Geistliche Chor-Music 1648 : Complete Edition, vol. 12

When it comes to paying tribute to Heinrich Schütz’s compositional achievement, in his art his treatment of the text and language must be mentioned first. The Geistliche Chor-Music 1648, a collection of 29 motets for five to seven voices and one of his most important works, is characterized by he carefully thought-out musical realization of the meaning of the text. In his detailed foreword to the collection the composer presented these as models for composition without a basso continuo it was his conviction that very young composer should obtain the properfoundation for a good counterpoint. Despite the strict counterpoint, stylistically speaking from an earlier era, theMusicus poeticus imbued his workswith a strongly expressive character. The individual motets are structured differently and they differ - according to content - in their length and character. Short, rather straightforward pieces stand alongside long, worked-out pieces with greater expressive intensity, and cheerful, optimistic works are juxtaposed with plaintive ones. Separate editions available.