The collection Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica of 1619 is rightly regarded as the high point in Michael Praetorius’s output. It combines "Solennische Friedt- und Frewden-Concert:" which Praetorius as a travelling musician had composed largely for festive occasions – he writes of "Kayser: König: Chur: vnd Fürstlichen zusammen Kunfften" – and also for "fürnehme Capellen vnd Kirchen". In these chorale concerti the highly modern, Italian style and the Protestant chorale combine and form a symbiosis which showed the way forward for the history of German music. Even in the small-scale form of the chorale arrangement for two to three voices and basso continuo, Praetorius gives hints of the range of sound textures he is to use: the alternation between contrapuntal and homophonic styles of setting, duple and triple meter, and different dynamic. Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren is available on the CD Praetorius: Gloria sei dir gesungen. Choralkonzerte (Carus 83.482).
- ISMN: 9790007188825 (M007188825)
