Singet, Singet.....

HEINRICH SCHUTZ

October 8 1585--November 6, 1672

Today is the anniversary of the birth of Heinrich Schutz--pretty close since that's the old calendar--but good enough. Schutz was one of the greatest composers who ever lived and my own personal favorite.

To please his father he got his law degree and then promptly left "Germany" for Italy to study with G. Gabriell. That was definitely a good decision for music!

You can look him up yourself although it is pointless if you don't also listen to his music. His life was long, sad, unsettled and productive. One of his most joyful compositions--The Christmas Story--was written at the end of his life when he was in his 80ies.

It does not do Western Civilization any credit that so much of his music has been lost to the mess of wars and carelessness of those who don't know treasure from trash.

Surprisingly, the Lutherans have a day during the year when 3 great protestant composers are honored: JS Bach, Handel and Schutz. Although in my heart I always felt Schutz was a secret Catholic--all that exposure in Venice to the True Faith while the True Faith still took music seriously--is a tribute to Lutherans that they still honor this superb composer.

One of his more interesting commisions must have been when Schutz composed the funeral music for Count Heinrich Posthumous Reuss, who died on December 3, 1635. Apparently it was performed so the Count could hear it while he was still on the right side of the grass--talk about your "pre-need" funeral planning!

Schutz wrote some of the most beautiful choral music the world has ever known. He was a renowned organist--none of his organ music survives. In fact, none of his instrumental music survives. This is how society treats its jewels. I wish we learned from the past.

Schutz worked most of his life(when he wasn't on the run because of the 30 Years War) in Dresden and was buried there. Nearly 300 years later that magnificent church and Schutz's bones were destroyed in the firebombing of Dresden--that completely unnecessasry, vengeful destruction of one of the jewels in the crown of Western Civilization.

Today also marks the anniversary of my own reception into the Catholic Church 23 years ago. I chose the date on purpose.

http://www.realmusic.ru/songs/418947/