EINRICH ISAAC was a Roman catholic composer who died in 1517AD. Some say his most famous composition was Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen, of which he made at least two versions. It’s a love song … but not for a woman! Rather, its lyrics express sorrow at departing to a foreign country. (The city being abandoned is Innsbruck, Austria). The tune is commonly called: INNSBRUCK. Sebastian Bach famously used it in his SAINT MATTHEW PASSION and the SAINT JOHN PASSION—although the harmonizations and tune are not identical.1
Over-Simplified • How can someone quickly grasp Sebastian Bach’s settings for the PASSIO DOMINI NOSTRI JESU CHRISTI? I would say that Bach basically took the ancient Roman Catholic practice of reading the Passion during Holy Week and transformed it into an opera. Different instruments, solo singers, and choirs represent the characters of the Passion in a dramatic way.
Innsbruck • In the SAINT MATTHEW PASSION, the melody we’ve been discussing is used for a chorale called Wer hat dich so geschlagen—the part where our Lord, before Caiphas, is stuck on His face (cf. Matthew 26: 67-68). My German is terrible, but the chorale texts means something like: “Who is it that has struck you thus, my Savior, and with torments so evilly used you?” Here’s a 1954 recording (“Wer hat dich so geschlagen”) by Germany’s most celebrated conductor, Wilhelm Furtwängler, who died that same year.
Antonin Gregory Scalia • During an interview with the television program 60 Minutes, Justice Scalia famously spoke of how tedious repeating oneself can be. That interview (which cites a 1996 letter to Justice Harry Blackmun) came to mind, since today I will speak of Good Friday’s sublime hymn: “PANGE LINGUA.” This mighty poem—composed by Most Rev’d Venantius Fortunatus in the 6th century—served as the “basis” or “model” or “inspiration” for the version by Saint Thomas Aquinas, written 600+ years later. Many times on this blog, I’ve tried to explain why the “PANGE LINGUA” by Bishop Fortunatus is my favorite hymn. I won’t do that today, because I want to avoid repeating myself. If you’re interested, make sure to obtain the third edition of the SAINT EDMUND CAMPION MISSAL, which is exhaustive in its treatment of this hymn.
Innsbruck Hymn • The powerful Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal provides numerous translations in musical settings of the “PANGE LINGUA.” (Both versions are included: Fortunatus and Aquinas). The following is remarkable, because the text comes from a Roman Catholic (!) hymnal published in 1670AD:
Matching The Latin • The way this 1670AD English translation captures the meaning of the original Latin is nothing short of remarkable. It’s also a splendid illustration of the textual diversity in the Brébeuf Hymnal. In other words, he who searches diligently will not fail to discover somewhat ‘esoteric’ texts of historic and theological merit.
History • I’ve already pointed out how the history of chorales isn’t easy to wrap one’s head around. For example, some scholars believe Martin Luther (a heretical Augustinian monk) composed the tune for A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. Other scholars believe the melody had already existed—in a very jagged form—and Sebastian Bach “smoothed out” its rhythmic contour. I find such historical discussions fascinating, because history is something I’m always interested in. For example, George H. W. Bush ran for senate in 1970 but lost. Eighteen years later, he would be elected 41st president of the United States. His running mate (Dan Quayle) took part in a famous vice presidential debate against the senator from Texas. Guess what? That same person (Lloyd Bentsen) was the one who beat George H. W. Bush in 1970 … and that’s just plain old history.
1 It’s difficult to understand why Sebastian Bach modifies the tunes of the chorales. Perhaps experts such as Dr. Charles Weaver or Dr. Alfred Calabrese could shed some light on this question? If the members of the audience were to sing along during the chorales—which some scholars claim did indeed happen—tinkering with the tune doesn’t seem wise.
