The Exequien were written for the burial service of Prince Heinrich Posthumus von Reuss, and the prince himself actually planned them in some detail well before his own death. It fell to Heinrich Schutz, of course, to actually write the music, but because of his friend's keen interest and influence, a really beautiful layered, palimpsestic quality came into these pieces, and far from being morose, they emerged as powerfully elegant works of art—each masterfully performed with precision and emotion by the American Bach Soloists. Highly recommended.
m3u audio streams (if the flash player above doesn't work for you): [hifilofi] Play all tracks as an m3u audio stream (or xspf, ogg, mp3 file)
[hifilofi] 01-Musicalische Exequien SWV 279 Teil I: Concert in Form einer teutschen Begrabnis-Missa (23:42)
[hifilofi] 02-Musicalische Exequien SWV 280 Teil II: Motette Herr wenn ich nur dich habe (2:29)
[hifilofi] 03-Musicalische Exequien SWV 281 Teil III: Canticum Simeonis (4:36)
[hifilofi] 04-Kleine Geistliche Konzerte SWV 283: Bringt her dem Herren (4:00)
[hifilofi] 05-Kleine Geistliche Konzerte SWV 310: Ich liege und schlafe (3:29)
[hifilofi] 06-Kleine Geistliche Konzerte SWV 309: O misericodissime Jesu (5:15)
[hifilofi] 07-Kleine Geistliche Konzerte SWV 285: O susser O freundlicher (4:24)
[hifilofi] 08-Symphoniae Sacrae II SWV 360: Zweierlei bitte ich Herr von dir (6:46)
[hifilofi] 09-Symphoniae Sacrae II SWV 356: Es steh Gott auf (6:20)