J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn
BWV Anh. 159
Motet for 2 choirs
The composer of this motet is unnamed in the
original score, which was copied by Johann Sebastian Bach and his pupil
Philipp David Kräuter about 1712/1713 in Weimar. Johann Sebastian Bach
collected this manuscript in his "Alt-Bachisches Archiv", a collection of
musical works of his predecessors. In the 19th century it was attributed to
his uncle Johann Christoph Bach. Present-day musicologists lean towards
Johann Sebastian's authorship instead. They definitely consider that Johann
Sebastian Bach is at least the author of the 2nd part (bars 84-116) or of
the complete motet. The final chorale, a chorale harmonization by Johann
Sebastian Bach (BWV 421), is probably an addition by Johann Gottfried
Schicht, the editor of the first printing (Leipzig 1802).