Historia der Geburt Jesu Christi SWV 435 - Christmas Story (Full Score, hardback)

Schütz Historia der Geburt Jesu Christi SWV 435 - Christmas Story (Full Score, hardback)

- New Schütz Edition

- Edited on behalf of the International Heinrich Schütz Society

Probably first performed in 1660 this is the first German musical version of the Christmas Story, in which the words are narrated by the Evangelist as accompanied recitative and not set to music in the form of unaccompanied chorales.

In volume 1 of the New Schutz Edition Friedrich Schoneich presented the Historia der Geburt Jesu Christi. He had to accept that one source was considered lost.  The volume was published in 1955 and, of course, Schoneich edited it within the framework of the musicological standards of his time.

For her new edition, Bettina Varwig has now been able to take all known sources into account including the first print, copies of parts of the work which have come down to us in the Düben Collection, as well as the score copy from the music archive of the Berlin Sing-Akademie, which had been known only from fragmentary copies until it had been returned from Kiew.  This enables a fresh view of the Historia on how it presumably was performed. The edition maintains the original note values and generally follows the editorial principles of the New Edition of the Complete Works.

The Introduction centrally deals with the question how the Historia was performed at Christmas 1660 in the Dresden Schlosskirche and how it can be realised today.  Also the scoring for singers and instruments (Evangelist movements versus concertante movements) is being appropriately discussed.  Three appendices enable a greater understanding of the source traditions of the work which are documented in detail in the Critical Commentary and whose readings are critically examined there.

Also available:
Set of parts (BA1709-22): Flute (2), Bassoon (2), Trumpet (2), Trombone (2), Violin (2), Viola (2), Trombone, Violetta, 1. Viola, Violetta, 2. Viola, Violoncello, Viola da gamba, Double bass, Violoncello, Double bass

Organ (BA1709-67)

Chorus score (BA1709-91)

Study Score format 22.5 x 16.5cm (TP132)