musica Dei donum
CD reviews
Heinrich SCHÜTZ (1585 - 1672): "Da Pacem"
Ricercar Consort
Dir: Philippe Pierlot
rec: Oct 8 - 12, 2023, La Lucerne, Abbaye
Mirare - MIR736 (© 2024) (57'00")
Liner-notes: E/D/F; lyrics - translations: E/(D)/F
Cover, track-list & booklet
Scores
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Johann Hermann SCHEIN (1586-1630):
Corollarium: Canzon à 5 [2];
Intrada à 5 [1];
Heinrich SCHÜTZ:
Da pacem, Domine (SWV 465);
Die mit Tränen säen (SWV 378) [5];
Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me (SWV 85) [3];
Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott (SWV 447);
Herr, nun lässest Du deinen Diener (SWV 352a);
Herr unser Herrscher (SWV 449);
Siehe, wie fein und lieblich ists (SWV 48);
So fahr ich hin (SWV 379) [5];
Teutoniam dudum belli (SWV 338);
Verleih uns Frieden genädiglich (SWV 372) [5];
Was betrübst du dich (SWV 353) [4]
Sources:
Johann Hermann Schein, [1] Venus Kräntzlein, 1609;
[2] Cymbalum Sionium, 1615
Heinrich Schütz, [3] Cantiones Sacrae, 1625;
[4] Symphoniae Sacrae II, 1647;
[5] Geistliche Chor-Music, 1648
Hanna Bayodi-Hirt, Yetzabel Arias, soprano;
Olivier Coiffet, Hugo Hymas, tenor;
Matthias Vieweg, bass
Sophie Gent, violin, viola da gamba;
Louis Crea'ch, violin;
Clémence Schiltz, Mathias Ferré, Philippe Pierlot, viola da gamba;
Isaline Leloup, violone;
Daniel Zapico, theorbo;
Paul Goussot, organ
When Heinrich Schütz died in 1672, a long and successful career came to an end. For many years he had been one of the dominating characters at the German music scene, and had left a lasting mark on its development. Many composers were influenced by him, either directly, being his pupil, or more indirectly, through his compositions, many of which were published. His oeuvre is large, and that is all the more remarkable, given the fact that during a large part of his career he had to deal with the effects of the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). These were devastating, in the cost of human lives, economically and financially, and also in the field of the arts and music.
The artistic effects were twofold. Because of the financial burden of the war, chapels often did not have enough singers and players to perform large-scale works. Moreover, members of chapels often had to go to war or lost their lives due to wartime activities. This explains why composers sometimes had to confine themselves to the writing of small-scale works for just a few performers. The best-known specimens of this are Schütz's Kleine Geistliche Konzerte. Secondly, composers turned to texts that could in one way or another be connected to the war and its effects. It is summed up in the title of this disc: "Da pacem" - give peace.
The programme recorded by the Ricercar Consort includes several pieces that can be connected to the time in which they were written, although they are not always explicitly related to it. Two pieces have the same text, although in different languages. Da pacem, Domine was written for the Electoral Assembly in Mühlhausen in October and November 1627. Schütz's employer, the Elector of Saxony, although Protestant, tried to mediate between the conflicting parties. On this assembly Emperor Ferdinand and the Prince-Electors met. Schütz wrote the music, but only this particular piece has been preserved. It is set for nine voices in two choirs. The first choir consists of five viols and one or two singers. That is what the liner-notes say and what the work-list in New Grove indicates. Philipp Spitta's edition of 1893 has all the parts texted; I don't know whether this is according to the manuscript. Here Philippe Pierlot opted for a solo voice and viols in the first choir. The second choir is in four parts, and these voices sing a political text: "acclamations of long life for the three 'spiritual' Electors, the Catholic Archbishops of Mainz, Trier, and Cologne, and the three 'secular' Electors, the Duke of Saxony, the Margrave of Brandenburg, and the Duke of Bavaria, along with Ferdinand II, 'the most invincible Emperor'" (booklet). This is one of many pieces by Schütz, which can be performed in different ways. It is certainly possible to perform this work in a larger line-up. The second setting of the same text, but then in German - Verleih uns Frieden genädiglich - and without any political 'tropes', is taken from the Geistliche Chor-Music of 1648, the year of the Peace of Westphalia which brought the war to an end. One may assume that the pieces in this collection were written when the war was still going on. In fact, this motet is the first of a pair: the second, not performed here, is Gib unsern Fürsten, a prayer for God's help for the rulers.
