Composer

:

Johann Sebastian Bach

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Chorale Prelude

Compose Date

:

before 1723

Publication Date

:

1878

Average_duration

:

8:27

'O Lamm Gottes unschuldig (II), BWV 656' is a chorale prelude composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is believed to have been composed in the early 18th century, although the exact date is unknown. The piece was first performed in Leipzig, Germany, where Bach served as the cantor of the Thomaskirche. The piece is divided into four movements, each of which is based on a different verse of the chorale 'O Lamm Gottes unschuldig' (O Lamb of God, innocent). The first movement is a simple and straightforward setting of the chorale melody, with the melody in the upper voice and the accompaniment in the lower voices. The second movement is a more complex and ornate setting of the melody, with the melody in the upper voice and the accompaniment in the lower voices. The third movement is a fugue, with the melody presented in the upper voice and the accompaniment in the lower voices. The fugue subject is based on the first phrase of the chorale melody, and the fugue is characterized by its contrapuntal complexity and its use of chromaticism. The fourth and final movement is a simple and straightforward setting of the chorale melody, with the melody in the upper voice and the accompaniment in the lower voices. Overall, 'O Lamm Gottes unschuldig (II), BWV 656' is a beautiful and complex piece of music that showcases Bach's mastery of counterpoint and his ability to create complex and intricate musical structures. It is a testament to Bach's skill as a composer and his deep understanding of the musical traditions of his time.

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