Monday, December 21, 2009

Schutz - Kleine geistliche Konzerte - Cordes, Weser-Renaissance





Schutz - Kleine geistliche Konzerte -
Cordes, Weser-Renaissance

Early Vocal | Eac, wav, cue | log, cover |3 CD, 1.11 GB
April 11, 2000 | CPO | RapidShare


This is some of the sweetest, most tender music Schütz ever wrote.


The performances are every bit as exciting as the recording feat is impressive. These are not sterile, academic readings but rather fully formed and moving performances of this exquisite music. The vocal style is occasionally more "modern" than one expects in early music, but I welcome the full-throated singing which is always attentive to the passion of the texts. An excellent example is the duet "Habe deine Lust an dem Herrn" by sopranos Susanne Ryden and Nele Gramss, which is one of the real highlights of this set. Alongside the many familiar favorites are many lesser known gems. Many thanks to Manfred Cordes and Wesen-Remaissance Bremen for 195+ minutes of pure pleasure.


Heinrich Schütz published two volumes of Kleine geistliche Konzerte ("Little Sacred Concertos") during the 1630s. They're certainly small in scale compared to the lavish Psalm settings in the composer's Psalmen Davids; these "concertos" are mostly solos, duets, and trios, with no instruments but keyboard or lute. (The Thirty Years War wrecked the economy of central Europe, and the resources for grander church music weren't available--and neither, most likely, was the inclination to perform it.) Yet this is some of the sweetest, most tender music Schütz ever wrote. For example, the way in which the melodic lines in the duos and trios wrap themselves around each other, come apart briefly, and rejoin is magical; the solo tenor in "O misericordissime Jesu" adores the name of Jesus with as much passion as anything in Monteverdi. Weser-Renaissance, a German ensemble that deserves to be much better known, gives us all the Konzerte--on three discs for the price of two, no less--in exemplary performances with careful attention to the text that was so important to Schütz. The standard of singing is generally high, but sopranos Susanne Rydén and Nele Gramß have such beautifully pure tone and musical rapport that they're surely first among equals here. --Matthew Westphal


CD Content

Eile, mich Gott, zu erretten, Op. 8/1, SWV 282
Bringt her dem Herren, ihr Gewaltigen, Op. 8/2, SWV 283
Ich danke dem Herrn, Op. 8/3, SWV 284
O süßer, o freundlicher Herr Jesu Christ, Op. 8/4, SWV 285
Der Herr ist groß, Op. 8/5, SWV 286
O lieber Herre Gott, Op. 8/6, SWV 287
Ihr Heiligen, lobsinget dem Herrn, Op. 8/7, SWV 288
Erhöre mich, wenn ich dich rufe, Op. 8/8, SWV 289
Wohl dem, der nicht wandelt, Op. 8/9, SWV 290
Schaffe in mire, Gott, ein reines Herz, Op. 8/10, SWV 291
Der Herr schauet vom Himmel, Op. 8/11, SWV 292
Lobet den Herren, der zu Zion wohnet, Op. 8/12, SWV 293
Eins bitte ich vom Herren, Op. 8/13, SWV 294
O Hilf, Christe, Op. 8/14, SWV 295
Fürchte dich nicht, Op. 8/15, SWV 296
O Herr, hilf, Op. 8/16, SWV 297
Das Blut Jesu Christi, Op. 8/17, SWV 298
Die Gottseiligkeit ist zu allen Dingen nütz, Op. 8/18, SWV 299
Himmel und Erde vergehen, Op. 8/19, SWV 300
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, Op. 8/20, SWV 301
Ein Kind ist uns geboren, Op. 8/21, SWV 302
Wir glauben all an einen Gott, Op. 8/22, SWV 303
Siehe, mein Fürsprecher, Op. 8/23, SWV 304
Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt, Op. 8/24, SWV 305
Ich will den Herren loben allezeit, Op. 9/1, SWV 306
Was hast du verwirket, Op. 9/2, SWV 307
O Jesu, nomen dulce, Op. 9/3, SWV 308
O misericordissime Jesu, Op. 9/4, SWV 309
Ich liege und schlafe und erwache, Op. 9/5, SWV 310
Habe deine Lust an dem Herrn, Op. 9/6, SWV 311
Herr, ich hoffe darauf, Op. 9/7, SWV 312
Bone Jesu, verbum Patris, Op. 9/8, SWV 313
Verbum caro factum est, Op. 9/9, SWV 314
Hodie Christus natus est, Op. 9/10, SWV 315
Wann unsere Augen schlafen ein, Op. 9/11, SWV 316
Meister, wir haven die ganze Nacht, Op. 9/12, SWV 317
Die Furcht des Herren, Op. 9/13, SWV 318
Ich beuge meine Knie, Op. 9/14, SWV 319
Ich bin jung gewesen, Op. 9/15, SWV 320
Herrn, wenn ich nur dich habe, Op. 9/16, SWV 321
Rorate coeli desuper, Op. 9/17, SWV 322
Joseph, du Sohn Davids, Op. 9/18, SWV 323
Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben, Op. 9/19, SWV 324
Die Seele Christi heilige mich, Op. 9/20, SWV 325
Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, Op. 9/21, SWV 326
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, Op. 9/22, SWV 327
Veni, sancte spiritus, Op. 9/23, SWV 328
Ist Gott für uns, Op. 9/24, SWV 329
Wer will uns scheiden, Op. 9/25, SWV 330
Die Stimme des Herren, Op. 9/26, SWV 331
Jubilate Deo omnis terra, Op. 9/27, SWV 332
Sei gegrüßet, Op. 9/28, SWV 333
Was betrübst du dich, Op. 9/29, SWV 334
Quemadmodum desiderat cervus, Op. 9/30, SWV 335
Aufer immensam, Deus aufer iram, Op. 9/31, SWV 336



2 comments:

  1. I love the version of these little sacred concertos with the Tölz Boys Choir, it's incredible! The label is Capriccio. If you could buy it for the radio... Really, it's a jewell!
    Thanks a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you very much for sharing these fine pieces with us!

    ReplyDelete

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