Geistliche Chormusik I: The five-part motets Nos 1-12 SWV 369-380 (Score, hardback)

Schütz Geistliche Chormusik I: The five-part motets Nos 1-12 SWV 369-380 (Score, hardback)

Heinrich Schütz, who lived from 1585-1672 was undoubtedly the most important German composer in the era before Bach and Handel, and his work exercised a considerable influence on the development of music.  Making use of some of the innovations which had occurred in Italy, where he studied under Giovanni Gabrieli, he introduced a number of new elements into German music - a more monodic style of writing, the use of different and novel combinations of choirs and instrumental groups, and the setting of German words as well as Latin for religious works.  All of this resulted in works of a much more dramatic character than had hitherto been heard in Germany.

In 1648 Heinrich Schütz published a collection of 29 motets with five to seven parts titled “Geistliche Chor-Music” (Sacred Choir Music).  Here, the term “Chor” (choir) refers not only to a (large) vocal ensemble but, more generally, to a group of musicians, vocal or instrumental.  As explained by Schütz in the foreword he published with the collection, all parts of the motets can be performed vocally and/or instrumentally.  The “Geistliche Chor-Music” is still regarded as one of his seminal works.

- Urtext New Schütz Edition Vol.5/1

- Performing edition available for sale BA5901