Seven sacred folk songs WoO VI/14
for mixed voice unaccompanied choir
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No. 1 Abendlied
Text: Matthias Claudius
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No. 2 Altes Mailied in der Bittwoche
Text: Note: Volkslied aus Schwaben
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No. 3 Es sungen drei Engel
Text: Note: Passionslied (15. Jh.)
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No. 4 Da Jesus in den Garten ging
Text: Note: Volkslied
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No. 5 Ein fröhlich's Gesang unser lieben Frauen, Osterfreud genannt
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No. 6 O Jesulein süß
Text: Valentin Thilo
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No. 7 Wiegenlied der Hirten an der Krippe zu Bethlehem
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No. 7a Wiegenlied der Hirten an der Krippe zu Bethlehem
Dem evangelischen Kirchenchor zu Essen (Ruhr) und seinem hochverdienten Dirigenten Herrn G. Beckmann hochachtungsvollst zugeeignet
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1.
| Reger-Werkausgabe | Bd. II/8: Werke für gemischten Chor a cappella I, S. 96–103. |
| Herausgeber | Alexander Becker, Christopher Grafschmidt, Stefan König, Stefanie Steiner-Grage. |
| Verlag | Carus-Verlag, Stuttgart; Verlagsnummer: CV 52.815. |
| Erscheinungsdatum | Juni 2018. |
| Notensatz | Carus-Verlag, Stuttgart. |
| Copyright | 2018 by Carus-Verlag, Stuttgart and Max-Reger-Institut, Karlsruhe – CV 52.815. Vervielfältigungen jeglicher Art sind gesetzlich verboten. / Any unauthorized reproduction is prohibited by law. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. / All rights reserved. |
| ISMN | M-007-18831-3. |
| ISBN | 978-3-89948-302-4. |
| Erratum | In Nr. 2, Takt 7 fälschlich »den« statt »dem« in der 1. Strophe. |
No. 1 Abendlied
Matthias Claudius: Abendlied, in: Musen Almanach für 1779, ed. by Johann Heinrich Voß, , p. 184–186.
[Probably] Matthias Claudius: Abendlied, Nr. 119, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
No. 2 Altes Mailied in der Bittwoche
Altes Mailied in der Bittwoche
Note: Volkslied aus Schwaben
Altes Mailied in der Bittwoche, in:
Cantual […], Mainz
[Probably] Altes Mailied in der Bittwoche, Nr. 120, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
Note: Aufgezeichnet in Württemberg, erschienen in: Anton Birlinger, Schwäbische Volks-Lieder, Freiburg 1864.
No. 3 Es sungen drei Engel
Note: Passionslied (15. Jh.)
Es sungen drei Engel, in:
Cantual […], Mainz
[Probably] Es sungen drei Engel, Nr. 121, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
No. 4 Da Jesus in den Garten ging
Note: Volkslied
Da Jesus in den Garten ging, in:
Ansinglieder, Straubing
[Probably] Da Jesus in den Garten ging, Nr. 123, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
No. 5 Ein fröhlich's Gesang unser lieben Frauen, Osterfreud genannt
Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld: Ein frölichs Gesang, unser lieben Frauen Osterfreud genannt, in:
Außerlesene, Catholische, Geistliche Kirchengesäng, Köln
[Probably] Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld: Ein frölichs Gesang, unser lieben Frauen Osterfreud genannt, Nr. 51, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
No. 6 O Jesulein süß
[Probably] Valentin Thilo: O Jesulein süss, Nr. 57, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
No. 7 Wiegenlied der Hirten an der Krippe zu Bethlehem
Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart: Der Hirten Lied am Kripplein, in:
id.: Sämtliche Gedichte, vol. 2, Stuttgart
unknown
Used for comparison purposes in RWA: Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart: Wiegenlied der Hirten an der Krippe zu Bethlehem, Nr. 125, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
No. 7a Wiegenlied der Hirten an der Krippe zu Bethlehem
Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart: Der Hirten Lied am Kripplein, in:
id.: Sämtliche Gedichte, vol. 2, Stuttgart
unknown
Used for comparison purposes in RWA: Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart: Wiegenlied der Hirten an der Krippe zu Bethlehem, Nr. 125, in:
Das deutsche geistliche Lied. von der ältesten bis auf unsere Zeit, vol. 1, ed. by Heinrich Reimann, N. Simrock, Berlin and Leipzig
Copy shown in RWA: DE, Karlsruhe, Max-Reger-Institut/Elsa-Reger-Stiftung.
