O Jesulein süss, sacred song for voice & continuo (Schemelli Gesangbuch No. 203), BWV 493 (BC F234)

• Date: 1736
• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
• Period: Baroque (1600-1749)

Review

When Georg Christian Schemelli published his Schemelli Gesangbuch (Schemelli's Songbook) in 1736, he called upon his friend Johann Sebastian Bach to provide the figured bass for many of the well-known Lutheran hymn tunes. One of Bach's 69 settings was for O Jesulein süss, a Christmas hymn by Paul Gerhardt from 1665. Bach let Gerhardt's five-line melody stand almost unaltered but added wonderful harmonies beneath it. The brief piece opens in the minor but cadences in the major by the end of the opening line, modulates briefly to the relative minor in the third and fourth lines and closes with the return of the opening line as the fifth and final line. ~ James Leonard, Rovi

Albums with Complete Performances of the Work

Title	Date
40 Most Beautiful Christmas Classics	2007
A Bach Christmas
A Baroque Christmas	1999
A Book of Chorale-Settings for Johann Sebastian, Vol. 1: Advent and Christmas	1999
A Classical Lullaby
A Festival of Christmas	2003
A Star Over Bethlehem	2000
Aftonpsalm Och Julesang	1997
All On A Christmas Morning
Audite Silete!
Bach: Geistliche Lieder
Bach: Magnificat [DVD Audio]	2001
Bach: Magnificat; Vocal Works	2000
Bach: Soli Deo Gloria - Meisterwerken in bedeutenden Aufnahmen (Box Set)	2000
Bach: Zehemelli-Gesangbuch
Breng mij d'aloude tijding!
Britten: A Ceremony of Carols
Carols Around the World	1989
Carols for Christmas, Vols. 1 & 2	1984
Christian Classics: For Baby	2002
Christmas Adagios	2001
Christmas Carols	2007
Christmas Carols and Motets	2008
Christmas Choruses	2007
Christmas With the Frederic Hilary Chorale	2003
Christmas with St. Thomas Choir, Leipzig	1995
Christmas with the Stars [Elektra/Asylum]	1998
De Bekendste Nederlandse Kerstliederen
Deutsche Weihnachtslieder	1992
Deutsche Weihnachtslieder
Die Große Weihnachtsbox
Die schönsten Weihnachtslieder	2001
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Sings Bach
Ein Choralbuch für Johann Sebastian [Box Set]	1999
Frohe Weihnachten
Great Joy: Renaissance and Baroque Christmas Music for Brass	2003
Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier	2002
J. S. Bach: Magnificat	2000
Karl Erb Liederalbum
Machet die Tore weit: Advents- und Weihnachtslieder	2005
Mein Weihnachtstraum [DVD]	1997
Merry Christmas with the Vienna Boys Choir	2001
Musik zur Weihnachtszeit	1995
Nativitas
Songs of Good Cheer!	2002
Spät im Jahr: Musik und Poesie zur Weihnachtszeit	1999
The Carol Album - Seven Centuries of Christmas Music	1989
The Carol Album - Seven Centuries of Christmas Music	1989
The Naxos Book of Carols: An Advent Sequence in Music	2004
The Vanishing Nordic Chorale
The Very Best of Christmas [Naxos]	2006
Universal Musician	2006
Weihnachten in der Kreuzkirche Chemnitz	2011
Weihnachten mit Rudolf Schock	1990
Weihnachtliche Chorsätze Und Orgelmusik	1995
Weihnachtliche Harfenklänge
Weihnachtslieder [Capriccio]	2000
Willan, Gabrieli, Vaughan Williams and others	1983

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