Dieterich Buxtehude: Ihr lieben Christen, BuxWV 51 (c.1690) with Synthesizer V

This Advent cantata by Dietrich Buxtehude calls for an unusually large array of accompanying instruments: 2 clarino trumpets, violins, violas (or viole da gamba), cello, violone, church organ, bassoon, cornetti (doubling violins), trombones (i.e. sackbuts) and, most importantly, a 5 part choir to match the massive orchestral sound. It was most certainly intended for the professional musicians and choir of St. Mary’s church in Lübeck where Buxtehude had been music director for decades. This late work by the maestro appends the first verse of a mystical / religious poem by Erasmus Alber to later non-liturgical text. Alber's original words were published in 1542 during the first generation of Lutheran lyricists. The instrumental parts, with its full compliment of brass and strings is similar in spirit to the grandiose and dramatic motets and masses of Heinirch Ignaz Franz Biber in Salzburg (Austria) as well as the much earlier polychoral masterpieces of Giovanni Gabrieli in Venice and Michael Praetorius in Thuringia.

In this latest rendition, I used the Synthesizer V software with Solaria (for soprano and alto parts) and Kevin (for the tenors and bass). The instrumental accompaniment was created using Music Studio 2. Reverb was added using Audacity.

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German Text:

Ihr lieben Christen, freut euch nun,
bald wird erscheine Gottes Sohn,
der unser Bruder worden ist,
das ist der lieber Jesus Christ.

Siehe, siehe, der Herr kommt
mit viel tausend Heiligen,
Gerichte zu halten über alle.
Siehe, siehe, ich komme bald
und mein Lohn mit mir.
So komm doch, Jesu, komme bald,
und gänzlich zu befreien
komm unser Seelen Aufenthalt,
komm uns ewig zu erfreuen.
Komm, Jesu, komm und säume nicht,
lass uns in deines Himmels Licht
dein ewiges Lob ausschreien.
Amen.

Ei, lieber Herr, eil zum Gericht,
Lass sehn dein herrlich Angesicht,
das Wesen der Dreifaltigkeit.
Das hilf uns, Gott, in Ewigkeit.
Amen.

Translation:

Dear Christians, rejoice now,
Soon the Son of God will appear,
He who became our brother,
that is the beloved Jesus Christ.
Behold, the Lord is coming
with many thousand Saints
The Righteous stands over all
Behold, I come soon
and my reward with me.
So come, Jesus, come soon
and to completely free our souls.
Let us shout your eternal praise
In thy Heaven's light.
Come to bring us joy forever
Let us see your beautiful face
The essence of the Trinity
God, who saves us, for all eternity.
Amen.

ILLUSTRATIONS:

1. Altar of Sankt Marienkirche (St. Mary's Church), Lübeck where Buxtehude was organist and choir director
2. Natural trumpet, Johann Wilhelm Haas, c1680
3. Exterior of St. Mary's Church in Lübeck
4. Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp, Artus Quellinus, 1695
5. Bass viol, Joachim Tielke, Hamburg, 1683
6. Annunciation, Luca Giordano, 1672
7. Trumpeter in the balcony, Gerrit Dou, c1665
8. St.Cecilia with musical angels, Cornelis de Baellieur, 1647
9. Annunciation, Ludovico Mazzanti, early 18th cent.
10. The "Great Organ" (modern replica of an original played by Buxtehude, but destroyed in Allied bombing in 1942), Marienkirche, Lübeck
11. Another Annunciation, Ludovico Mazzanti, early 18th cent.
12. Concert, Donato Creti, 1697
13. City Hall Arcade, Lübeck
14. Annuciation, Gaspare Diziani, c1720
15. Pre-1913 photo of the original Buxtehude organ in the West Wall of Marienkirche (before its destruction in 1942)
16. Annunciation, Matthias Stomer, c1638
17. Still life of musical instruments, Cristoforo Munari, c1703
18. Annunciation, Francesco Ricci, 1665
19. Family portrait, Gonzalez Coques, c1650
20. St. George conquering the dragon, St. Katherine Church, Lübeck
21. View of Lübeck in 1641
22. Virgin of the Grapes, Pierre Mignard, c1650
23. German organist, Weigel, c1720
24. Musical Company with close up of Dietrich Buxtehude playing the bass viol, Johannes Voorthout, 1674
25. Triumph of the Name of Jesus, Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Chiesa del Gesù, 1679