1985, and publicly by John Ferris and Charles Krigbaum at Yale in March. Later the same year, Joseph Payne made the world-premiere recording for Harmonia Mundi at St. Paul's Church in Brookline, Massachusetts, working from a photostat of the Yale manuscript, and Werner Jacob made the first recording of the Wolff edition for EMI-Angel on a restored Johann Andreas Silbermann organ at Arlesheim cathedral.