Motet notes - Schütz

While well into his eighties, Heinrich Schütz published a large volume entitled Schwanengesang (Swan Songs). This volume encompassed a gigantic setting in 13 parts of the complete Psalm 119, Psalm 100 and a German language version of the Magnificat.  This volume has always been problematical becase of the eight vocal and single continuo part books, two (the soprano and tenor from chorus 2) are missing. The Magnificat setting has always been the most well known thing in this collection.  Today we perform a version reconstructed by the German musicologist, Werner Breig.  After the dazzling color of Schütz' Latin setting from fifty years earlier in his career, our German setting is austere and understated.  It, however, is permeated with the quiet ecstasy of that remarkable text.