Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn SWV 494

Following Heinrich Spitta’s publication of Heinrich Schütz’s double-choir Deutsches Magnificat in a new edition in 1926, this work has gone on to become one of Schütz’s most popular works. This is due to its successful synthesis of high compositional skill and catchiness. The "tone" of the piece is much shaped by the predominance of triple meter. This gives the piece a rhythmic lightness, but also brings a harmonic straightforwardness with it. Schütz made the Deutsches Magnificat into almost a compendium of his text-based compositions, in which scarcely any opportunity for vivid portrayal of the text passes him by. Schütz included the Deutsches Magnificat and a setting of Psalm 100 as an appendix in the original manuscript of his Opus ultimum, the 119th Psalm ("Schwanengesang"), but two vocal parts from this are now missing. In this edition they have been added by the editor Werner Breig.