Stölzel: German Te Deum

Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (1690–1749) was regarded by his contemporaries as one of the greatest composers of his time. He spent most of his career as court composer in Saxe-Gotha. Unfortunately, a large portion of his substantial oeuvre has been lost due to the poor oversight of his successor, Georg Benda (1722–95). Still, a significant number of his pieces survive in copies requested by the nearby court at Sondershausen. Among these is a German Te Deum, setting Martin Luther’s translation of the traditional text. Stölzel conceivably wrote it in 1717 when he was commissioned to produce music for the two hundredth anniversary celebration of the Lutheran reformation in Bayreuth. Throughout much of the piece Stölzel follows Luther’s tune and antiphonal structure. The work’s substantial duration, full orchestration, and stylistic variety make it a good introduction to the composer’s early work.

1. Herr Gott, dich loben wir

2. Dich, Vater, in Ewigkeit

3. Heilig ist unser Gott

4. Dein göttlich Macht

5. Die ganze werthe Christenheit

6. Dich, Vater, im höchsten Thron

7. Du Kön'g der Ehren

8. Nun hilff uns, Herr

9. Täglich, Herr Gott, wir loben dich

10. Auf dich hoffen wir

11. Amen