Other notes - Schütz

Heinrich Schütz: Verba mea auribus-Quoniam ad te, SWV 61-62 from “Cantiones sacrae” (1625)

The Cantiones sacrae of 1625 stands apart from Schütz’s other works. A collection of 40 four-voice motets in Latin, they blend Garbrieli-influenced Italian polychoral writing with a more rigorous Germanic structure. Intense expression, chromaticism and madrigalian text painting characterize these inward, meditative texts adapted from the Bible.  Today’s two-part motet Verba mea auribus-Quoniam ad te begins with a plea for the believers' cries to be heard.  Reminiscent of Psalm 131, the lower range wailing comes to us “out of the depths,” only bringing relief in the final measures.  The second part tessitura is imbued with morning sun and hopefulness, as portrayed by the higher range and flowing melismatic material.  Here we experience Schütz, perhaps, in his most Italianate style.

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