Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand

Luther's hymn as published in Magdeburg, 1545

"Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand" (English: Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who conquered death) is a hymn for Easter by Martin Luther. The text originated in 1524. The melody, also attributed to Luther, was published from 1529.

Text

An English translation of the first stanza by George MacDonald:

Jesus Christ, our Saviour true,
He who Death overthrew,
Is up arisen, And sin hath put in prison.
Kyrieleison.

1524 melody

The first publication of the text, in the Erfurt Enchiridion, provided another melody for the hymn:

Settings using the 1529 melody

Two four-part settings of the  1529 melody of the hymn  were included in Samuel Scheidt's 1650 Görlitzer Tabulaturbuch (SSWV 441-540). Further chorale preludes for organ were composed by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (LV 36), by Johann Pachelbel (PC 60) and Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 626 in the Orgelbüchlein).

Johann Sebastian Bach also wrote a chorale harmonization (BWV 364):

See also

• List of hymns by Martin Luther

Sources

• "Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand," pp. 160–161 in D. Martin Luthers Werke. Kritische Gesamtausgabe Volume 35 by Wilhelm Lucke (ed.) Weimar 1923.
• "102 – Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand," pp. 56–60 in Liederkunde zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch Nr. 3 by Gerhard Hahn and Jürgen Henkys (eds.) Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2001. ISBN 3-525-50324-5

External links

• "Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand" at www.bach-cantatas.com
• "Jesus Christus unser Heiland, der den Tod" chorale preludes by Johann Pachelbel, Das Görlitzer Tabulaturbuch by Samuel Scheidt: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project