Buxtehude: Membra jesu Nostri

Composed by Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) who pursued his musical career in a small village in norther Germany, Lubeck. Buxtehude is one of the most important organists and composers in Germany of the 17th century. He is known to have composed Baroque vocal music such as cantatas and oratorios, along with the instrumental music including the organ pieces. Membra Jesu Nostri featured on this album is one of his masterpieces, consisting of a cycle of cantatas with the Latin lyrics.

This work features the story of the suffering or the passion of Jesus, and is made up of seven cantatas, with each cantata divided into six sections. Each Buxtehude: Membra Jesi Nostroi cantata is subtitled as Jesus’ feet, knees, hands, side, breast, heart, and head, and, remarkably enough, they all take similar structures.

For instance, the 1st movement is an instrumental introduction marked as instrumental sonata or sinfonia; the 2nd movement is a concerto or the choir; the 3rd, 4th, and 5th movements are aria; and the 6th movement is a reprise of the concerto (choir). The similar structure that runs through each cantata serves as the ring that links the seven parts together.