Es ging ein Sämann aus zu säen, SWV 408 (Heinrich Schütz)

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(Posted 2015-09-08) CPDL #36718:

Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2015-09-08). Score information: A4, 32 pages, 259 kB Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Clefs modernised. Musica ficta in source absorbed into staves. Time signatures changed from 8/4 to 4/4 and 6/1 to 3/1 respectively. Source may be found at IMSLP.

General Information

Title: Es ging ein Sämann aus zu säen, SWV 408
Composer: Heinrich Schütz
Source of text: Luke 8:5-8

Number of voices: 8/4vv Voicings: SATB.SATB or SATB
Genre: Sacred, Gospel motet

Language: German
Instruments: 2 violins, cello and organ bc

First published: 1650 in Symphoniae sacrae III, Op. 12, no. 11
2nd published: 1891 in Heinrich Schütz: Sämtliche Werke, Volume 11, no. 1
3rd published: 1996 in Neue Schütz-Ausgabe, Volume 20, no. 1
Description: Parable of the sower, found also in Mark 4 and read on Sunday in Matthew's version on OT 15A. The Complimenten- SATB ripienists and a bassoon- are described as ad beneplacitum in Schütz's note to the reader and the piece is indexed as "à 7", counting obligato instruments.

External websites:

Original text and translations

German text

Es ging ein Sämann aus, zu säen seinen Samen.
Und indem er säte, fiel etliches an den Weg und ward zertreten,
und die Vögel unter dem Himmel frassens auf.
Wer Ohren hat, zu hören, der höre!

Und etliches fiel auf den Fels;
und da es aufging, verdorrete es, darum dass es nicht Saft hatte.
Wer Ohren hat, zu hören, der höre!

Und etliches fiel mitten unter die Dornen;
und die Dornen gingen mit auf und erstickten es.
Wer Ohren hat, zu hören, der höre!

Und etliches fiel auf ein gut Land;
und es ging auf und trug hundertfältige Frucht.
Wer Ohren hat, zu hören, der höre!

English translation

A sower went out to sow his seed:
and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down,
and the fowls of the air devoured it.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And some fell upon a rock;
and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And some fell among thorns;
and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And other fell on good ground,
and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
(KJV)