Another hymn tune that finds its way into classical composition is St. Anne (known to many as "O God, our help in ages past"). Bach, Handel, Buxtehude, Vaughan Williams, and others all found inspiration in William Croft's tune.
Lutheran Chorales: Christ lag in Todesbanden
Let's talk about (Christian) hymn singing as seen through the history of "Christ lag in Todesbanden"! Chant wasn't the only basis for sacred musical composition - the Lutheran chorales (some of which were based on chant) inspired both vocal and instrumental works as well as uniting congregations for many centuries!
Contrafacta
Have you ever heard a song and thought "I know this one, but with different words"? Welcome to the world of contrafacta! Early Music Sources explains the tradition of having multiple texts to the same tune (sometimes in translation, but not always)! Plus, do you know where Morley found "Now is the month of Maying"?
Name that genre...
Today's #EarlyMusicMonday
- dates back to the 1600s
- is frequently used as a basis for composers/arrangers
- has no authentic "original source"
- has a very specific style, best learned from those who have experience in it (rather than from books)
.... did you guess Black American spirituals?
Mozart Requiem
So let's talk about Mozart's Requiem! At the time of his death, the Lacrymosa was unfinished and there was no Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, or Communion. Curious about how it was finished (and how many people have attempted to complete it)? Wikipedia has a great synopsis, and IMSLP has versions of Mozart's fragments without any editorial additions.
New composition by Mozart
There’s always something new to find! This time it’s a new chamber music composition by Mozart, discovered in the Leipzig Municipal Museums! Read more about the amazing find here!
Misconceptions about nuns
What was the best way to be a female musician in 16th-17th-century Italy? What would give you stability, an education, and ensure your compositions and performances could be heard by the world? Become a nun! Early Music Sources explores what life was really like for musician-nuns in this great video!
Beethoven's 9th Symphony
Have you ever seen the manuscript of Beethoven's 9th Symphony? Wonder what edits Beethoven made to the score? Check out this post from Bärenreiter-Verlag!
The 3Bs
I've joked about my spring season including Bach (B minor mass), Beethoven (Symphony No. 9) and Brahms (Requiem), but how were those composers linked together? Here's your trivia fact for the week!
Search by Text
Sometimes the text you're researching isn't the first line of the piece (like with "O pray for the peace of Jerusalem"). Fortunately CPDL has a page that lists settings by Psalm text!