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Subject Area: Music
Subject Area: Religion

Puer natus in Bethlehem. - Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach’s Chorals, vol. 3 The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works [1921]

Edition used:

Bach’s Chorals. Part III: The Hymns and Hymn Melodies of the Organ Works, by Charles Sanford Terry (Cambridge University Press, 1915-1921). 3 vols. Vol. 3.

Part of: Bach’s Chorals, 3 vols.

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Puer natus in Bethlehem.

lf1393-03_figure_089

Melody: “Puer natus in Bethlehem”

Anon. 1553

    • i.

      A Child is born *in Bethlehem;
    • Exult for joy, Jerusalem!
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • ii.

      Lo, He who reigns *above the skies
    • There, in a manger lowly, lies.
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • iii.

      The ox and ass *in neighbouring stall
    • See in that Child the Lord of all.
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • iv.

      And kingly pilgrims, *long foretold,
    • From East bring incense, myrrh, and gold,
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • v.

      And enter with *their offerings,
    • To hail the new-born King of Kings.
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • vi.

      He comes, *a maiden mother’s Son,
    • Yet earthly father hath He none;
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • vii.

      And, from *the serpent’s poison free,
    • He owned our blood and pedigree.
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • viii.

      Our feeble flesh *and His the same,
    • Our sinless kinsman He became,
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • ix.

      That we, *from deadly thrall set free,
    • Like Him, and so like God, should be.
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • x.

      Come then, and on *this natal day,
    • Rejoice before the Lord and pray.
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!
    • * * *

    • xii.

      And to *the Holy One in Three
    • Give praise and thanks eternally.
    • Allelujah, Allelujah!

    • Traditional     Tr. Hamilton Montgomerie MacGill1 .

The melody of the fourteenth century Christmas Carol “Puer natus in Bethlehem” (“Ein Kind geborn zu Bethlehem”) exists in two forms. Of the original there is a text printed in 15432 . The second (supra), found in 1553, is the descant of a four-part setting in which the original (1543) tune appears as the Tenor. Bach uses it in Cantata 65 (1724) and a single movement infra. His text is invariable, except that in the latter he substitutes F sharp for F natural as the ninth note of the second line supra. Otherwise his text conforms to Witt’s (No. 35).

The 1543 melody, with slight modifications, is that of the Christmas hymn, “Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schaar,” and is used by Bach in the Orgelbüchlein for that Carol. (See No. 126 infra.)

[112]

N. xv. 13. The movement is the first of the Christmas Preludes in the Orgelbüchlein. Though the hymn stands there as a general introduction to the festival, its central incident is the visit of the three Kings from the East and their homage. Bach seemingly sets himself to paint stanza iv. While the quaver passages express the visitors’ joy at the fruition of their long quest, he distinguishes the three Wise Men individually on the Pedal. In bars 1-4 the bearer of incense approaches the manger. The first two Pedal notes mark his deep obeisance to the Infant. In bars 5-7 the myrrh giver performs his duty in a similar manner. In bars 8-11 the bearer of gold makes his obeisance and gift. In the last six bars (bar 12—end) the Three Kings withdraw, making obeisance at every step, and their deepest curtsey as they leave the Presence. The “programme” might be rejected as extravagant but for Bach’s naïve habit of literalness. An alternative interpretation of the movement as a lullaby is not supported by the character of the music.

[1 ]Songs of the Christian Creed and Life (London, 1876), No. 35. The original hymn is in twelve stanzas, of which xi is omitted in the translation. To fit the melody the first line of every stanza must be repeated from the word marked *.

[2 ] See it on p. 308 infra.