• Alle Menschen miissen sterben by Johann Sebastian Bach (from "Orgelbuchlein," Concordia edition). Beautiful and easy to learn.
• Michael Burkhardt's setting in Easy Hymn Settings—Lent (Morning Star Music Publishers MSM-10-315). A very accessible hymn introduction in two parts without pedal.
• “Jesu, meines Lebens Leben” by Johann Ludwig Krebs (in an edition by Breitkopf, 8415). Medium difficulty.
• A lively setting, easy-medium, by Willem Van Twillert (in the collection Drie bewerkingen over Passiekoralen, published by M Musiscript MG 004, Universal Songs B.V Postbus 305,1200 AH Hilversum in the Netherlands.)
• Jacobus Kloppers's marvelous piece (in 5 Chorale Preludes, Concordia 97-5733). Not difficult.

Ernst C. Homburg wrote this German chorale text (“Jesu, meines Lebens Leben”), which was published in Part One of his Geistliche Lieder (1658). The translation of selected stanzas is by Catherine Winkworth, who published them in her Chorale Book for England (1863).

 

The composer of the tune is unknown; it was first published in Das grosse Cantional: oder Kirchen-Gesangbuch (Darmstadt, 1687) to the text "Alle Menschen mussen sterben" by J. G. Albinus; some Baroque organ works are associated with that text. The tune became associated with Homburg's text since they were published together in Anhang, An das Gothaische Cantional (1776).

 

Set to a chorale melody with some rhythmic interest, this text is a Lenten meditation on the suffering and death of Christ in which each stanza leads to gratitude: “thousand, thousand thanks are due, dearest Jesus, unto you.” It is in bar form (AAB) with a dotted pattern in each of the four lines, which provides rhythmic interest. Sing either in parts or in unison. Use a larger organ registration for the refrain. The tune is easily adapted for organ trio-style accompaniment (played on two manuals and pedal).

Ernst C. Homburg (b. Mihla, near Eisenach, Germany, 1605; d. Naumberg, Germany, 1681) wrote most of his hymns for his own devotions. He described this eight-stanza text as a "hymn of thanksgiving to his Redeemer and Savior for his bitter sufferings." In early life, Homburg was a writer of love and drinking songs. After a difficult time of family illness he experienced a religious conversion, and his poetry took a more serious turn. A lawyer by profession, he wrote hymns to express and strengthen his own faith rather than for public use. Some 150 of his hymn texts were published in his Geistliche Lieder.

 

 

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used in many modern hymnals. Her work was published in two series of Lyra Germanica (1855, 1858) and in The Chorale Book for England (1863), which included the appropriate German tune with each text as provided by Sterndale Bennett and Otto Goldschmidt. Winkworth also translated biographies of German Christians who promoted ministries to the poor and sick and compiled a handbook of biographies of German hymn authors, Christian Singers of Germany (1869).