Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637 to 1639) was a
German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque
period. His organ works represent a central part of the
standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed
at recitals and in church services. He composed in a
wide variety of vocal and instrumental idioms, and his
style strongly influenced many composers, including
Johann Sebastian Bach. Buxtehude, along with Heinrich
Schütz, is considered today to be one of the most
important German composers of...(+)
Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637 to 1639) was a
German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque
period. His organ works represent a central part of the
standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed
at recitals and in church services. He composed in a
wide variety of vocal and instrumental idioms, and his
style strongly influenced many composers, including
Johann Sebastian Bach. Buxtehude, along with Heinrich
Schütz, is considered today to be one of the most
important German composers of the mid-Baroque.
In this cantata Buxtehude sets a whole conglomeration
of texts. The work includes texts from the Old and New
Testaments, portions of a Lutheran chorale text, and a
bit of German poetry. It is scored for soprano, alto,
tenor, bass, three violins, viola, violone, and
continuo. The cantata combines all three of Buxtehude's
most common cantata types: the concerto type, which
usually sets a prose biblical text; the strophic aria
type, setting a strophic poem; and the chorale cantata,
borrowing both text and melody from a chorale. The
cantata opens and closes with Buxtehude's setting of
Colossians 3:17, sung by the full chorus and strings.
This passage from Colossians was part of the Epistle
reading for the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, and it is
entirely likely that the cantata was intended for
performance on that particular Sunday in the Lutheran
church calendar. The aria portion of the cantata is a
three-verse strophic aria sung by all four voices. Each
phrase of the aria is punctuated by an incursion from
the strings, and the verses are separated by brief
string ritornellos. The cantata also includes a brief
solo for bass and continuo, setting Psalm 37:4. The
chorale portion of the cantata sets verses five and six
of the chorale Aus meines Herzens Grunde by Georg
Niege, from about 1587. First the soprano sings the
melody and the words to the fifth verse of the chorale,
accompanied by a five-part web of string polyphony in a
manner reminiscent of the first verse of Buxtehude's
chorale cantata Herzlich Lieb hab ich dich, o Herr
BuxWV 41. The choir sings the sixth verse of the
chorale, with the melody in the soprano.
Although it was originally scored for five voices with
basso continuo (2 sopranos, alto, tenor and bass
accompanied by organ), I adapted this work for the
traditional Woodwind Quintet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet
(Bb) French Horn and Bassoon) to accentuate their warm
rich tones.
