Christ, Who Saves Us by His Cross (short)
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German original: Christus, der uns selig macht.
Text: Michael Weiße, 1531.
Tune: Michael Weiße, 1531.
Based on Patris sapientia, an ancient Latin office hymn traditionally sung on Good Friday, this hymn, originating in Weiße’s Bohemia, became popular in Lutheran Germany. It is most famous for its use by Bach in the St. John Passion, though Bach was only following the lead of Heinrich Schütz in his own Johannespassion from the century before.
This hymn is also notable for its references to the events of Christ’s passion at specific hours of the day, following Scripture’s own record of them. Here, they are translated as the names of the canonical prayer offices, as shown below:
Terce = third hour = 9:00 a.m.
Sext = sixth hour = 12:00 p.m.
Nones = ninth hour = 3:00 p.m.
Vespers = evening = 6:00 p.m.
Compline = bedtime = 9:00 p.m.
The Lutheran Kantor Project aims to provide recordings of the great Lutheran chorales which are lesser known among English-speaking Lutherans. These recordings are designed to increase familiarity with tune and text. It is the prayer of the founder of The Lutheran Kantor Project that Lutherans will rediscover the great treasury of hymns from their heritage, passed down over the last five centuries. May God bring it to pass.
E-mail address for inquiries: thelutherankantor@gmail.com