Unser Herr Jesus Christ (SWV 495)

Schütz Unser Herr Jesus Christus, in der Nacht, da er verraten ward SWV 495
Motet for the Last Supper for two four-part Mixed Choirs (SATB)

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.