Wachet Auf (JS Bach) w/organ

“I Know Whom I Have Believed” starts out in a manner of joyful confidence. The parts are in basic triadic harmony and then offer solo lines for the various parts. The piece concludes with a sense of strong confidence that the hymn portrays.

For three like instruments, accompanied by piano, the piece is largely homophonic in nature. There are various phrases that are rhythmically altered for interest-active, yet sublime.

After a short piano introduction, the first part introduces the tune as a solo and then joined in with the others parts as decorations leading up to traditional harmonic movement. The second section alternates between parts in a duet fashion and then breaks into a full trio presentation. With a final flourish the pieces concludes.

This trio begins with a joyful piano introduction which leads into a three part harmonization of the instrumental parts. The second section is a lilting (waltz feeling) in block harmonization and then goes into a bell-tone rendition of the tune. A brief transition in a slower, expressive style comes to repose where it concludes in the joyful style that the piece began.

This trio begins with a simple rendition of the melody supported by the lower voices and then goes into light imitation of the melodic motifs. The second statement passes the tune around the parts with brief embellishment by the remaining parts and then concludes on a strong chord with piano under-pining.