JS Bach ‘Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig’ BWV 644

I have decided to present another chorale prelude from Bach’s Orgelbüchlein. As I mentioned in my first Steemit presentation in Week 23, when I first started to learn the organ back in the early 1970s, I had only learnt a mere handful of these incredible works. Four decades ago, I hardly had the same admiration for these works as I have now. My choice is the last piece in the book ‘Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig’ BWV 644. I only ever saw it as the last in the book and it didn’t have the appeal as some of the others.

It is true to say that the shorter the pieces, the more difficult. Why? It is essential for the performer to convey the message in a brief moment. I am reminded of the piano miniatures in Schumann’s Kindenszenen op 15, some of which I learnt over 30 years ago.

The original Orgenbüchlein is a tiny volume. With few exceptions, Bach allows one page only to each chorale, and if space is lacking, he writes it in tablature, an old form of music-writing shorthand. If the majority of the Ogelbüchlein chorales are short, this one must be the briefest at 10 bars long and one which exemplifies Bach as the eminent teacher. It is true, after all, that Bach’s intention behind this anthology was to glorify God and to instruct his neighbour There are essentially four things happening at once. The chorale is in crotchet in the soprano voice. The pedal line is mainly a leaping three quaver motif which punctuates the polyphony above it. The most demanding aspect of this chorale is the continuously moving alto and tenor voices in semiquavers. This section, shared between both hands, runs in contrary and oblique motion with the voices occasionally crossing, no doubt painting with sound the concept of one’s life existing in a fleeting moment!

There is a lot of didactic material here and the brevity of the piece belies its inherent complexity.