Before Thy Throne I Now Appear

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (arr. Daniel Bukvich)

General Info

Year: 1750 / 1993
Duration: c. 5:30
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Organ
Publisher: Wingert-Jones Publications
Cost: Score and Parts - $50.00   |   Score Only - $8.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Chimes
• Suspended Cymbal
• Tam-tam
• Timpani
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Bach's last composition, dictated at his deathbed, is an organ prelude based on the chorale "Wenn wir in höchesten Nöten sein." Taking a line from an inner stanza of that hymn, Bach titled this work Before Thy Throne I Now Appear. Bach added a few ornamental notes to the first clause of the hymn in order to bring the number of notes up to fourteen, which represents B-A-C-H (B=2, A=1, etc.) in the figure alphabet. He also managed to include forty-one notes in the complete chorale melody, forty-one being fourteen backwards and representing J.-S.- B-A-C-H. Bach's number fourteen is twice seven, seven being a particularly significant number for him. There are seven colors in the solar spectrum and seven tones in the diatonic music scale. Seven is the number of biblical departures, and of rebirth. In Bach's fugal treatment, the initial phrase of the hymn appears after a prelude that covers seven bars, and each clause of the choral melody is separated from the previous one by seven bars of counterpoint.

Daniel Bukvich's re-composition includes the above-mentioned organ prelude (BWV 668), plus the original chorale melody and two of Bach's harmonizations (No. 68 and No. 247). The music, moving almost imperceptibly yet with a deep charge of emotion, emulates a slowly pulsating heart. The tempo (mm. 72) gives seventy-two pulse beats and eighteen full respirations per minute. Each measure corresponds to one inhalation and exhalation at about the rate produced in deep sleep.

- Program Note from score

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
• Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
• Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
• French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
• Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
• O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) (?/2020)
• Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)

