DESCRIPTION:
Hieronymus Praetorius was born in Hamburg. Other than a short time away studying in Cologne and working in Erfurt, he spent most of his life in Hamburg, working as assistant organist to his father at Sankt-Jacobi-Kirche. Upon his father’s death, he became organist until his own death in 1629. In 1596, the duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg invited a large number of organists from across Germany to the dedication of a new instrument at the castle church in Gröningen. Praetorius attended this early version of a convention, which was probably part celebration, part meeting of minds, and – knowing organists – part competition. There, he met Hans Leo Hassler and Michael Praetorius (no relation), who may well have introduced him to the Venetian choral style of having different choirs sing in alteration. Hieronymus Praetorius would end up writing some fifty polychoral works. Seeing as the Cheese Lords’ roster currently numbers just eleven, we’re especially gratified that some alumni singers are here to bolster our forces for this twelve-voice work to close our celebratory concert.

Tota pulchra es amica mea,
et macula non est in te,
favus distillans labia tua,
mel et lac sub lingua tua,
odor unguentorum tuorum super omnia
aromata.
Surge propera amica mea, veni de Libano,
veni coronaberis.
- Song of Songs 4:7-11

You are wholly beautiful, my love,
and there is no blemish in you;
your lips drip honeycomb;
honey and milk under your tongue,
and the smell of your fragrance perfumes
everything.
Arise my love,
come from Lebanon,
come and you will be crowned.