Thirty Years War

Sacred music from the time of this great conflict

Performers: 6 singers, 2 violins, 3 trombones, organ, theorbo (+ local choir if required)
Extra requirements: organ

A german feast

Programme includes:
Schütz – Nun danket alle Gott
Schütz – Da pacem, Domine, in diebus nostris

Scheidt – Kommt her, ihr Gesegneten
Scheidt – In dulci jubilo

Schein – Singet fröhlich
Schein – Da Jakob vollendet hatte

Schütz – O Jesu, nomen dulce
Schütz – Die Himmel erzählen

Schütz, Schein and Scheidt knew and worked close to each other through the Thirty Years War, a turbulent period in Europe and Germany’s history. The programme features motets for the reduced forces forced on them because of the war. This restriction allowed their genius as miniaturists to shine through and perhaps the three of them, rather than other Italians, took on Monteverdi’s mantle in this respect.

Which of the three is this?

Scheidt’s ‘Kommt her, ihr Gesegneten’ is a day of judgement piece in which a low bass sings the part of Christ with others as the damned or the saved. Schein’s pieces, also some of Schütz’s finest writing for ensemble and strings from Symphoniae Sacrae and his glorious and powerful ‘Die Himmel erzählen’.

Some of the pieces in this programme have an optional part for extra choir. If wished, this can be performed by a local university choir of good standard, for example, and Robert Hollingworth would arrive a day before to work with them.

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