Dietrich Buxtehude is probably most familiar to modern
classical music audiences as the man who inspired the
young Johann Sebastian Bach to make a lengthy
pilgrimage to Lubeck, Buxtehude's place of employment
and residence for most of his life, just to hear
Buxtehude play the organ. But Buxtehude was a major
figure among German Baroque composers in his own right.
Though we do not have copies of much of the work that
most impressed his contemporaries, Buxtehude
nonetheless left behind a body of v...(+)
Dietrich Buxtehude is probably most familiar to modern
classical music audiences as the man who inspired the
young Johann Sebastian Bach to make a lengthy
pilgrimage to Lubeck, Buxtehude's place of employment
and residence for most of his life, just to hear
Buxtehude play the organ. But Buxtehude was a major
figure among German Baroque composers in his own right.
Though we do not have copies of much of the work that
most impressed his contemporaries, Buxtehude
nonetheless left behind a body of vocal and
instrumental music which is distinguished by its
contrapuntal skill, devotional atmosphere, and raw
intensity. He helped develop the form of the church
cantata, later perfected by Bach, and he was just as
famous a virtuoso on the organ.
Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75, is a cycle of seven
cantatas composed in 1680 by Dieterich Buxtehude and
dedicated to Gustaf Düben. More specifically and fully
it is, in Buxtehude’s phrase, a “devotione
decantata,” or “sung devotion,” titled Membra
Jesu nostri patientis sanctissima, which translates
from the Latin as Limbs Most Holy of Our Suffering
Jesus. Regarding genre, the cycle consists in seven
concerto-aria cantatas, a form that had emerged in
Germany in the 1660s. The stanzas of its main text are
drawn from the medieval hymn Salve mundi salutare, also
known as the Rhythmica oratio, formerly ascribed to
Bernard of Clairvaux but now thought to be by Arnulf of
Leuven. Each cantata addresses a part of Jesus’
crucified body: feet, knees, hands, side, breast, heart
and face; in each, Biblical words referring to the limb
frame verses of the hymn’s text.
Each cantata in Membra Jesu nostri is divided into six
sections; an instrumental introduction; a concerto for
instruments and five voices (SSATB), with the exception
of the fifth and sixth cantatas where only three voices
are used; three arias for one or three voices, each
followed by an instrumental ritornello; and an exact
reprise of the concerto. The first and the last cantata
of the cycle deviate from this pattern. In the first
cantata the choir repeats the first aria after the
reprise, in the last one, Ad faciem, 5 parts sing the
last aria, and then a final Amen instead of the reprise
concludes the cycle.
The structure of Membra is dictated by its text.
Buxtehude selected biblical verses for the concertos,
and three strophes from each part of the poem Salve
mundi salutare for the arias in each cantata. The
biblical words are chosen for mentioning the member of
the cantata and taken mostly from the Old Testament.
The metre of the poetry unifies the arias' rhythmic
patterns. Membra Jesu nostri is scored for five voices
SSATB, two violins, consort of viols, and a basso
continuo of double bass, theorbo and organ. The voices
sing solos, duets, trios, and as a choir. The viols
play in the sixth cantata only, with the middle two
choir voices removed. In the table, S2 refers to the
second soprano. For each "concerto" section, the
Biblical text source is given; for the arias, it is
always Salve mundi salutare.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Membra_Jesu_Nostri).
Although originally composed for Chorus (SSATB), 2
Violins, 5 Viols (TrAABB) & Continuo, I created this
Interpretation of Ad pedes: "Ecce super montes"
(Behold, upon the mountains) from "Membra Jesu nostri
patientis sanctissima" ('Limbs Most Holy of Our
Suffering Jesus' BuxWV 75 No. 1) for Winds (Flute,
Oboe, English Horn, French Horn & Bassoon) and Strings
(2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC