Heinrich Schütz Ich danke dem Herrn; Lob und Preis

5. Ich danke dem Herrn von ganzem Herzen
Psalm 111 All thanks to the Lord my heart will offer,
among the faithful and in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord God;
they that seek them shall have pleasure therein.
What he doeth merits praises and honor;
and great is his righteousness everlastingly.
The Lord hath done marvelous works
for his remembrance,
the merciful and benevolent Lord.
And he hath given meat to them that fear him;
and is mindful ever of his covenant.
He hath revealed the power of his works
to the people of his choice,
for to them he giveth the share of the heathen.
The works that he doeth are judgement and truth;
and in all his commandments he is faithful.
For they shall stand fast everlastingly
and are done in truth and equity.

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5. Ich danke dem Herrn von ganzem Herzen
Psalm 111 Ich danke dem Herrn von ganzem Herzen
im Rat der Frommen und in der Gemeine.
Groß sind die Werke des Herren;
wer ihr’r achtet, der hat eitel Lust dran.
Was er ordnet, das ist löblich und herrlich;
und seine Gerechtigkeit währet ewiglich.
Er hat ein Gedächtnis
gestiftet seiner Wunder,
der gnädige und barmherzige Herr.
Er gibet Speise denen, so ihn fürchten;
er gedenket ewiglich an seinen Bund.
Er lässt verkündigen seine gewaltigen Taten seinem Volk,
dass er ihnen gebe das Erbe der Heiden.
Die Werk’ seiner Hände sind Wahrheit und Recht;
alle seine Gebote sind rechtschaffen.
Sie werden erhalten immer und ewiglich

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Oliver Geisler
Translation: Liz Robinson

For “practical use”: Introduction A glance at music history always reveals more than just music. For music can also be regarded as a mirror or the essence of a whole culture. Indeed, even more importantly, studying and listening to music means learning something about societies and people. How valuable, therefore, are those works which are all too readily labelled “Gebrauchsmusik” (functional music) and consigned to oblivion in favor of the compositional high points of an era. Such works offer a glimpse into the workshops, laboratories, studies and living rooms of a society. Churches, castles and reception rooms are beautiful and imposing, but they also dazzle – because they are always designed to impress. Functional music is concerned with the everyday and with “real life.” And precisely because of this, such works are still performed today, even if they at first appear less grand.

Of the Zwölf geistliche Gesänge it is said that Schütz “sketched them in his spare time.” Evidently

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