Georg Philipp Telemann Machet die Tore weit

Let all the gates be raised,
and the world’s great doors be raised high,
that the King of all glory may enter.
Who is this marvelous King of all glory?
It is the Lord
strong and mighty in strife.
It is the Lord Sabaoth,
he is the King of all glory. Selah.
Ps 24:7–10

Jesu, come and fill my spirit;
let it be thy dwelling place.
Drive from it the dust of sin,
Glory, lust, and earthly gain;
grant it thy great light of grace.

I gladly will prepare the way to cheer thee,
and cast the garments of blest modesty,
of true repentance, and true faith before thee.

...

Machet die Tore weit
und die Türen in der Welt hoch,
dass der König der Ehren einziehe.
Wer ist derselbige König der Ehren?
Es ist der Herr,
stark und mächtig im Streit.
Es ist der Herr Zebaoth,
er ist der König der Ehren. Sela.
Ps 24,7–10

Jesu, komm in meine Seele,
lass sie deine Wohnung sein.
Treib aus ihr der Sünden Wust,
Ehre, Geiz und Fleischeslust,
gönn ihr deiner Gnaden Schein.

Ich will zum Einzug gern die Bahn bereiten
und dir die Kleider einer heilgen Scheu
von wahrer Buß und Glauben unterbreiten.
Nur stehe mir mit deinem Geiste bei,

...

Klaus Hofmann
Translation: E. D. Echols

“But this I well know,” Telemann wrote in his autobiography of 1718, “that I have at all times treasured church music most, in that category have done research in the works of other composers and also have written the most works myself …” According to his report, the number of his own compositions must already then have been more than 500 church works, and probably more than 1,000 additional works were to follow in the almost fifty productive years that Telemann was yet to enjoy. Many of the compositions have been lost. Moreover, not all of the preserved works have been properly inspected; not even a tenth have been made available in new editions. Thus, despite the praiseworthy preliminary efforts of individual researchers, no complete evaluation of Telemann’s artistic achievement in this sector – nor, in particular, of his role and significance in the history of German Protestant church music next to and in the time of Bach – has yet appeared.

Telemann’s more than 1,500 church works are the product of a long and highly dynamic artistic life that stretched out over three-quarters of a century of active creativity. The most important stations of his life:

...