BaL 4.12.21 - The music of Heinrich Schütz

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30
Building a Schütz Library.

Heinrich Schütz is one of the most important composers before JS Bach. But with over 500 surviving works and despite his pivotal position as the first German composer to achieve international fame and repute, Schütz is perhaps still not as well known as he should be. Kirsten Gibson surveys recorded collections of the 17th-century composer and recommends the best one for anyone unfamiliar with his music.

Recommended Recordings:

Schütz: Symphoniae Sacrae III
Concerto Palatino & Cantus Cölln
Konrad Junghänel (director)
Harmonia Mundi HMC901850/51

Heinrich Schütz: Italian Madrigals
Cantus Cölln
Konrad Junghänel (director)
Harmonia Mundi HMG501686

Schütz: Psalms of David, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2)
Cantus Cölln & Concerto Palatino
Konrad Junghänel (director)
Harmonia Mundi HMG501652/53 (2 CDs)

Other Recommendations:

Schütz: Musicalische Exequien
Vox Luminis
Lionel Meunier (director)
Ricercar RIC311

Schütz: The Complete Narrative Works
ARS NOVA Copenhagen
Paul Hillier (Dacapo) (4 CDs)

Heinrich Schütz Edition
Matteo Messori (organ, harpsichord, spinettone & direction)
Cappella Augustana
Brilliant Classics 94361 (19 CDs)

Schütz: Die Gesamteinspeilun
Desdner Kammerchor
Hans-Christoph Rademann (director)
Carus CAR83041 (download only)

[Serial_Apologist]

A fascinating composer to compare with his near-exact Italian contemporary Monteverdi in terms of beginning to establish a distinct national musical tradition that would later harden out and be seen as dominating - but not yet at this stage.

[MickyD]

There was a discussion about this composer a wee while ago on the boards, though I can't remember where. Richard Barrett and I had an interesting exchange...he had great admiration for Schutz whereas I found him a very hard nut to crack, and still do. I'll give the programme a listen in the hope of becoming more converted!

[Serial_Apologist]

There was a discussion about this composer a wee while ago on the boards, though I can't remember where. Richard Barrett and I had an interesting exchange...he had great admiration for Schutz whereas I found him a very hard nut to crack, and still do. I'll give the programme a listen in the hope of becoming more converted!

I recall that discussion, and have been trying to locate the thread, but without success.

[Joseph K]

I recall that discussion, and have been trying to locate the thread, but without success.

Probably just the What (Classical) Music Are You Listening To Now thread.

[Serial_Apologist]

Probably just the What (Classical) Music Are You Listening To Now thread.

Should present no problems in finding it, then...

[Darloboy]

Unlike Zelenka a few weeks ago, Schütz has had a couple of works featured on BaL before. Most recently, Graham Sadler did Musikalisches Exequien in Jan 2010 (choosing Herreweghe). The only other Schütz work ever covered by BaL was Christmas Story back in December 1991 when George Pratt chose Robert King's recording. Not really very familiar with his work so will listen with interest. Kirsten Gibson usually knows her stuff although I still haven't quite forgiven her for choosing the godawful German language version of King Arthur as her DVD choice a few years ago.

[kernelbogey]

Should present no problems in finding it, then...

I've found this COTW thread on Schütz from 2018; but have not read it.

[ardcarp]

I just don't know how it is possible to do a BAL on the entire works of a prolific composer like Schutz.
I'll have to wait and see.
I love one particular polychoral Magnificat. I think he wrote several, but Deutsches Magnificat SWV 494 is the one I've done several times, with the two choirs doubled by instruments, one strings, the other wind. Here's Collegium Vocale Ghent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nKEd_DwzKo

It's very effective, especially if the two forces are well separated in a big resonant building, an effect not quite achieved here, although beautifully sung, of course.

[kuligin]

I agree there are just too many works, many of which have been recorded many times, I found the Zelenka review confused, but this is surely a much harder task for the reviewer.

[CallMePaul]

I have the Vox Luminis recording of the Musicalische Exequien, bought around the time it was Gramophone's Recording of the Year (2012). I also have the Hillier/ Ars Nova Copenhagen rec ordings of the Passions (all 3). I will listen to this for a good, recent recording of the Weihnachtshistorie which according to Presto is his most-recorded work, and for ideas on his shorter pieces.

[ardcarp]

Carrying on from my own post #9, I find Schutz's Weihnachtshistorie rather dull...or at least duller than it ought to be for a Festive Season.

[RichardB]

Carrying on from my own post #9, I find Schutz's Weihnachtshistorie rather dull...or at least duller than it ought to be for a Festive Season.

Well Schütz isn't Morecambe and Wise, that's for sure! His music is contemplative, profound, sometimes ascetic, embodying an intense involvement in the spiritual texts that underpin almost all of it.

[MickyD]

Carrying on from my own post #9, I find Schutz's Weihnachtshistorie rather dull...or at least duller than it ought to be for a Festive Season.

Oh dear, yes, I have to agree with you there - not knowing the work, I thought I'd give it a go with the Andrew Parrott version, but not even he can get me enthused. Having had this conversation once before with RichardB, I'm sorry to confess to him that I still remain unmoved! But I will keep trying!

[RichardB]

Oh dear, yes, I have to agree with you there

For what it's worth I favour the recording by the Akademia ensemble (and all their other Schütz recordings in fact). But I guess Schütz isn't for everyone. The Weihnachshistorie was the first of his works I got to know, from an Argo LP conducted by Roger Norrington in the days when he was an early music specialist, and I immediately found it highly appealing. Earlier I was going to say being a German speaker helps, given the centrality of the text in all of his music, but I wasn't yet one when I first got interested in his work.