Canonic Variations on 'Vom himmel hoch, da komm ich her', BWV.769
The Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her" ("From Heaven above to Earth I come"), BWV 769, are a set of five variations in canon for organ with two manuals and pedals by Johann Sebastian Bach on the Christmas hymn by Martin Luther of the same name. The variations were prepared as a showpiece for Bach's entry as fourteenth member of Mizler's Music Society in Leipzig in 1747. The original printed edition of 1747, in which only one line of the canon was marked in the first three variations, was published by Balthasar Schmid in Nuremberg. Another version BWV 769a appears in the later autograph manuscript P 271, which also contains the six trio sonatas for organ BWV 525–530 and the Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes BWV 651–668. In this later version Bach modified the order of the variations, moving the fifth variation into a central position, and wrote out all the parts in full, with some minor revisions to the score.
Movements
- Einige canonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachtslied Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, BWV 769: I. Canon all' Ottava. Pedal. Canto fermo (Variatio 1)
- Einige canonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachtslied Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, BWV 769: II. Canon alla Quinta. Canto fermo in Pedel (Variatio 2)
- Einige canonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachtslied Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, BWV 769: III. Canone alla settima (Variatio 3)
- Einige canonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachtslied Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, BWV 769: IV. In canone all'Ottava per augmentationem (Variatio 4)
- Einige canonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachtslied Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, BWV 769: V. L'altra sorte del canone al rovescio: alle sesta, alla terza, alla seconda e, alla nona (Variatio 5)