King’s Singers – Madrigal History Tour – Of all the birds

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnr6Oxybkq4

Composed by John Bartlet, “Of all the birds that I do know”, from “The King’s Singers, Madrigal History Tour, The England”

Continue reading “King’s Singers – Madrigal History Tour – Of all the birds”

Martin Luther – O Lord, Look Down From Heaven, Behold

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcqCvDUackg

From Martin Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants, Truth page 26-27:
A paraphrase of Psalm 12, this hymn was written in 1523, the same time as many of Luther’s other psalm-hymns. It was published in the first Lutheran hymnal, Achtliederbuch, of 1524. Luther’s version of the psalm reflects much of his own experience in the early days of the Reformation. Though several different tunes were used for this text with various levels of success, the present tune dates from 1524 and is possibly by Luther himself.

Continue reading “Martin Luther – O Lord, Look Down From Heaven, Behold”

Martin Luther – If God Were Not Beside Us Now

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsMnZO8b2_Y

IF GOD WERE NOT BESIDE US NOW – By Martin Luther 1524

From Martin Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants, Truth page 17-18:
Luther’s friend Justus Jonas in 1524 wrote an eight-stanza paraphrase of Psalm 124. In contrast to the smooth-flowing style of Jonas, Luther also undertook the paraphrasing of the same psalm, his being shorter, more rugged, and closer to the text of the psalm. After Luther’s version was published in Walter’s Wittenberg hymnal of 1524, both his and Jonas’ paraphrases were included in early Lutheran hymnals. Walter’s tune is the one most associated with this text.

Continue reading “Martin Luther – If God Were Not Beside Us Now”