Fahr hin mein Singen
When Sophie Elisabeth zu Mecklenburg (1613-1676) met Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) in 1638, Germany was in the grip of the Thirty Years’ War. A series of disputes tore the country apart and caused conflicts between neighbouring principalities. Religion was one of the sources of disagreement. In the 17th century, religion was omnipresent and as a result of war, hunger and disease, people held onto their religion more than ever. After all, it was the one constant element in their lives.
Money for music for worshipping was scarce and only a few musicians were available to occupy the princely chappels. Heinrich Schütz knew how to make a virtue of necessity when he composed his Kleine Geistliche Konzerte, music that could be performed by a small ensemble, in contrast with the Symphoniae sacrae from his youth, which required a larger setting of musicians. It is therefore no surprise that the talented Sophie Elisabeth, a pupil of Schütz, also preferred smaller ensembles for the settings of her sacred works. The psalms in particular were a great source of inspiration for her and she set beautiful music to the German version of these texts.
In this programme, KirstiConsort places Sophie Elisabeth next to her teacher, Schütz and offers an opportunity to hear how this noble lady was able to create sheer beauty during times of misery and despair.
Programme
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Sophie Elisabeth, Herzogin von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel:
(1613-1676)
Sinfonia (Cod. Guelf. 11 Noviss.2o)
Die versöhnte Braut-Seele (ChristFürstliches Davids-Harpfen-Spiel: zum Spiegel und Fürbild Himmel-flammender Andacht, mit ihren Arien oder Singweisen, hervorgegeben, Nürnberg: Christoph Gerhard, 1667)
Heinrich Schütz: Wohl dem, der nicht wandelt im Rat der Gottlosen, SWV 290
(1585-1672) (Kleine geistliche Konzerte I, op.8, Leipzig, 1636)
Sophie Elisabeth: Daß 12. Liedt. Trauergeschichte (Cod. Guelf. 11 Noviss.2o)
Heinrich Schütz: In te Domine speravi SWV 259 (Symphoniae sacrae I, op.6, Venice, 1629)
Sophie Elisabeth: Daß 36. Liedt. Büßen sich und in sich gehn (Cod. Guelf. 11 Noviss. 2o)
Jesus-Lob nach erlassenen Sünden “Jesus ist mein Aufenthalt”
(ChristFürstliches Davids-Harpfen-Spiel: zum Spiegel und Fürbild Himmel-flammender Andacht, mit ihren Arien oder Singweisen, hervorgegeben, Nürnberg: Christoph Gerhard, 1667)
William Brade: Coral (Düben Collection S-Uu Instr. mus. Ihs. 1:10, no.22)
(1560-1630)
Sophie Elisabeth: Psalm 20 Der Herr erhöre dich in der Not (Cod. Guelf. 11a Noviss.2o)
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Kirsti Apajalahti, baroque violin
Anna Vala Ólafsdóttir, contralto
Elianne Ardts, baroque cello
Tim Veldman, harpsichord and recorder