Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt

Heinrich Schütz's twenty-nine motets in the 1648 Geistliche Chormusik, op. 11, including this work, demonstrate the composer's return to the German style and a contrapuntal process not dependent on the by-then-widely-accepted basso continuo after decades of composing biblical concertos and histories with obligatory continuo. This church-year-ordered collection was dedicated to the St. Thomas, Leipzig, choir, the conductor of which was Michael Tobias, son of Roger Tobias, Schütz's predecessor as Dresden court Kappelmeister.

“Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt” (John 3:16) was captioned by Schütz an “aria,” implying a predominant top voice with “accompaniment” by other voices (and/ or instruments); all parts excluding the continuo were texted. Note that “a cappella” performance of that period implied organ or instrumental use in contradistinction to nineteenth-century misunderstanding of early-music practice, therefore, the organ realization is given. Though the work was notated in duple meter, it is a virtual catalog of three-unit groupings: the largest is the opening motto; the next largest the hemiola prior to the final statement; the opening and second sections feature alternating patterns of half-note, quarter-note, half-note, quarter-note and half-note, half-note, half-note (galliard rhythm); the mensural change is most likely sesquialtera, three in the time of two. (Schütz was usually clearer in his markings; the interpretation here follows his by-far-most-common proportional relationship.) Half note = M.M. 60 or thereabouts gives the beginning the stateliness needed and accommodates both the eighth notes of the second section and the ternary change. The German language is obviously more effective here because of word order and syllable stress; the English is an attempt to consider both, while trying to remain somewhat faithful to the Catholic and King James translations. The left hand of the continuo realization shows Schütz's only barring. The right-hand and voice-part barring reflects the prevailing (conducting) rhythms, against which other parts have groupings delineated by the short lines above the staff. Strong and constant syncopation against the original duple pulse (tactus) is not desired! L W.

Source: Heinrich Schütz sämtliche Werke, ed. Philipp Spitta, vol. 8, no.12 (Leipzig: Breitkopf und Hartel, 1889).

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