The second explicitly 'political' piece is Teutonium dudum belli: "The dark perils of war have disturbed Germany for some time now. Oh, may kind peace bring a thousand joys to all!" It was published in 1641 and expresses the longing for peace. The text, probably written by Schütz himself, is not sacred, but rather rooted in a tradition of using images from antique mythology: "Let the throng of the Nine Muses sing new songs, let Apollo strike the sounding ivory with his golden plectrum, let the Graces and men of goodwill exclaim everywhere: Oh, may kind peace bring a thousand joys to all!" It is notable that the publisher offered an alternative text, which makes this piece suitable for Easter; this text may also be from the pen of Schütz.
Several pieces are settings of (verses from) Psalms. Obviously these are not specifically connected to the main theme of this recording, but fit well into it. Was betrübst du dich is a setting of the fifth verse of Psalm 42. In it the soul is urged to put his trust in God. The text of Die mit Tränen säen is taken from Psalm 126 (vs 5-6). The contrast between "sowing in tears" and "reaping in joy" may be used metaphorically for the hope that war will make place for peace. As one may expect from Schütz, the opposition between these two is eloquently expressed in the music. In a comparable way, Psalm 133, Siehe, wie fein und lieblich ists, which expresses the ideal of living together in harmony as brothers and sisters, can be interpreted metaphorically as an urging for peace. It was written at the occasion of the wedding of Schütz's younger brother Georg. Interestingly, the text is not chosen to wish the bridal couple a happy and harmonious marriage, but rather to express the wish that the two brothers may remain united in faith: "This [concerto] is owed only to you, brother, because one faith united our souls; may this firm faith, which connected us from a mother's womb, persevere in time forever".
Domine, ne in furore arguas me is a setting of the first four verses of Psalm 6, the first of the seven penitential psalms. As war was often considered an effect of the sinful state of mankind, the inclusion of this piece in the programme makes perfect sense. Another penitential psalm is 51, known in Latin as Miserere mei Deus. The first stanza of the rhymed version, attributed to Erhart Hegenwald (1524), Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott, was set by Schütz for a solo voice and instruments. Notable is the repetition of the first words: "Erbarm dich". Herr, unser Herrscher is a setting of Psalm 8; it is a song of praise on God's omnipotence. Charles E. Brewer, in his liner-notes, refers here to a sermon about this psalm by Martin Luther: "[Where] this King rules, namely, in all lands and yet in heaven; and the means by which His kingdom is founded and regulated, namely, only through the Word and faith, without sword and armor". Schütz had already written music on this text, as part of the Psalmen Davids. The version performed here is very different.
Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener also appears twice in Schütz's oeuvre. In Germany this Song of Simeon was part of funeral services. It is included in the Musicalische Exequien (written in 1535, published in 1636) and here we have a version which Schütz composed also in 1535 at the occasion of the death of his friend and colleague Christoph Cornett, who had been Hofkapellmeister in Kassel. A revised version of the latter appeared in the Symphoniae Sacrae II of 1647. The work-list in New Grove does not suggest a substantial difference in scoring between the two versions of SWV 352, but the track-list in the booklet says Basso solo con 2 overo 5 viole. Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist is a funeral hymn (Nikolaus Herman, 1569); So fahr ich hin zu Jesu Christ is the fifth stanza.
Da pacem is the right title for this programme of music, which is or can be connected to one of the most traumatic events in German history. Through the music by Schütz it is seen in the light of 17th-century thinking in Protestant Germany. The connection may sometimes seem speculative, but in each case it makes sense. Philippe Pierlot and his ensemble have made quite a number of recordings with German 17th-century repertoire, for which they seem to have a special liking. That shows in the way they perform it. Pierlot has brought together an excellent ensemble of singers and players who do the right things in each single piece. The text is always in the centre, as it should be, and they are very aware of the connection between text and music. As some of the items - especially the occasional pieces - are not that well-known, this disc deserves the attention of every lover of German music of the 17th century, and of Schütz's music in particular.
Johan van Veen (© 2024)
Relevant links:
Ricercar Consort