Description
In 2012 Merton College, Oxford also commissioned Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen, my contribution to organist William Whitehead’s Orgelbüchlein Project. The manuscript of J.S. Bach’s Orgelbüchlein – a collection of chorale preludes for the church’s year – has 118 ‘missing’ pieces, where Bach has only given a title. The purpose of the Orgelbüchlein Project is to invite composers from all over the world to complete the collection by writing new preludes on Bach’s intended chorales. Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen is a well-known Passiontide hymn. Robert Bridges translates its first verse as
Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.
In my setting the chorale melody is very heavily decorated, while the small repertoire of detached chords that accompany it are unpredictable in their placement, simultaneously halting and inexorable.
Copyright Gabriel Jackson 2016
