June 18, 2021--Chorale Prelude on Vater unser im Himmelreich by F.W. Zachow

Another chorale prelude today on Vater unser im Himmelreich, this time by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow. Born in 1663 and dying in 1712, Zachow is probably best known for his teaching--he was G.F. Handels first teacher and gave the young composer a firm background in violin, keyboard, oboe, and counterpoint. Zachow's handling counterpoint can be seen in this prelude. Each phrase of the chorale is treated separately in a technique called imitative counterpoint--a melodic idea either taken straight from the chorale or based loosely on the chorale is heard by itself in one of four voices. This melodic idea is then heard (or imitated) in a second voice while the first voice continues along in free counterpoint based on motives from the original melodic idea. And so on until all four voices have played the phrase. Then the next phrase begins in a single voice and imitation continues until all of the phrases of the chorale are completed bringing the prelude to its conclusion.
I used a principal 8' and 4' combined with a flute 8' and 4' on the great for the manuals. In the pedals, I used a Bourdon 16' and flute 8' coupled with the oboe 8' from the swell.