Knut Nystedt: Immortal Bach

Knut Nystedt (born 1915)
Immortal Bach

A variation of the beginning of Bach's choral "Komm süßer Tod" (BWV 478) which is sung initially:
Five choirs sing the same original music but in different tempi and wait at the end of each phrase.

lyrics:
Komm süßer Tod, komm sel'ge Ruh!
Komm, führe mich in Friede.

translation:
Come sweet death, come celestial ease!
Come, lead me in peace.

The recording shows the Monteverdi Choir Würzburg with its conductor Matthias Beckert at the memorial concert on March 16, 2008 in the Augustinerkirche commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the bombing of Würzburg.
For further information please visit
http://www.monteverdi-choir.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bach
• Komm
• süßer
• Tod
• Knut
• Nystedt
• Monteverdi
• Chor
• Choir
• memorial
• concert
• Würzburg
• Gedenkkonzert

[theshow2k]

@ julorg:

I think the conducting is obvious. He beats a quadruple meter (4/4) all the time, as Nystedt intended one beat per second, and every group has to count itself - easy for the groups that remain 4, 8 and 12 seconds (1, 2 or 3 full bars), kind of difficult for the 6 and 10 seconds-groups. The 6 seconds can be divided into two triple meters, so you have to feel a triple meter pulse to make it easier.

I never sang the 10 seconds group so I don't have advice for that. Just count! ;-)

[MonteverdiChor]

I can't really understand the confusion. Isn't it helpful to give the cunducting a 4 beat structure? Undoubtfully, it makes it a lot more easier for the "4"-, "8"- and "12"- groups. The 6- and 10- groups at least know to proceed alternating on a 1 and 3 beat. And if you prefer to count every beat the conducting doesn't prevent you from that.

[mom2the3rd]

this is nothing short of brilliant,

they sound like a host of angels

[pontiuspd]

Komm süßer Tod... mein Augen schon sind zu

[moute92]

Magnifique ce décalage entre choristes a un effet extraordinaire dommage pour les bruits parasites

[vivajusticia]

i love this song..

where can i get the score/sheet music..?

i have tried to find it on google...there is nothing..

[laresaton]

@vkroll ach super, auch gut ;) ich hab es von Bach gekannt. Stimmt die neuen Komponisten klauen bzw improvisieren ja offt mit alten Werken. In diesem Fall gefällt mir aber das Original besser.

[vkroll]

@laresaton Das ist nicht an ein paar Stellen von Bach geklaut. Das _sind_ die ersten drei zeilen von "Komm süßer Tod" von Johann Sebastian Bach aus Schemellis Liederbuch.

[kasumimi]

I'm sorry everyone I showed this to my grandma and she miss-clicked dislike :(

[feldmanmiriam]

Crazy... Weird... but: WOW!!!!!!

[iloveredsox7020]

this IS AMAZING.. I GOT TO HEAR THE USF CHAMBER SINGER SING THIS.. OMGFG... THE MOST AMAZING THING!!!

[wishingonthemoon1]

We sang, this song, I can assure you that it is twice the experiance of just listening to it. =)

[Gummi20]

We were actually allowed to find our own moments of going to the next note. Our own abstract interpretation.. or well.... of our conductor =)

The cool thing about that is that it's a different song every time!