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My Jesus, Oh What Anguish (arr Reed)
Johann Sebastian Bach (arr. Alfred Reed)
Subtitle: Chorale Prelude for Concert Band/Wind Ensemble
This work is also known by its German title, Mein Jesu! was für Seelenweh. It bears the designation BWV 487.
General Info
Year: 1736 / 1975
Duration: c. 5:40
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $68.00 | Score Only (print) - $6.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Condensed Score
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
Bass Saxophone (Opt.)
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
B-flat Cornet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Errata
In Score:
- Timpani, m.50: Change hairpin crescendo to a hairpin decrescendo
- Potential errata noted by Matthew LeFebvre
Program Notes
Alfred Reed’s excellent transcription of My Jesus, Oh What Anguish (Mein Jesus, Was Für Seelenweh) is taken from a group of 69 ``Sacred Airs and Songs,’’ each of which exists only in the form of a single line with figured bass. It is considered to be one of the most haunting and poignant expressions of sorrow and compassion to be found in all of Western music.
- Program Note from publisher
Mein Jesu! was für Seelenweh (My Jesus! Oh, What Anguish) is one of a group of 69 sacred songs and airs attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach, each of which exists only in the form of a single melodic line with figured bass. These pieces were first published in 1736, some 14 years before Bach’s death, as the musical settings for a huge collection of 954 sacred songs and hymns assembled by Georg Christian Schemelli and edited by Bach himself. In 1832, they made their first appearance as an addendum to the 371 four-part fully harmonized chorales as an edition published by C.F. Becker.
Ever since that time, there has been disagreement among scholars as to how many of these 69 melodies were actually written by Bach himself, how many were merely arranged by him, or even the exact number of these melodies that were composed or worked on by him. The standard Bach Gesellschaft edition, for instances, lists 75 such pieces, not 69. On the other hand, one of the greatest authorities on German evangelical church music, Johannes Zahn, claimed that only 21 of the 69 (or 75) should be considered as Bach’s own work and the rest credited to other composers.
Since the first separate appearance of this group of pieces in 1832, there have been at least eight other editions prepared by different authorities and published. It is interesting to note that the melody of Mein Jesu! appears in all of them. Its authenticity seems never to have been questioned by any of the compilers and editors of these collections during the past 150 years.
For all its apparent simplicity of musical construction (a small two-part form with each part repeated once), this music is deeply moving and highly expressive. In the present realization for winds from the figured bass, Bach’s harmonic intentions have been faithfully adhered to throughout and, except for choices of specific voicings and instrumental colors, nothing has been added to one of the most haunting and poignant expressions of sorrow and compassion to be found in all of Western music.
The first performance of this new setting took place on November 20, 1974, with the University of Miami Symphonic Wind Ensemble under the direction of Frederick Fennell.
- Program Note by Alfred Reed
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
- Sonoma State University (Rohnert Park, Calif.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Andy Collingsworth, conductor) - 11 December 2022
- Southeastern Louisiana University (Hammond) Wind Symphony (Robert Schwartz, conductor) - 29 September 2022
- University of Miami (Coral Gables) Frost Wind Ensemble (Robert Carnochan, conductor) - 1 May 2022
- University of Maryland (College Park) Wind Orchestra (Michael Votta, conductor) - 10 December 2021
- University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Symphonic Band (Kevin M. Geraldi, conductor) - 22 November 2021
- Santa Clara (Calif.) University Wind Ensemble (Anthony Rivera, conductor) – 21 November 2019
- Baldwin-Wallace College (Berea, Ohio) Symphonic Band (Brendan Caldwell, conductor) – 11 October 2019
- Southern Oregon University (Ashland) Wind Ensemble (Cynthia Hutton, conductor) – 6 June 2019
- University of California, Los Angeles, Wind Ensemble (Travis J. Cross, conductor) – 26 April 2019
- Temple University (Philadelphia, Penn.) Wind Symphony (Patricia Cornett, conductor) – 27 January 2019
- Kent State (Ohio) Wind Ensemble (Jesse Leyva, conductor) – 7 December 2018
- California State University, Long Beach, Symphonic Band (Jermie Arnold, conductor) – 11 October 2018
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Wind Ensemble (Scott Teeple, conductor) – 5 October 2018
- University of Cincinnati (Ohio) College-Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble (Thomas Gamboa, conductor) – 25 September 2018
- Michigan State University (East Lansing) Symphony Band (John T. Madden, conductor) – 25 April 2017
- University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Symphonic Band (Jerry Luckhardt, conductor) – 8 March 2017
- Ball State University (Muncie, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Gary Hill, conductor) – 18 February 2017
- University of Oregon (Eugene) Wind Ensemble (Rodney Dorsey, conductor) – 5 February 2017
- Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, Va.) Wind Ensemble (Timothy Robblee, conductor) – 17 September 2016
- Penn State University (University Park) Symphonic Band (Dennis Glocke, conductor) – 29 February 2015
- University of Miami Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Frederick Fennell, conductor) - 20 November 1974 *Premiere Performance*
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.; Reed, A. (1975). My Jesus! Oh, What Anguish = Mein Jesu! was für Seelenweh : Chorale Prelude for Concert Band/Wind Ensemble [score]. C.L. Banhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.
- Perusal score