(SW1026)

Christian Ridil’s new psalm motet comes across as powerful and splendid, and in its habitus it wonderfully follows the underlying psalm text in Luther’s powerful, woodcut-like transmission. The text is performed in four clearly separated sections of 4 to 6 voices as well as partly spoken.

In the mainly four-part first part, the alternation of homophonic and polyphonic movement structure predominates. At the end of the first part, two speakers, supported by the chorus on vocals, declaim text passages on pitch, a highly effective compositional trick.

In the second part, the structure of the movement is a cantus firmus chorus. Here the polyphonic invention between the soprano and tenor solo is contrapuntally combined with a popular choral theme, which appears partly in unison and partly as an independent four-part movement, so that six-part harmony is already achieved here.

In the third part, soprano and bass are each divided into two parts, so that a three-part upper chorus enters into dialogue with a likewise three-part lower chorus, which then unite to form a six-part movement. In the further course, the close imitative entries at the text passage “Tritt nieder, die das Silber liebhaben ...” break through the structure, just as in the work of the old master Palestrina. In this part, too, the speaker appears again towards the end, which leads to a further increase in dramatic expression.

A double fugue follows as the fourth part. Here the composer once again “pulls out all the stops” in terms of counterpoint. Towards the end, parallel to the polyphonic texture, the choral theme from the second part is heard again in a hymn-like, fanfare-like manner and forms the grand finale.

Martin Schmeck

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