As opera and oratorio emerged across Europe, the German motet—once emotionally more restrained—grew expressive, talkative, and theatrical, giving voice to angels, shepherds, and the awe of the incarnation. Our program tells the Nativity through the lens of motets for voices and instruments by Schütz and contemporaries where theology meets drama and the mystery of Advent unfolds in vivid musical dialogue.

Program

Andreas Hammerschmidt

Maria, gegrüßet seist du

Johann Rosenmüller

Treiffet ihr Himmel von oben

Johann Caspar Horn

Motets from: Geistliche Harmonien

Matthias Weckmann

Angelicus coeli chorus

Christian Geist

Hymnus natalitius

Johann Christoph Bernhard

Currite pastores

Performers

Elizabeth Tait soprano
Michael Skarke alto
Micah Perry tenor
Peter Schoellkopff bass

William Tsutomu Copeland and Maria Lin violin
John Stajduhar violone
Daniel Swenberg theorbo
Bryan Anderson organ

Mario Aschauer, artistic director