Samuel Scheidt’s setting of In dulci jubilo, like all the other double-choir pieces included in the present series, is taken from his Cantiones Sacrae Octo Vocum, (Hamburg, 1620).
It is, of course, one of many double-choir settings of this Christmas hymn: we have already published arrangements by Michael Praetorius (EML 172 ↣ ), the unrelated Hieronymus Praetorius (EML 190 ↣ ) and the obscure Leonhart Schröter (EML 358 ↣ ).
Although the addition of optional clarino (trumpet) parts is certainly unusual, there is a large-scale setting of the same tune in Praetorius’ Polyhymnia caduceatrix (1619) that also includes parts for these instruments: from this distance it is hard to know which of the two works came first.
The rubric in the source (Superadditae sunt VIII. hisce vocibus, insuper aliae duae, duabus tibijs minoribus – vulgo clarien – decantandae, quas ad placitum, si haberi possunt, adhibe) makes it clear that the clarino parts are optional; in practice they double sections of the top part of each choir, with a few embellishments. The work is very impressive with just eight parts, and wonderfully celebratory with the added instruments: in the absence of trumpets, violins, cornetti or soprano recorders can be used.
(Bernard Thomas)
