From ancient chant to Bach.
This setting traces a long musical lineage. It begins with the ancient plainchant Veni, redemptor gentium, continues with Martin Luther’s German hymn Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, and then enters Bach’s richly ornamented chorale prelude, BWV 659.
Steven Light’s orchestration gives the sequence a broad wind-ensemble palette while preserving the stillness of the chant, the directness of the hymn, and the glowing, flowing lines of Bach’s music.
View score & parts →
Veni, redemptor gentium chant transcription — public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
A melody renewed across centuries.
The plainchant comes from an ancient Latin Advent hymn. Luther’s German chorale carried that melody into the Reformation, and Bach transformed it into a meditative prelude in which the hymn is surrounded by an eloquent, ornamented line. Hearing the three stages in succession lets the listener follow the melody’s passage from chant, to congregational song, to Bach’s elaborate reflection.
Watch the score unfold.
This video pairs the audio with a scrolling score.