HEINRICH SCHÜTZ: DER SCHWANENGESANG
The Song Company & Roland Peelman
Price: £13.98 inc. VAT (£11.90 ex. VAT)
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Release Date: 25-05-1997
Label: Celestial Harmonies
Catalog Number: 13139-2
Barcode: 13711313925
Musical Style: Classical
Track Listing:
| Disc 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aleph und Beth [04:48] | 7 | Mem und Nun [07:19] |
| 2 | Gimel und Daleth [05:18] | 8 | Samech und Ain [06:06] |
| 3 | He und Vav [05:25] | 9 | Pe und Sade [05:26] |
| 4 | Dsain und Chet [05:30] | 10 | Koph und Resch [06:40] |
| 5 | Thet und Yod [06:40] | 11 | Schin und Tav [06:44] |
| 6 | Caph und Lamed [06:36] | 12 | Tauchzet dem Herren [06:08] |
Description:
Der Schwanengesang is probably the last work of German composer Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) who was born exactly 100 years before J.S. Bach. The young Heinrich showed great musical promise but studied law in Marburg to please his parents. In 1609, Schütz made the first of three visits to Italy to study with the great Giovanni Gabrieli - and ultimately to change his life and along with it the face of German music by successfully uniting or fusing, to use contemporary language, the light, decorative Italian style and the German mysticism. He thus became the Grand Master of German music in the seventeenth century, the epoch of the young Baroque. At the end of a full life predonimantly devoted to composing sacred and church music, Schütz composed a testimony of sorts to everything he believed in as a musician - a cycle of motets for eight voices in two antiphonal choirs accompanied by organ basso continuo. His choice of text was equally telling: Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the psalter which, according to Martin Luther is no less than a small Bible...an elegant handbook within the Bible as a whole'. The synthetic nature of this most wondrous of psalms, written acrostically in 22 stanzas of 8 verses must have had a magnetic influence on a composer whose sole artistic aim it was to interpret the word of the Bible in the most truthful way. Out of the 22 stanzas he made 11 motets of 16 verses each ending with the common doxology and each starting with the intonation from the Cantor in order to give it a proper liturgical function. To complete his Swansong, Schütz chose his 1662 setting of Psalm 100, naturally a more overtly exuberant and ceremonial work with continuous contrapunctal activity between the individual voices. The Song Company delivers a very moving summation of Schütz' life's work and conviction. Der Schwanengesang is a revelation of masterful musical skill and quite stunning beauty.'
Biography:
Since its inception in 1984, The Song Company has developed as one of the most interesting and outstanding vocal ensembles in the world. the group’s repertoire covers vocal music from the 12th century to the present day and is unique in its stylistic diversity. Under the leadership of Roland Peelman, who became Artistic Director in 1990, The Song Company’s main focus has been music by emigrating composers during the 15th and 16th century, selected classics of the 20th century, an extensive and ongoing international commissioning program and even a long-running cabaret show. In addition, the ensemble continues to be involved in some of the most innovative contemporary music theatre in Australia and actively promotes Australian music overseas.
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