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Views from the Choir Loft

“O Sacred Head Surrounded” | Buxtehude

Richard J. Clark · April 3, 2015

IETERICH BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) was a direct influence on Johann Sebastian Bach—and for good reason. His development of themes and compositional symmetry were highly lauded by Bach himself. This choral prelude—a favorite of Marie-Claire Alain—is based on the famous melody by Hans Leo Hassler (1564–1612), which we now recognize as “O Sacred Head Surrounded.” Hassler’s tune has accompanied a few different texts, including the religious text with the title “Herzlich tut mich verlangen” written by Christoph Knoll (1563–1621). Buxtehude’s title here, “Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder” (“Ah Lord, poor sinner that I am”) is from a text which pleads to God for forgiveness and mercy.

As the spirit moves, Buxtehude’s treatment became rather unintentionally one of the greatest meditations on “O Sacred Head Surrounded.” Timeless and simple, exquisite ornamentations reveal tortured, yet divine suffering. Typical of Buxtehude, the theme seamlessly weaves through the various voices, often unnoticed, and in service to the divine.

This was recorded on the 1999 Smith & Gilbert Organ at St. Cecilia Church, Boston.

      * *  Mp3 Download • Dieterich Buxtehude, “Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder” | BuxWV 178

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“If you begin by telling a man that in a word like ‘Deus’ the first syllable corresponds to the weak beat, the second to the strong beat of a modern bar, the one thing that will succeed in accomplishing is to bewilder him thoroughly.”

— Father Heinrich Bewerunge writing to Dame Laurentia

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