All Wind Works

• 5 Preludes and Fugues (arr. Beyrent)
• Adagio (arr. Hautvast)
• Adagio (arr. Warner)
• Air (arr. Hautvast)
• Air (arr. Klemke) (c. 1730/2006)
• Air (tr. Lang) (c. 1730/1958)
• Air for Woodwind Choir (arr. Blahnik)
• Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3 (arr. Daehn) (1721/1980)
• Arioso (arr. De Haan) (1729/2000)
• Arioso (arr. Hill) (1729/1984)
• Arioso (arr. Reed) (1729/1998)
• The Art of Fugue (tr. Amis) (c. 1745)
• Ave Maria
• Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod) (arr. Lovrien) (1853/2004)
• Bach: Air (arr. McGinty) (c. 1730/)
• The Bach Buch (tr. Pann) (2011)
• Bach Chorale and March (arr. Wilson) (c. 1730/1990)
• Bach: Chorale and Variation (arr. McGinty) (1994)
• Bach Fugue (arr. Kinyon) (/1984)
• The Bach Initiative (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Folliard) (2019)
• Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Brand). See: Fugue à la Gigue
• Bach's Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Mitchell) (1921/2005)
• Before Thy Throne I Now Appear (arr. Bukvich) (1750/1993)
• Berceuse (arr. Hautvast) (/1994)
• Bourrée (arr. Isaac) (1720/1969)
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (arr. Marlatt) (1721/2011)
• Brandenburg Concerto No 3. See also: Allegro: From Brandenburg Concerto #3
• Canzona (orch. Stock)
• Chaconne (arr. Ito) (1720/1987)
• Chaconne and Festive Aria (arr. Daehn)
• Chaconne in D Minor (arr. Daehn) (1720/)
• Chaconne in D Minor (tr. Whitwell) (1720/2015)
• Choral Prelude BWV 727 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa)
• Chorale and Fugue (arr. Warner)
• Chorale and Fugue in F Major (arr. Daehn) (1988)
• Chorale Prelude on "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (tr. Damrosch; adapt. O'Toole)
• Chorale in C Minor (arr. Topolewski) (2012)
• Christ He Is My Life (arr. Cailliet) (1973)
• Christmas Pastorale (arr. Hastings) (1970)
• Ciaccona (arr. Votta) (1720/2021)
• Come, Blessed Peace (arr. Tolmage) (1736/1958)
• Come, Sweet Death (arr. Reed) (1736/1976)
• Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (tr. Reed; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Alto Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Flute and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Flute, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto IV (Soprano Saxophone, Piano and Percussion Ensemble) (tr. Paxton; ed. Young) (c. 1738/2015)
• Concerto for Prince Johann (arr. Daehn) (c. 1713 / 2011)
• Contrapunctus I (arr. Barnes) (c. 1745/1988)
• Contrapunctus I (arr. King) (c. 1745/1960)
• Contrapunctus III (arr. King) (c. 1745/1955)
• Contrapunctus IX (arr. Clark) (c. 1745/2005)
• Contrapunctus V (arr. Daehn) (c. 1745)
• Contrapunctus XIV (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Aho) (2018)
• Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (arr. Reed) (1990)
• Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; tr. Topolewski) (1727?)
• Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor (arr. Elgar; arr. Nowlin) (1727?/2016)
• Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 (arr. Hunsberger) (1727?/1997)
• Fantasia and Fugue in G minor (arr. Horovitz) (c. 1838/1986)
• Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 "The Great" (arr. Boyd) (c. 1838/1985)
• Fantasia in C (arr. Sterk) (1706/2017)
• Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Boyd) (1703-7/1957/1985)
• Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (arr. Goldman) (1703-7/1957/2012)
• Fervent is My Longing; Fugue in G Minor (tr. Cailliet) (c. 1710/1935/2006)
• Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord (arr. Reed) (c. 1736/1985)
• French Suite No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Shishikura) (1722/)
• Fugue à la Gigue (tr. Holst; ed. Brand) (1921/2008)
• Fugue à la Gigue (ed. Mitchell). See: Bach's Fugue à la Gigue
• Fugue à la Gigue (arr. Rondeau) (1921/2011)
• Fugue en sol mineur BWV 578 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Costa) (1703-1707/)
• Fugue in B-flat Major (arr. Daehn) (1722/1988)
• Fugue in E-flat Major (tr. Abrams and Jones) (1739/2019)
• Fugue in G Minor (arr. Kimura) (1703-1707/1993)
• Fugue in G Minor (arr. Rechtman) (1703-1707/)
• Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• God Still Lives (arr. Reed)
• Goldberg Variations (arr. Colgrass)
• Hertzlich tut mich verlangen. See: Fervent is My Longing; Organ Fugue in G Minor
• If Thou Be Near (arr. Moehlmann) (1725/1940)
• If Thou Be Near (arr. Reed) (1725/1984)
• In Dulci Jubilo (arr. Reed) (1970)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Cailliet) (1723/1962)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Custer) (1723/1975/1997)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Hazo) (1723/2012)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (tr. Leidzen) (1723/1936)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Moerenhout) (1723/2019)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Pekas) (1723/)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Reed) (1723/)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sapieyevski) (1723/)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Sparke) (1723/2004)
• Jig Fugue (arr. Marlatt) (2003)
• Komm, Susser Tod (arr. Leidzen) (1736/1936)
• A Little Bach Suite (arr. Gordon) (1966)
• Little Fugue (arr. Romm; adapt. Custer) (c. 1705/1974/1991)
