Neumeister Collection

The Neumeister Collection is a compilation of 82 chorale preludes found in a manuscript copy produced by Johann Gottfried Neumeister (1757–1840). When the manuscript was rediscovered at Yale University in the 1980s it appeared to contain 31 previously unknown early chorale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach, which were added to the BWV catalogue as Nos. 1090–1120, and published in 1985.

History Neumeister compiled his manuscript after 1790.Manuscript LM 4708 in Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut (USA); the so-called Neumeister Collection. Accessed 2 March 2014. It has been suggested that the 77 earliest works in the collection may have been copied from a single source, possibly a Bach family album put together in J. S. Bach's early years.Richard D. P. Jones, The Creative Development of Johann Sebastian Bach, Volume 1, 1695–1717: Music to Delight the Spirit (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007), p. 74. The five works by Neumeister's own music teacher, Georg Andreas Sorge, were a later addition.Jones 2002, p. 10

Some time after 1807 the manuscript passed to Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770–1846),Wolff 1991, p. 110 whose library was bought by Lowell Mason in 1852. After Mason's death in 1873, his collection was acquired by Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. There the Neumeister volume lay as manuscript LM 4708 until it was rediscovered "early in 1984" by musicologists Christoph Wolff (Harvard), Hans-Joachim Schulze (Bach-Archiv Leipzig), and librarian Harold E. Samuel (Yale)."Dispute over Bach discovery", The New York Times, 13 April 1985. Accessed 13 March 2014. After satisfying themselves that the manuscript was genuine, they announced the discovery in December 1984.Will Crutchfield, "Organ preludes attributed to Bach found at Yale", The New York Times, 19 December 1984. Accessed 13 March 2014. Their conclusions were confirmed in January 1985 by German organist (1937–2005), who had been working on the same material independently, and with a fatal lack of urgency, since 1981.Stinson 1987, p. 353. Wolff acknowledged that he brought his announcement forward when he learned that Krumbach was in the field.Christoph Wolff, "Bach's organ music: studies and discoveries", The Musical Times, vol. 126, no. 1705 (March, 1985), p. 152, n. 7. Krumbach was unhappy with the way things turned out. "Opus 33: Who really found Bach preludes?" Chicago Tribune, 28 April 1985. Accessed 16 February 2015.

Works and composers The Neumeister Collection contains 82 chorales, most of them unpublished before the 1980s re-evaluation of the Neumeister manuscript. The attribution of a few pieces in the manuscript remains uncertain:US-NH LM 4708 (Ma21 Y11 A30) "Neumeister Collection" at Bach Digital website 3 by Johann Christoph Bach (1642–1703), brother of Johann Michael and cousin of Johann Sebastian At least 24 by Johann Michael Bach (1648–1694), cousin and father-in-law of Johann Sebastian Around 38 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) 1 by Daniel Erich (1649–1712) 1 or more by Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706) 5 by Georg Andreas Sorge (1703–1778) 1 possibly by Johann Gottfried Walther 4 by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (1663–1712) 5 unattributed works

From the state of the manuscript Wolff concludes that the five unattributed works were written by composers represented elsewhere in the collection, whose names were omitted by accident. Weighing both textual and stylistic evidence, he proposes Johann Michael Bach as the author of all five, while allowing that one could also have been written by J. S. Bach and another by Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow.Wolff 1991, p. 121

