Dieterich Buxtehude: Laudate pueri Dominum (c.1670) with Synthesizer V 2.0

This setting of Psalm 112 was an early work of Buxtehude written in the Italian style using Vulgate Latin text. It is explicitly described by the composer as a chaconne, a Iberian-Italian dance form consisting of an improvised cantus played over a relentlessly repeated theme in the bass. The chaconne form was applied to instrumental pieces, secular songs as well as church chorales throughout the 17th century. This particular work has an unusual ensemble for the late Baroque era; it incorporates a consort of 6 viols, a violone (or double bass), 2 soprano voices (almost certainly boys from the local music school) and basso continuo (likely organ). The soundtrack was created from a MIDI file that I generated from a pdf score by Martin Straeten (IMSLP.org). The text for the 2 soprano parts were entered using the Solaria 2 voice bank in Synthesizer V 2.0. The instrumental sounds were generated using the iPhone app MusicStudio 2. I approximated a Germanic pronunciation of Latin assuming that Buxtehude's choristers were assembled from the local townspeople of Lübeck. ++++++++++ Text: 1 Laudate, pueri, Dominum; laudate nomen Domini. 2 Sit nomen Domini benedictum ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum. 3 A solis ortu usque ad occasum laudabile nomen Domini. 4 Excelsus super omnes gentes Dominus, et super caelos gloria ejus. 5 Quis sicut Dominus Deus noster, qui in altis habitat, 6 et humilia respicit in caelo et in terra? 7 Suscitans a terra inopem, et de stercore erigens pauperum: 8 ut collocet eum cum principibus, cum principibus populi sui. 9 Qui habitare facit sterilem in domo, matrem filiorum laetantem. Translation (from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer) 1 Praise the Lord, ye servants: O praise the Name of the Lord. 2 Blessed be the Name of the Lord: from this time forth for ever more. 3 The Lord's Name is praised: from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same. 4 The Lord is high above all heathen: and his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling so high: and yet humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth? 6 He takes up the simple out of the dust: and lifts the poor out of the mire; 7 That he may set him with the princes: even with the princes of his people. 8 He makes the barren woman to keep house: and to be a joyful mother of children. ++++++++++ Description of the photos: 1. Consort of viols, detail from The Court of August the Younger, Duke of Braunschweig, Albert Freyse, 1645 2. "Laudate pueri Dominum" (manuscript page), first soprano part, D. Buxtehude, c1675 3. Interior of Marienkirche (St. Mary's Church), Lübeck, Buxtehude's home base where he was organist and composer for most of his career. It was the likely venue for a work like "Laudate pueri." 4. Boy sopranos accompanied by a string band in a northern German cathedral, ChatGPT 5. Bass viol player, detail from a family portrait, G Coques, 1650 6. Vaulted ceiling of St. Mary's Church in Lübeck 7. Bass viol, Joachim Tielke, Hamburg, 1683 8. The original Great Organ which presumably was Buxtehude's main instrument at St. Mary's Church, Lübeck. The photo was taken before the organ was destroyed in WW2. 9. Marienkirche interior after the reconstruction following damage during WW2. 10. Portrait of Buxtehude playing a viol, detail from A Musical Party, Johannes Voorhout, 1674