• Little Fugue in G minor (arr. Howland) (c. 1705/1974/2015)
• Little Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578 (arr. Parks)
• March (arr. Grainger) (1946)
• My Heart, Ever Faithful (arr. Barnes) (1988)
• My Heart is Filled With Longing (arr. Reed) (c. 1710/1986)
• My Jesus, Oh What Anguish (arr. Reed)
• My Soul Longeth to Depart in Peace
• Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (arr. McAlister)
• Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (arr. Stert) (c. 1748/2013)
• O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht (arr. Westover) (c. 1736/2017)
• O Mensch, Bewein' Dein Sünde Gross (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Grainger; ed. Brand and Brion) (1724?/1937-1942/1987)
• Our Father Who Art in Heaven (arr. Reed) (1710/1988)
• Passacaglia (arr. Glover) (c. 1703-1713?/2014)
• Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Hunsberger) (1703-1713?/ 1968/1975)
• Passacaglia and Thema Fugatum in C Minor (tr. Stowkowski; ed. Sosnowchik) (1703-1713?/2014)
• Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor (tr. Falcone) (ca. 1712/1969)
• Passacaglia from "Cantata No. 12" (arr. Daehn) (1714/2011)
• Präludium und Fuge d-Moll (tr. Rechtman) (1722/2003)
• Prelude IV (arr. Reed) (1722/1983)
• Prelude and Fugue No. 6, BWV 535 (arr. Anthenien) (1722/1979)
• Prelude and Fugue in A-flat, BWV 557 (tr. Moehlmann) (1964)
• Prelude and Fugue in Bb major (Brass Ensemble) (arr. Beyrent)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major (Brass Quintet) (arr. Beyrent)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major, BWV 553 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1955)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat major BWV 553 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ring) (?/2020)
• Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, BWV 559 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1969)
• Prelude and Fugue in C major (arr. Beyrent)
• Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 (arr. Steinmetz) (1710/2018)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (arr. Beyrent) (1722/2001)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 555 (arr. Coleman) (1852/2017)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 554 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1988)
• Prelude and Fugue in D minor (tr. Rechtman). See: Präludium und Fuge d-Moll
• Prelude and Fugue in E-flat, BWV 552 (setting Hunsberger) (c. 1739/2009)
• Prelude and Fugue in F major (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/?)
• Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 555 (arr. Moehlmann) (1852/1954)
• Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 535 (tr. Moehlmann) (1852/1939)
• Prelude, Chorale and Fugue (arr. Godfrey) (1919)
• Prelude in E-flat, BWV 552 (arr. Tamura) (c. 1739/2001)
• Prelude No. 22 (tr. Lynch) (c. 1722/2013)
• "Ricercare a 6" from Musical Offering, BWV 1079 (tr. McAlister)
• Saint Anne's Fugue (arr. Rhoads) (1965)
• Sarabande (arr. Kennaway) (1972/1977/1995)
• Second Bach Suite for Band (tr. Tolmage) (1965)
• Sehet was die liebe tut (arr. Grainger) (1937)
• Sheep May Safely Graze (arr. Reed) (1713/1981)
• Sinfonia from "Cantata No 29" (arr. Ninmer)
• Sinfonia from "Cantate 156" (arr. Daniels) (1729/)
• Sixteen Chorales (ed. King) (1958)
• Sixteen Chorales (arr. Lake) (1938)
• Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Patterson) (1731/1995)
• Sleepers, Awake! (arr. Reed) (1731)
• Sleepers, Awake! (tr. Sparke) (1731/2002)
• Songs of Exaltation (arr. Gordon) (1974)
• St. Anne. See: Prelude and Fugue in E-flat
• Three Fugues by J.S. Bach (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 16 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
  • Fugue No. 23 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Danyew) (1722/2020)
• Thus Do You Fare, My Jesus (arr. Reed)
• Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major (arr. Rechtman) (c. 1717)
• Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue, BWV 564 (tr. Paynter) (c. 1717/2000)
• Toccata, Adagio and Fugue (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
• Toccata, Aria, and Fugue in C Major (tr. Knox) (c. 1717)
• Toccata & Fuge d-Moll (arr. Goldhammer) (1705/2011)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Goldhammer). See: Toccata & Fuge d-Moll
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Goto) (1705/2014)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hindsley) (1705)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Hunsberger) (1705/1998)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Leidzen) (1705/1942)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (arr. Lopez) (1705/2010)
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor (tr. Nowlin) (1705/2015)
• Violin Partita No. 3 in E major (arr. Kitakata) (1720/2018?)
• Wachet Auf (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1731/2020)
• Wachet auf (arr. Marlatt) (1731/)
• Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (arr. Lauf Jr.) (1731/2019)
• Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just (arr. Croft) (1978)
• Wir Glauben All’ An Einen Gott (arr. Stokowski) (1739)

Resources

• Bach, J.; Bukvich, J. (1993). Before Thy Throne I Now Appear: For Concert Band [score]. Wingert-Jones Music: Kansas City, Mo.
• Perusal score