1. Composition
1.1. WoO VI/13 and VI/14
Whilst Reger initially compiled exclusively collections of secular songs, first for male voice choir, then for mixed voice choir, after his return from Wiesbaden to Weiden (see above, Context), at the beginning of 1900 he turned to arranging sacred songs. He was encouraged to do this by Karl Straube (see Letter dated 26 January 1900 an Alexander W. Gottschalg). Writing to the Protestant church musician Gustav Beckmann in Essen, who enquired about sacred choral works, he admitted: “I do not yet have sacred à capella songs (4 pt.); but in the near future I will set sacred folk songs for 4–5 part choir […]. If you know of any really beautiful melodies, do please let me know about these (with the texts!)”. (Letter dated 15 January 1900) Shortly afterwards Straube must have provided him with the relevant text and melodic sources (see letter dated 2 February 1900 an Gustav Beckmann).
On 26 January Reger explained the plan he had already adopted to Alexander W. Gottschalg, the editor of the periodical Urania: “Of course it is pure a cappella writing, without chromaticism, much use of church modes. I am intending to publish 2 collections; the 1st [WoO VI/13] arranged in one volume so that it will be a chronologically-arranged kind of illustration of the Protestant church year; i.e. 2 choruses for each of the various feast days and seasons. (12 no) The 2nd collection [WoO VI/14] (sacred folk songs) will appear unbound like my other folk songs & contain 7 pieces. This “self-chastisement” gives me a lot of fun, & 5 nos. of the first collection are already finished.” (Letter)
Die Sammlung der Sieben geistlichen Volkslieder widmete Reger und dessen Essener Kirchenchor, während die Zwölf deutschen geistlichen Gesänge und dem von ihm geleiteten Kirchenchor der evangelischen Gemeinde in Wesel dediziert sind. Bereits am 2. Februar informierte Reger Beckmann über die Vollendung beider Sammlungen und über deren Widmungen, bat jedoch mit Blick auf ihr Erscheinen um Geduld. Vor der Abgabe müsse er zudem “die Stimmen vorschreiben – das ist eine Arbeit von mindestens Seiten (mit so und so viel Strophen Text!) Wäre hier ein Copist‚ so könnte ich ihm diese entsetzliche Arbeit übertragen – aber so muss ichs selbst machen! Solch eine Arbeit ist geisttödtend und hält auf!” Ende April schließlich sandte er “an opera 45–47 und die Bearbeitungen der geistlichen Volkslieder”. Reger dedicated the collection of Seven sacred folk songs WoO VI/14 to Beckmann and his Essen church choir, whereas the Twelve German sacred songs WoO VI/13 were dedicated to Straube and the church choir of the Protestant parish in Wesel which he conducted. As early as 2 February Reger informed Beckmann about the completion of both collections and their dedications (see letter), but asked for his patience with regard to their publication. Before submitting them he also had “to label the voice parts – that is a work of at least 166 pages (with so many verses of text!) If there were a copyist here, I could delegate this terrible work to him – but I have to do it myself! Such a task is soul-destroying and holds you up!” (Brief vom 31. März an Beckmann) At the end of April he finally sent “opera 45–47 and the arrangements of the sacred folk songs to Aibl” (letter dated 26 April to Beckmann).
