Composer

:

Heinrich Schütz

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Publication Date

:

1648

Average_duration

:

3:52

Heinrich Schütz's 'Was mein Gott will, das gscheh allzeit' (Op. 11/24, SWV 392) is a sacred vocal work composed in the early 17th century. The piece is based on a Lutheran hymn by Samuel Rodigast, and it is one of Schütz's most famous and frequently performed works. The composition is scored for four voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) and continuo, and it is divided into three movements. The first movement is a chorale setting of the hymn's first verse, with the four voices singing in unison. The second movement is a solo aria for alto, accompanied by the continuo, which reflects on the theme of surrendering to God's will. The final movement is a four-part setting of the hymn's final verse, with the voices weaving in and out of each other in a complex and intricate polyphonic texture. Schütz's setting of the hymn is characterized by its simplicity and directness, as well as its use of expressive harmonies and dissonances to convey the emotional content of the text. The piece is also notable for its use of word-painting, with the music closely mirroring the meaning of the text in places. 'Was mein Gott will, das gscheh allzeit' was likely composed in the early 1620s, during Schütz's tenure as court composer in Dresden. The piece was first published in 1625 as part of Schütz's collection of sacred vocal works, 'Symphoniae sacrae'. Since then, it has become one of Schütz's most beloved and enduring compositions, and it continues to be performed and recorded by choirs and vocal ensembles around the world.

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