Mitten wir im Leben sind (Mendelssohn)

*Mitten wir im Leben sind*
Mitten wir im Leben sind
Motet by Felix Mendelssohn
	The composer in 1846, portrait by Eduard Magnus
English	Even in the midst of life
Key	C minor
Text	"Mitten wir im Leben sind" by Martin Luther
Language	German
Published	1830
Scoring	SSAATTBB choir

Mitten wir im Leben sind a motet by Felix Mendelssohn as the third and final part of his Kirchenmusik, Op. 23,[1] described as a "small choral work",[2] for SSAATTBB choir, a cappella in the key of C minor. The text was written by Martin Luther, based on the Latin antiphon "Media vita in morte sumus" (in the midst of life we are in death). The song was published in 1830.[3]

Music

For the first and second verses, the tenors and basses begin by contemplating a question, the sopranos and altos answering, and the tenors and basses finishing the answer. The tempo then speeds up, with a plea for mercy as the choir builds into a repeated "kyrie eleison" sung at fortissimo.

The third verse is structured differently, having all the parts sing throughout the verse. There is also no tempo change, but a few dynamic changes. The piece ends with a soft "kyrie eleison" that ends in Pianissimo.

References

Cooper, John Michael; Prandi, Julie D. (2002). The Mendelssohns: Their Music in History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-816723-5.
Griffiths, Paul (2004-10-07). The Penguin Companion to Classical Music. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-14-190976-9.
Cooper, John Michael (2001). Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: A Guide to Research : With an Introduction to Research Concerning Fanny Hensel. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8153-1513-1.

External links

Kirchenmusik, Op. 23 (Mendelssohn): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Free scores of Mitten wir im Leben sind (Mendelssohn) in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)

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[1] Cooper, John Michael; Prandi, Julie D. (2002). The Mendelssohns: Their Music in History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-816723-5.

[2] Griffiths, Paul (2004-10-07). The Penguin Companion to Classical Music. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-14-190976-9.

[3] Cooper, John Michael (2001). Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: A Guide to Research : With an Introduction to Research Concerning Fanny Hensel. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8153-1513-1.