Johann Hermann Schein Israelsbrünnlein. Fontana d'Israel. Gesamtausgabe

1. O Lord, truly I am thy servant,
and the son of thine handmaid:
thou hast loosed my bonds.
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call upon the name of the Lord.
Ps 116:16–17 Translation: King James Bible

2. Rejoice with the wife of thy youth,
Let her be as the loving hind
and pleasant roe,
let her love satisfy thee at all times
and be thou ravished always with her love.
Pr 5:18–19 Translation: King James Bible

3. They that sow in tears
shall reap in joy.
He that goeth forth and weepeth,
bearing precious seed,
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his sheaves with him.
Ps 126:5–6 Translation: King James Bible

4. I will not let thee go,
except thou bless me.
for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Gn 32:27b; Ps 4:9b Translation: King James Bible

5. Nevertheless I am continually with thee:

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1. O Herr, ich bin dein Knecht,
deiner Magd Sohn;
du hast meine Bande zerrissen.
Dir will ich Dank opfern
und des Herren Namen predigen.
Psalm 116,16–17

2. Freue dich des Weibes deiner Jugend.
Sie ist lieblich wie eine Hinde,
und holdselig wie ein Rehe.
Lass dich ihre Liebe allezeit sättigen,
und ergötze dich allewege in ihrer Liebe.
Sprüche Salomos 5,18–19

3. Die mit Tränen säen,
werden mit Freuden ernten.
Sie gehen hin und weinen
und tragen edlen Samen
und kommen mit Freuden
und bringen ihre Garben.
Psalm 126,5–6

4. Ich lasse dich nicht,
du segnest mich denn.
Denn du allein, Herr, hilfest mir,
dass ich sicher wohne.
1. Buch Mose 32,27b; Psalm 4,9b

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Wolfram Steude
Translation: John Coombs

Poetic imagery and emotional sensitivity
Johann Hermann Schein’s Israelsbrünnlein With Johann Hermann Schein’s Fontana d’Israel. Israelsbrünnlein, published in Leipzig in 1623, we have a supreme achievement not only among the works of this composer, who had been Thomaskantor in Leipzig since 1616, but also for the entire body of German music written during the first half of the 17th century.

Among 26 motets written “in the Italian madrigal manner” 23 are settings of Old Testament texts, a fact to which the collection owes its title. The source for the text of this collection is the inexhaustible “fountain” of the Psalms, the books of Moses, the Prophets, the Song of Solomon, and other books of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha. Three pieces are based on New Testament or other Christian texts. These may possibly have been intended as the beginning of a collection

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