The Spiritual Madrigal Goes North
Bob Worth
From 1623 to 1653, four major collections of sacred polyphony were published in Germany:
Johann Hermann Schein: Israelsbrünnlein, or Fontana d’Israel (1623)
Tobias Michael: Musicalische Seelenlust (1635-37)
Heinrich Schütz: Geistliche Chormusik (1648)
Andreas Hammerschmidt: Chor-Music auf Madrigal-Manier (1652-53)
Taken together, these publications form an incredible treasure-trove of what are essentially spiritual madrigals, settings of sacred German texts in the Italian madrigal style. Each publication alludes to the madrigal as a model, and the colorful, super-expressive musical settings bear out the assertion. In addition, each volume includes a basso continuo part, another indication that significant Italian developments of the early Baroque were making an impact in northern climes.
In our session, we’ll trace this influence of Italian style upon the older forms of German polyphony, and we’ll look at, listen to and read through wonderful pieces from each of these publications, using recordings by the excellent Ensemble Polyharmonique and by other early-music groups.
Singer and non-singers alike are warmly invited to join Bob Worth as we gather together
to learn about and celebrate this magnificent music!
Bob Worth
From 1623 to 1653, four major collections of sacred polyphony were published in Germany:
Johann Hermann Schein: Israelsbrünnlein, or Fontana d’Israel (1623)
Tobias Michael: Musicalische Seelenlust (1635-37)
Heinrich Schütz: Geistliche Chormusik (1648)
Andreas Hammerschmidt: Chor-Music auf Madrigal-Manier (1652-53)
Taken together, these publications form an incredible treasure-trove of what are essentially spiritual madrigals, settings of sacred German texts in the Italian madrigal style. Each publication alludes to the madrigal as a model, and the colorful, super-expressive musical settings bear out the assertion. In addition, each volume includes a basso continuo part, another indication that significant Italian developments of the early Baroque were making an impact in northern climes.
In our session, we’ll trace this influence of Italian style upon the older forms of German polyphony, and we’ll look at, listen to and read through wonderful pieces from each of these publications, using recordings by the excellent Ensemble Polyharmonique and by other early-music groups.
Singer and non-singers alike are warmly invited to join Bob Worth as we gather together
to learn about and celebrate this magnificent music!