Membra Jesu nostri

Membra Jesu nostri, with full title: Membra Jesu nostri patientis sanctissima (Latin, " The most holy limbs of our suffering Jesus ") is a cycle of seven cantatas Passions of the Danish- German Baroque composer Dieterich Buxtehude ( BuxWV 75).

Formation

Buxtehude wrote the work 1680. Narrated it is in an autograph tablature manuscript that has been preserved in the collection of the Stockholm court music director and organist Gustav Duben. This was a friend of Buxtehude and also the dedicatee of the work.

The text of the work combines Bible verses with verses of a medieval devotional poetry, was to Buxtehude's time under the name Latin Domini Bernhardi Oratio Rhythmica ( Mr. Bernard rhyme prayer) known and was regarded as the work of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, but today Arnulf is attributed by lions. This seal consists of seven parts, which are dedicated in ascending order of a part of the body of the Crucified: Feet - knees - hands - side - chest - heart - face. Each part has five zehnzeilige verses ( of the dedicated to the heart part seven), each of which is again divided into two five-line stanzas half. The seventh part (Latin Salve caput cruentatum ) Paul Gerhardt had already served as a template for the hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded, which was absolutely the Passion Chorale and was also used by Johann Sebastian Bach in the St. Matthew Passion.

From the ten or 14/2 verses of each part of Rhythmica Oratio the compiler chose ( suspected Buxtehude itself ) for each body part three each from. As the framework for three half- verses he chose appropriate Bible passages that related to the particular body part.

Construction

The cycle consists of the literary text accordingly of seven individual cantatas that are dedicated in ascending order of a part of the body of the crucified Christ. The individual cantatas usually have the following structure:

  • Sonata: instrumental introduction
  • Concerto: Bible word that refers to the respective part of the body (usually from the Old Testament), as a choral piece (usually SSATB, in Cantata 5 ATB, in Cantata 6 SSB, where the " choir" may consist of solo singers )
  • Three musically similar to arias identical to the text of three half- verses of the Oratio Rhythmica (usually two solos and a trio ) with intervening Instrumentalritornellen
  • Repetition of the Concerto

The basic structure is in the frame Cantatas 1 and 7 varied by stronger choir use, giving them special weight, while the cantatas 5 and 6, which are dedicated to the chest and the heart, are occupied smaller than the other, in order to emphasize the subjectivity of these parts. Specifically, the cantatas soft as follows from the basic format:

  • In one cantata follows the repetition of the concerto a repeat of the first aria in the choral setting.
  • In Cantata 5 and 6, the Bible word is sung in three parts, all six stanzas are solo arias.
  • In Cantata 7, the choir sings the third half- stanza. Subsequently, the Concerto is not repeated, but it is followed by a final choral Amen.

The performance of materials, who prepared Gustav Duben from the original tablature, show that at least he performed the work not in a cyclic relationship, but at different times. In the intentions of Buxtehude thereof may however not be closed.

Occupation

Five voices (Soprano I / II, alto, tenor, bass with ensemble and solo parts ), violin I / II, violone ( in the sixth cantata instead a five-part viol ensemble), Basso continuo

Gustav Duben added, possibly according to the former performance practice, the original set titled a " Complemento " added middle string parts, which nowadays is usually not considered for performances.

Importance

The membranes of Jesus nostri are prime examples of high baroque "Concerto - Aria Cantata". These is both their formal coherence as well as its strong expressiveness. Many musicians in the field of historical performance practice have presented performances and recordings of this work, so that it can be now considered one of the better-known creations of church music.

Recordings

  • Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Hannover Boys Choir. 1988 Erato 2292-45295-2
  • John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir. 1990 Archiv Produktion 447298-2
  • Diego Fasolis, Coro della Radio Svizzera Lugano, Sonatori della Gioiosa Marca, Accademia Italiana Strumentale. 1994 Naxos 8.553787
  • Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan. 1997 BIS- CD -871
  • Harry Christophers, The Sixteen. 2001, CKD 141
  • René Jacobs, Concerto Vocale. 2003 Harmonia Mundi
  • Junghänel, Cantus Coelln. 2005 Harmonia Mundi HMC 901 912
  • Wolfgang Katschner, Capella Angelica, Lautten Compagney, 2006 surround sound RK 2403
  • Jos van Veldhoven, The Netherlands Bach Society. 2006 Channel Classics CCS SA 24006
  • Hans -Christoph Rademann, Dresden Chamber Choir. 2007 Carus, Stuttgart, Carus 83 234
  • Jörg Breiding, Hannover Boys Choir, Baroque Orchestra L' Arco, Himlische Cantorey. 2008 Rondeau Production, Leipzig ( ROP7006 )
List of compositions by Dieterich Buxtehude First Epistle of Peter Psalms Bass (voice type) Knabenchor Hannover Hans-Christoph Rademann Dresdner Kammerchor Patrologia Latina
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