This Week in Classical Music: October 7, 2024. Schütz and more. Heinrich Schutz, the greatest German Renaissance predecessor of Johann Sebastian Bach, was born on October 8th of 1585 in Bad Köstritz, Thuringia.When Heinrich was five, his family moved to Weissenfels, where his father inherited an inn and became a mayor.Heinrich demonstrated musical talent from a very early age.In 1598, Maurice, the landgrave of Hesse-Kasse, a tiny principality then part of the Holy Roman Empire, stayed overnight in the family inn and heard Heinrich sing.Maurice, himself a musician and composer, was so impressed that he invited Heinrich to his court to study music and further his education (while at the court, Heinrich learned several languages, including Latin, Greek and French).Heinrich sang as a choir boy till his voice broke and then went to study law at Marburg.In 1609 he traveled to Venice to study music with Giovanni Gabrieli.Even though Gabrieli was 28 years older than Schütz, they became close friends (Gabrieli left him one of his rings when he died).The master died in 1612 and Schütz returned to Kassel.In 1614 the Elector of Saxony asked Schütz to come to Dresden.The famous Michael Praetorius was nominally in charge of music-making at the court but he had other responsibilities, so the elector was interested in Schütz’s service.Schütz moved to Dresden permanently in 1615.In 1619 he received the title of Hofkapellmeister.Soon after he published his first major work, Psalmen Davids (Psalms of David), a collection of 26 settings of psalms influenced, as one can hear, by Gabrieli.Here’s Psalm 128, “Wohl dem, der den Herren fürchte.”Cantus Cölln and Concerto Palatino are conducted by Konrad Junghänel.
Schütz lived in Dresden for the rest of his life, making periodic extended trips: in 1628 he went to Venice where he met Claudio Monteverdi who became a big influence.He also made several trips to Copenhagen, composing for the royal court.Schütz lived a long life: he died on November 6th of 1672 at the age of 87.Schütz composed mostly sacred choral music, although in 1627 he wrote what is considered the first German opera, Dafne.Even though the libretto survived, the score was lost years ago.Here’s one of Schütz’s Kleine Geistliche Konzerte (Little Sacred Concertos), composed in 1636.It’s called Bone Jesu Verbum Patris (Good Jesus, word of the Father).Tölzer Knabenchors is conducted by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden.
Also this week: Giulio Caccini, a very important, if mostly forgotten Italian composer of the transitional period between the Renaissance and the Baroque, was born on October 8th of 1551, probably in Rome.A very popular “Ave Maria,” attributed to Caccini, was written by Vladimir Vavilov, a Russian guitarist, lutenist, composer and musical prankster who published several compositions ascribing them to composes of different eras. In 1970 Melodia issued an LP, “The Lute Music of the 16th and 17th Centuries” performed by Vavilov.Eight out of ten pieces were composed by him rather than composers indicated on the sleeve.Francesco da Milano, a lutenist and composer of the early 16th century, was Vavilov’s “favorite”: he composed six pieces, including a widely performed “Canzona,” and attributed all of them to the Italian.
Heinrich Schütz, 2024
This Week in Classical Music: October 7, 2024. Schütz and more. Heinrich Schutz, the greatest German Renaissance predecessor of Johann Sebastian Bach, was born on October 8th of
1585 in Bad Köstritz, Thuringia. When Heinrich was five, his family moved to Weissenfels, where his father inherited an inn and became a mayor. Heinrich demonstrated musical talent from a very early age. In 1598, Maurice, the landgrave of Hesse-Kasse, a tiny principality then part of the Holy Roman Empire, stayed overnight in the family inn and heard Heinrich sing. Maurice, himself a musician and composer, was so impressed that he invited Heinrich to his court to study music and further his education (while at the court, Heinrich learned several languages, including Latin, Greek and French). Heinrich sang as a choir boy till his voice broke and then went to study law at Marburg. In 1609 he traveled to Venice to study music with Giovanni Gabrieli. Even though Gabrieli was 28 years older than Schütz, they became close friends (Gabrieli left him one of his rings when he died). The master died in 1612 and Schütz returned to Kassel. In 1614 the Elector of Saxony asked Schütz to come to Dresden. The famous Michael Praetorius was nominally in charge of music-making at the court but he had other responsibilities, so the elector was interested in Schütz’s service. Schütz moved to Dresden permanently in 1615. In 1619 he received the title of Hofkapellmeister. Soon after he published his first major work, Psalmen Davids (Psalms of David), a collection of 26 settings of psalms influenced, as one can hear, by Gabrieli. Here’s Psalm 128, “Wohl dem, der den Herren fürchte.” Cantus Cölln and Concerto Palatino are conducted by Konrad Junghänel.
Schütz lived in Dresden for the rest of his life, making periodic extended trips: in 1628 he went to Venice where he met Claudio Monteverdi who became a big influence. He also made several trips to Copenhagen, composing for the royal court. Schütz lived a long life: he died on November 6th of 1672 at the age of 87. Schütz composed mostly sacred choral music, although in 1627 he wrote what is considered the first German opera, Dafne. Even though the libretto survived, the score was lost years ago. Here’s one of Schütz’s Kleine Geistliche Konzerte (Little Sacred Concertos), composed in 1636. It’s called Bone Jesu Verbum Patris (Good Jesus, word of the Father). Tölzer Knabenchors is conducted by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden.
Also this week: Giulio Caccini, a very important, if mostly forgotten Italian composer of the transitional period between the Renaissance and the Baroque, was born on October 8th of 1551, probably in Rome. A very popular “Ave Maria,” attributed to Caccini, was written by Vladimir Vavilov, a Russian guitarist, lutenist, composer and musical prankster who published several compositions ascribing them to composes of different eras. In 1970 Melodia issued an LP, “The Lute Music of the 16th and 17th Centuries” performed by Vavilov. Eight out of ten pieces were composed by him rather than composers indicated on the sleeve. Francesco da Milano, a lutenist and composer of the early 16th century, was Vavilov’s “favorite”: he composed six pieces, including a widely performed “Canzona,” and attributed all of them to the Italian.