Psalmen Davids (Complete 26 Pslams)

Schutz (Artist), Bernius (Artist), Kammerchor Stuttgart (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 9, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000027TQ
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,751 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #15 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Psalms
  • #97 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Motets

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Der Herr sprach zu

2. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Warum toben die He

3. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Ach Herr, straf mi

4. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Aus der Tiefe ruf

5. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Ich freu mich des,

6. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Herr, unser Herrsc

7. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Wohl dem, der nich

8. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Wie lieblich sind

9. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Wohl dem, der den

10. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Ich hebe meine Aug

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Singet dem Hern ei

2. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Jauchzet dem Herre

3. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): An den Wassern zu

4. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Alleluja! Lobet de

5. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Lobe den Herren, m

6. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Ist nicht Ephraim

7. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Nun lob, mein Seel

8. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Die mit Trönen söe

9. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Nicht uns, Herr, s

10. Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, for double chorus, instruments & continuo, SWV 22-47 (Op. 2): Wohl dem, der den

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Psalmen Davids, a collection of German settings of Psalms for use in Lutheran churches, was only Schütz's first publication of sacred music, but it made him famous all over Germany. The influence of the composer's teacher Gabrieli is evident throughout the magnificent, lavishly scored music (double choir with soloists, strings, and brass in various combinations), yet Schütz pays a Monteverdian attention and respect to his texts. That very respect can make some of the simpler Psalm-settings for two SATB choirs tedious for non-German-speakers, but the pieces with substantial parts for soloists and instruments are a joy--as are the performances here. (The one-voice-per-part performance by Cantus Cölln and Concerto Palatino on Harmonia Mundi, while smaller-scale, has subtlety and grace that transcend language barriers.) --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Psalmen Davids recording!, March 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Psalmen Davids (Complete 26 Pslams) (Audio CD)

It seems to me that the Amazon editorial reviewer doesn't really understand or know this music and should not comment. (Why wasn't an expert engaged?) Schütz wrote the Psalmen Davids for forces ranging from two to four vocal choirs with and without violins, cornetts and trombones. Schütz also divides his choirs into 'favoriti' (solo singers) and 'cappella' choirs (a larger number of singers - full choirs, if you like) - instruments sometimes support the soloists and sometimes double or replace the 'cappella' choir. Trumpets are used in one of the works - 18 trumpeters performed in a performance of this work in Schütz' lifetime.

Musica Fiata and Frieder Bernius do a splendid job of bringing these works to life and the power and majesty of this music is evident throughout. The choir is not too big or too small and the instrumental playing is excellent throughout. This recording is vastly preferable to the misguided and strange OVPP Cantus Cölln recording which completely eliminates the vocal 'cappella' choirs and had insufficient voices to cover all the vocal lines - even with soloists! This recording was a major disappointment - 'budget-cut' Schütz in fact!

Buy this recording! This is the only Psalmen Davids on CD that comes even close to ideas Schütz expressed in the introduction to the published score of these works.

A word to Amazon - get some staff reviewers who know what they are talking about and who look at a score occasionally or do some research! You can't learn about music from CD cover notes alone!

Steven

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unavailable Greatness, February 14, 2008

By 

Giordano Bruno - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Psalmen Davids (Complete 26 Pslams) (Audio CD)

This was a very fine performance of a very great masterwork, but since it is unavailable, even used, and since I've become separated from my own copy of it, I can't review it in detail. I only wish to suggest that the critical comparisons of this disk with the available performance by Konrad Junghanel and Cantus Colln are both valid and irrelevant. It's quite true that Junghanel has presented a "minimal" scoring of the work, but such selective use of forces was quite within the practice of Schuetz's musical world. In fact, as the Thirty Years War and the plagues in Italy took their toll on musicians, cornettists especially for some odd reason, Schuetz would surely have been overjoyed to have such forces available as Junghanel employs.

As I remember, this performance by Musica Fiata was big and resonant but lacking in declamatory drama, more a choral festival than the acoustics of a CD in your living room can sustain. It's one thing to hear such music in a cathedral, and quite another on your headphones.

The main thing is to hear the music. Hey, friends, I'm the purist's purist, but I love the Cantus Colln results.

There are some older CDs of Psalmen Davids still being sold. Shun them at all costs. Schuetz is extremely performance dependent.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real winner, December 4, 2005

By 

scott (Calgary, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psalmen Davids (Complete 26 Pslams) (Audio CD)

This is Schutz at his closest to Gabrieli. The scoring here is very lavish, some of these motets requiring 3 or even 4 choirs.

Bernius has done a great job bringing the best out of these works. Praetorius was very pragmatic and always gave the musician some latitude in how to perform his music according to the resources available. In this recording Bernius has chosen to be fairly opulent and has expanded the scope of the music to its grandest options. I find it very satisfying.

I am usually a fan of one-voice-per-part performances, but somehow this repetoire seems to benefit from the use of the capella that Junghanel forsakes in his recording of this music.