Heinrich Schütz, born 100 years before Bach and died on November 6, 1672 at the biblical age of 87, i.e. 350 years ago, was perhaps the first great German composer with an unmistakable handwriting. He was rightly praised again and again for his concise language setting and in 1627 he wrote the first German opera “Dafne”, which is unfortunately lost today.
How wonderful that the Bavarian Radio Choir dedicated its second subscription concert in the Prinzregententheater to Schütz’s “Begräbnismusik” (Befuering Music) of his three-part, half-hour “Musikalische Exequien”. They almost represent a requiem and were created on the occasion of the death of Schütz’ sovereign in 1636. In addition, “Now thank you all God” and “The heavens tell the glory of God” and as an encore “Give us peace, Lord God, in our times”. Schütz composed both motets for his “Spiritual Choral Music 1648” and, not without meaning, named the year in which the Thirty Years’ War ended in the title.
Together with the magnificent eleven-strong Capella de la Torre and their Renaissance instruments shawm, cornett, alto pomeranian, bass dulcian, trombone, violin, violone, theorbo and chest organ, the BR Choir offered under its new director Florian Helgath, formerly head of the Munich Via-Nova -Choir and the Chorwerk Ruhr, a performance that is exemplary in terms of articulation, phrasing and intonation.
“Buccinate in neomenia tuba” by Giovanni Gabrieli, one of Schütz’s teachers, and a “Komm, Jesu, komm” by the student Johann Schelle made the differences to Schütz very clear. Unfortunately, “Meine Seel hoch den Herren” by contemporary Michael Praetorius, with its many delicate vocal solos, could not be adequately rehearsed. After all, ten of the 33 choir members were called up that evening. And so, for once, the BR-Chor was not experienced at the same high level as usual – and mostly in this concert as well.