2. Publication
2.1. WoO VI/13 and VI/14
Reger signed the copyright agreement and royalty receipt on 6 May 1900. Because of the numerous works submitted to Aibl at the same time (in addition the Six Intermezzi op. 45, Fantasia and Fugue on B-A-C-H op. 46, Six Trios op. 47 and Seven Songs op. 48 as well as the Selected Chorale Preludes Bach-B4; see Opus 39 – Publication) the preparation of works for print took a long time. On 10 September Reger was finally able to send Caesar Hochstetter “my 2 sacred collections just published” (postcard).
Some time after the publication of the first printed edition, but clearly before spring 1904 when Aibl-Verlag transferred to the ownership of Universal Edition in Vienna, either Heinrich Reimann or the publisher N. Simrock must have raised an objection to the use of the copyright melody version of WoO VI/14 no. 7 Wiegenlied der Hirten an der Krippe zu Bethlehem. From the attribution “Melodie aus der Grafschaft Glatz” (“melody from the county of Glatz”) in the printed edition, this could clearly be traced back to Reimann’s collection Das deutsche geistliche Lied (1895). The foreword of the work explicitly stated “that the present transcriptions of melodies from the sources, as well as the accompaniment, are the exclusive and legally-protected property of the publisher” 1 – information, the consequences of which Karl Straube probably did not know when he sent Reger the sources requested, presumably in handwritten copies, and which Reger was certainly unaware of. As a result, Reger made a new arrangement for the likely 2nd edition based on a copyright-free version of the melody by Karl Neuner (1778–1830); in the RWA both versions are printed as part of the collection in the main text.
3.
Translation by Elizabeth Robinson.
1. Early Reception WoO VI/13 and VI/14
With his sacred choral works too, Reger made efforts to promote them. So he wrote on 14 September 1900, shortly after the publication of the Songs and Folk songs, to the organist Richard Jung in Greiz: “And now, how are things with the choral works! Has your Herr Kantor already ordered & introduced works from the two sacred collections which I recently sent you? Please, if the gentleman has given you the things back, gradually give the same things to the other gentlemen (all) in your circle & see that all introduce the two collections to their church choirs.” (Letter)
Generally it was “acclaimed from all sides that Reger has also placed his eminent abilities in the service of folk song, the sacred as well as the secular” (Review in the ). Alexander W. Gottschalg described them in Urania as “2 quite respectable collections which do great honor to the young Bavarian master” (review). According to Friedrich L. Schnackenberg, the Folk songs WoO VI/14 were “easy to sing for every respectable mixed voice choir in their tender harmonic vesture of delightful fineness” (review in the ). On the other hand, with regard to the Songs WoO VI/13, Karl Straube emphasized that, as Johannes Brahms and Heinrich von Herzogenberg had done earlier, Reger had “taken a series of magnificent, sometimes forgotten melodies from the rich treasury of our hymn tunes and allowed their beauties to be seen in new splendor through the accomplished art of his compositional style. The effect of the choral writing is, as the author of these lines has found through his own experience, often of surprising beauty and tonal splendor. However, these songs are not easy to sing; they require a choir with great, pure, and secure singing.” (Review in the )
2.
Translation by Elizabeth Robinson.
1. Stemma
2. Quellenbewertung
Der Edition liegen als Leitquellen der Erstdruck der Partitur und für Nr. 7a die Titelauflage zugrunde. Als zusätzliche Quellen wurden eine Titelauflage von Heft 2 der Stimmen sowie die autographe Stichvorlage von Partitur und Stimmen herangezogen.
3. Sources
- Stichvorlage (Partitur und Stimmen)
- Stichvorlage Nr. 7a (verschollen)
- Erstdruck (Partitur und Stimmen)
- Titelauflage (Erstdruck Nr. 7a)
Object reference
Max Reger: Seven sacred folk songs WoO VI/14, in: Reger-Werkausgabe, www.reger-werkausgabe.de/mri_work_00231.html, version 3.1.4, 2nd May 2025.
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