Search - Heinrich Schutz, Harry Christophers, Symphony of Harmony & Invention :: Heinrich Schütz: Musikalische Exequien

"Outstanding recording presence?heavenly singing." - CLASSIC CD To date The Sixteen and the Symphony of Harmony and Invention have made over 90 recordings, many award-winning, in a range of work spanning the music of 600 years, rediscovering and performing lost and little-known repertoire. From the devastation of Saxony in the Thirty Years War comes this very individual Requiem, first performed at the funeral of the aristocrat Heinrich Posthumus Reuß in 1636. The texts were engraved on his coffin in advance and the Prince, being a keen singer and not wishing to miss his own funeral music, took part in performances of the first part of it during his lifetime. Along with settings of the Nunc dimittis and Lord's Prayer is the last work Schütz wrote, the celebrated and beautiful Deutsches Magnificat for double choir. Long neglected as a mere "precursor" of J.S. Bach, Heinrich Schütz has come to be seen as ever more important and interesting as more is learned about him, and his music more often performed.