+ Organ chorales in the Neumeister Collection with attribution variants from RISM and Bach Digital # BWV Composer Chorale Key RISM Authenticity 1 Bach, J. M. Nun komm der Heiden Heiland G min. 000105398 Confirmed 2 Bach, J. M. Meine Seele erhebt dem Herrn D min. 000105399 Confirmed 3 Bach, J. M. Herr Christ der einig Gottes Sohn G maj. 000105400 Confirmed 4 Bach, J. M. Nun freut euch lieben Christen gemein G maj. 000105401 Also attr. Pachelbel, J. 5 Bach, J. M. Nun freut euch lieben Christen gemein G maj. 000105402 Confirmed 6 Bach, J. M. Gott hat das Evangelium D min. 000105403 Confirmed 7 Bach, J. M. Gott hat das Evangelium D min. 000105404 Confirmed 8 723 Bach, J. M. Gelobet seist du Jesu Christ D min. 000105405 Also attr. Bach, J. S.Work at Bach Digital website. 9 Zachow, F. W. Gelobet seist du Jesu Christ G maj. 000105406 Confirmed 10 Zachow, F. W. Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her D maj. 000105407 Confirmed 11 719 Bach, J. S. Der Tag der ist so freudenreich G maj. 000105408 Also attr. Pachelbel, J.Work at Bach Digital website. 12 751 Bach, J. S. In dulci jubilo G maj. 000105409 Also attr. Bach, J. M. – Walther, J. G.Work at Bach Digital website. 13 Erich, D. Christum wir sollen loben schon E min. 000105410 Confirmed 14 1090 Bach, J. S. Wir Christenleut' G min. 000105411 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 15 1091 Bach, J. S. Das alte Jahr vergangen ist D min. 000105412 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 16 1092 Bach, J. S. Herr Gott nun schleuß den Himmel auf A min. 000105413 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 17 1093 Bach, J. S. Herzliebster Jesu was hast du verbrochen G min. 000105414 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 18 1094 Bach, J. S. O Jesu wie ist dein Gestalt G min. 000105415 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 19 1095 Bach, J. S. O Lamm Gottes unschuldig F maj. 000105416 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 20 1096 Bach, J. S. Christe der du bist Tag und Licht, oder Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ A min. 000105417 Also attr. Pachelbel, J.Work at Bach Digital website. 21 1097 Bach, J. S. Ehre sei dir Christe der du leidest Not D maj. 000105418 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 22 anonymous Christ lag in Todesbanden D min. 000105419 23 Bach, J. M. Jesus Christus unser Heiland G min. 000105420 Confirmed 24 Bach, J. M. O Herr Gott Vater in Ewigkeit G maj. 000105421 Confirmed 25 Sorge, G. A. Vater unser im Himmelreich D min. 000105422 26 Bach, J. M. Der du bist drei in Einigkeit G maj. 000105423 Confirmed 27 Bach, J. Chr. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr F maj. 000105424 Confirmed 28 Bach, J. M. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr G maj. 000105425 Confirmed 29 Bach, J. M. Mag ich Unglück nicht widerstahn A min. 000105426 Confirmed 30 Bach, J. M. Dies sind die heilgen zehn Gebot F maj. 000105427 Confirmed 31 1098 Bach, J. S. Wir glauben all an einen Gott D min. 000105428 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 32 1099 Bach, J. S. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir G maj. 000105429 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 33 1100 Bach, J. S. Allein zu dir Herr Jesu Christ C maj. 000105430 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 34 Pachelbel, J. Allein zu dir Herr Jesu Christ A min. 000105431 Confirmed 35 714 Bach, J. S. Ach Gott und Herr B min. 000105432 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 36 742 Bach, J. S. Ach Herr mich armen Sünder B min. 000105433 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 37 Bach, J. M. Auf meinen lieben Gott E min. 000105434 Confirmed 38 1101 Bach, J. S. Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt D min. 000105435 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 39 Bach, J. M. Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren G maj. 000105436 Confirmed 40 1102 Bach, J. S. Du Friedefürst Herr Jesu Christ B♭ maj. 000105437 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 41 anonymous Was mein Gott will das gescheh allzeit A min. 000105438 42 Bach, J. M. Kommt her zu mir spricht Gottes Sohn G min. 000105439 Confirmed 43 anonymous Ich ruf' zu dir Herr Jesu Christ D min. 000105440 44 anonymous Ich ruf' zu dir Herr Jesu Christ G min. 000105441 45 Bach, J. M. Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt G min. 000105442 Confirmed 46 Bach, J. M. Warum betrübst du dich mein Herz G min. 000105443 Confirmed 47 Bach, J. M. Von Gott will ich nicht lassen G min. 000105444 Confirmed 48 1103 Bach, J. S. Erhalt uns Herr bei deinem Wort G min. 000105445 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 49 737 Bach, J. S. Vater unser im Himmelreich D min. 000105446 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 50 1104 Bach, J. S. Wenn dich Unglück tut greifen an E min. 000105447 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 51 1105 Bach, J. S. Jesu meine Freude D min. 000105448 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 52 1106 Bach, J. S. Gott ist mein Heil mein' Hilf' und Trost G maj. 000105449 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 53 Bach, J. M. Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh darein D min. 000105450 Confirmed 54 Bach, J. M. Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl G maj. 000105451 Confirmed 55 Bach, J. M. Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält E min. 000105452 Confirmed 56 Bach, J. Chr. An Wasserflüssen Babylon G maj. 000105453 Confirmed 57 1107 Bach, J. S. Jesu meines Lebens Leben D maj. 000105454 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 58 1108 Bach, J. S. Als Jesus Christus in der Nacht E min. 000105455 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 59 1109 Bach, J. S. Ach Gott tu dich erbarmen D min. 000105456 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 60 1110 Bach, J. S. O Herre Gott dein göttlich' Wort B♭ maj. 000105457 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 61 Zachow, F. W. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern D maj. 000105458 Confirmed 62 anonymous Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn E min. 000105459 63 Bach, J. M. Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist G maj. 000105460 Confirmed 64 1111 Bach, J. S. Nun laßt uns den Leib begraben G maj. 000105461 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 65 1112 Bach, J. S. Christus der ist mein Leben F maj. 000105462 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 66 1113 Bach, J. S. Ich hab' mein' Sach' Gott heimgestellt B min. 000105463 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 67 1114 Bach, J. S. Herr Jesu Christ du höchstes Gut F min. 000105464 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 68 1115 Bach, J. S. Herzlich lieb hab ich dich o Herr C maj. 000105465 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 69 1116 Bach, J. S. Was Gott tut das ist wohlgetan G maj. 000105466 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 70 1117 Bach, J. S. Alle Menschen müssen sterben B♭ maj. 000105467 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 71 957 Bach, J. S. Mach's mit mir Gott nach deiner Güt G maj. 000105468 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 72 1118 Bach, J. S. Werde munter mein Gemüte G maj. 000105469 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 73 1119 Bach, J. S. Wie nach einer Wasserquelle D min. 000105470 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 74 Bach, J. Chr. Wer Gott vertraut F maj. 000105471 Confirmed 75 1120 Bach, J. S. Christ der du bist der helle Tag E min. 000105472 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 76 Zachow, F. W. Erbarm dich mein o Herre Gott E min. 000105473 Confirmed 77 639 Bach, J. S. Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu Christ F min. 000105474 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 78 601 Bach, J. S. Herr Christ der einige Gottes Sohn A maj. 000105475 ConfirmedWork at Bach Digital website. 79 Sorge, G. A. Auf Christenmensch F maj. 000105476 Confirmed 80 Sorge, G. A. Wo Gott der Herr G min. 000105477 Confirmed 81 Sorge, G. A. Herr Jesu Christ du höchstes Gut A min. 000105478 Confirmed 82 Sorge, G. A. Freu dich sehr o meine Seele G maj. 000105479 Confirmed

Johann Michael Bach The rediscovery of the Neumeister Collection quadrupled the number of keyboard works indisputably written by Johann Michael Bach, from eight to thirty-two, with six more arguably also his.Wolff 1991, p. 116 Of the twenty-five pieces attributed to him in the manuscript, seven were known but had been credited to other composers and eighteen were entirely new, making this the largest single trove of his work.Jones 2002, pp. 3–4 This remains the case even if, as some have suggested, one of the chorales that appears under his name would have been composed by Johann Heinrich Buttstett.Stinson 1993, p. 456 Wolff has proposed that the five unattributed works in the volume could also be by Johann Michael Bach—confidently in three cases, less so in the other two.

Generally attributed to J. M. Bach: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, Meine Seele erhebt dem Herrn,