Musical contribution - May 2010

“Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist”

Dear Organist,

We are hoping to celebrate Whitsun at the end of this month.  A great deal less has been written for this event, from a musical point of view, compared to Christmas and Easter.  Whilst in the earlier Christian Church Whitsun was much more important than Christmas.

 For this month I have chosen a song of which we are not sure where it originated.  This is mainly as a result of this song’s old papers.  Some scholars have even dated it back to Ambrosius (4th century).  The earliest traditions date back to the year 1000.  And the original text – “Veni Creator Spiritus” – and the melody are still current.  No less a person than Martin Luther translated the song into German: “Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist”.

 Moritz Brosig (1815-1887) – who also came from Germany – wrote the chorale prelude under this title.  Brosig studied in Breslau (part of Poland from 1945).  He was an organist at the cathedral in this town for over 30 years, as well as a teacher at the Academic Institute.  He was appointed as Professor at the Royal University in 1879.

 As you will no doubt have noticed, I have recorded this piece twice.  This is to share the fact with you that there isn’t one single version.

I have sometimes written the following in previous columns: “You can play it like this, but it’s also possible to ........ you can interpret it any way you like”.  This did sometimes result in questions.  I have therefore used 2 different interpretations on this occasion, in order to show you that it’s possible to choose different versions.

One of them was inspired by tranquillity.  The rhythm is therefore also a little more subdued.  And the other version is more in line with the last verse: “Praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”.  Everyone can interpret this as they see fit.

 Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.

André van Vliet