motet notes - Praetorius

Praetorius’s musical style was strongly influenced by German composers Schütz and Scheidt, and by the latest Italian music, which he came into contact with in Dresden in the 1610s. He incorporated the familiar polyphonic forms within a more complex and energetic style, exploring the use of double choruses and the myriad variations of the chorale themes. "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" is a nine-voice work based on the protestant chorale Der Morgenstern ist aufgedrungen. The motet is segmented, based on the chorale text. Imitative sections in common time are performed by five soloists – two sopranos, two tenors and a bass, alternating with large homophonic sections in a lilting triple meter that combine soloists with chorus and instrumentalists

‍