Dietrich Buxtehude is probably most familiar to modern
classical music audiences as the man who inspired the
young Johann Sebastian Bach to make a lengthy
pilgrimage to Lubeck, Buxtehude's place of employment
and residence for most of his life, just to hear
Buxtehude play the organ. But Buxtehude was a major
figure among German Baroque composers in his own right.
Though we do not have copies of much of the work that
most impressed his contemporaries, Buxtehude
nonetheless left behind a body of v...(+)
Dietrich Buxtehude is probably most familiar to modern
classical music audiences as the man who inspired the
young Johann Sebastian Bach to make a lengthy
pilgrimage to Lubeck, Buxtehude's place of employment
and residence for most of his life, just to hear
Buxtehude play the organ. But Buxtehude was a major
figure among German Baroque composers in his own right.
Though we do not have copies of much of the work that
most impressed his contemporaries, Buxtehude
nonetheless left behind a body of vocal and
instrumental music which is distinguished by its
contrapuntal skill, devotional atmosphere, and raw
intensity. He helped develop the form of the church
cantata, later perfected by Bach, and he was just as
famous a virtuoso on the organ.
In this cantata Buxtehude sets a text by Cyriakus
Schneegass from a collection of sacred poetry entitled
Sieben und Zwentzigh Neue Geistliche Gesenge, 1588. The
text celebrates the newborn Jesus and the coming of a
new church year. The work is scored for soprano, alto,
tenor, bass, three violins, violone, and continuo. With
the exception of the third violin part which often
doubles the first soprano, the strings rarely double
the voices creating a nice rich texture whenever they
are all playing and singing at the same time. Although
Buxtehude sets more than one verse of a strophic poem
his setting is through-composed and doesn't revisit
motivic material during successive verses. Also this
cantata avoids solo sections. When one voice sings, all
four parts sing.
Although originally created for Accompanied Chorus, I
created this Interpretation of the Cantata: "Das
neugeborne, Kindelein" (BuxWV 13) for Winds (Flute,
Oboe, Bb Clarinet, French Horn & Bassoon) & Strings (2
Violins, Viola, Cello & Bass).