Schütz: Psalmen Davids, 1619

Featuring

Karl-Friedrich Beringer
Dieter Kirsch
Gisela Reith
Wolfgang Wagner
Rudolf Zartner
Michael Lochner

Windsbacher Knabenchor
Heinrich Schütz

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Heinrich Schütz aimed for his sacred works to be a 'musical sermon,' translating biblical text into music by expressing its meaning and emotion through illustrative, affective, and symbolic figures.

Composer Biography

Schütz's musical talent was recognized by Landgraf Moritz von Hessen-Kassel at age 13, who provided him with training and sent him to Venice to study with Giovanni Gabrieli, one of the most important musicians of the time.

Composer Biography

Heinrich Schütz, at the age of 30, held one of the most prestigious positions in the music world as director of the Dresden court ensemble, despite initially planning a career in law.

Cultural Impact

Schütz's ability to musically interpret Martin Luther's Bible translation and connect with listeners emotionally earned him high renown in his lifetime, with admirers calling him the 'father of our modern music.'

Compositional Technique

Schütz described his 'Psalmen Davids' as 'German psalms in the Italian manner,' referring to the use of multiple vocal and instrumental choirs, a technique he learned from Giovanni Gabrieli.

Performer Biography

Karl-Friedrich Beringer, director of the Windsbacher Knabenchor since 1978, has led the ensemble to international fame and is recognized as a sought-after choral and orchestral conductor.

Composition History

Schütz's 'Psalmen Davids' (Psalms of David) are 26 masterful compositions that solidified his reputation, written in the tradition he learned from Giovanni Gabrieli in Venice.