Der 136. Psalm - Schütz | National Lutheran Choir

Der 136. Psalm
(Psalm 136)
Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672)
Soloist: Paul Burow
Quartet: Zachary Busch, William Mills, Katherine Castille, Christine Cherwien
Recorded: March 2017, Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
Permission: Public Domain

Heinrich Schütz’s world of music expanded during his first trip to Venice (1609-1613) to study with the renowned Giovanni Gabrieli. There he probably frequented the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, a center for German merchants and musicians. The famed Saint Mark’s Cathedral boasted huge spaces that had generated a polychoral style, reflected here in a double chorus and double capella of ensembles plus continuous bass. The first capella declaims the psalm’s refrain (“For God’s mercy endures forever”) while a chorus announces each psalm verse. Schütz later expands the refrain’s sonority in response to the verses, sung in varied registers and textures by a chorus. The final, extensive verse (“Give thanks to the God of heaven . . .”) summarizes the entire psalm, splendidly tossing phrases among all ensembles of voices and instruments. Such music both fills the echoing spaces of a great cathedral and envelopes the worshiper with the praises of God. Originally commissioned for the 100th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation celebrations in Wittenburg, Germany.

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Text:
Danket dem Herren; denn er ist freundlich, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich.
Danket dem Gott aller Götter, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich.
Danket dem Herrn aller Herren, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich,
der grosse Wunder thut alleine, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der die Himmel ordentlich gemacht hat, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der die Erde aufs Wasser ausgebreitet hat, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der grosse Lichter gemacht hat, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich:
Die Sonn, dem Tage fürzustehen, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich,
den Monden und Sterne, der Nacht fürzustehen, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der Egypten schlug an ihren ersten Geburten, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich
und führet Israel heraus, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich
durch mächtige Hand und ausgerecktem Arm, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
Danket dem Gott vom Himmel, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich.


Give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord is good, for God’s mercy endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods, for God’s mercy endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for God’s mercy endures forever;
who alone does great wonders, for God’s mercy endures forever;
who by wisdom made the heavens, for God’s mercy endures forever;
who spread out the earth upon the waters, for God’s mercy endures forever;
who made the great lights – for God’s mercy endures forever;
the sun to govern the day, for God’s mercy endures forever;
the moon and the stars to govern the night, for God’s mercy endures forever;
who struck down the first-born of Egypt, for God’s mercy endures forever;
and brought out Israel from their midst, for God’s mercy endures forever;
with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, for God’s mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for God’s mercy endures forever.

Psalm 136: 1-12, 26