Text: S. Heyden's Passion hymn (1525): "O Man, weep for your great sin, for which Christ left his Father's bosom and came to earth; of a Virgin pure and gentle he was born here for us; to become the mediator (for sins), He gave life to the dead and banished all sickness, until the time came on that He should be sacrificed, bearing the heavy burden of our sins long on the cross."
Melody by M. Grelter, 1525, it was later associated with what came to be its lyrics.
BWV 622 is a short ornamental / melismatic chorale prelude of the so called "early compilation phase" of the "Orgelbüchlein" (Stinson, R., 1966/1999).
The work is harmonically very dense [chromaticism (measures 18/9; 22—24), diminished and dominant seventh chords], and major ninth chord (measure 21, 3rd. beat).
The key (Eb M) conveys intense and pious drama,which becomes evident per se providing you be playing a fine instrument, not tuned in equal temperament. If this is not the case, one is supposed to care much more for agogics and proper articulation, in order to compensate the neutrality otherwise avoided.
"O, Mensch..." does not seem to have been thought to be played as if one was just calmly taking a walk around a golden pond, like during promenade. The indication "Adagissimo" stems from Bach's own hand and cannot be despised. It may well justify the "Adagio Assai" in MS P 283. Nevertheless, "adagio" (from "essere ad agio"), besides indicating the pulse of the music, means "to be at ease". So one is expected to be deeply at ease within the profoundly meditative mood of this wonderful masterpiece.
"O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross" is an example of beauty, high intellectual reflection and spontaneous musical inspiration, not to mention the skillful usage of "figura suspirationis", chromaticism and coloratura, aiming at grief, perplexity and, last but not least, inexhaustible hope. Once heard burgeoning from the ranks of a non equally tuned pipe instrument, it becomes heavenly unforgettable. It is pure Johann Sebastian Bach.
