Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist

Hermann Schroeder (1904-1984) taught music theory and choral direction at the Cologne Musikhochschule and is considered to be one of the most important Catholic church composers of the 20th century. For many decades, he conducted the Bach-Verein of Cologne and wrote numerous motets and masses, including 'Missa dorica' (Schott, C 33719). His liturgical choral works are deliberately easy to sing and are tailored to the needs and requirements of practical church music. He followed on from the art of classical vocal polyphony and gave the individual linear parts a life of their own in moderate modernity. In the present small motet (of about 2 minutes' duration) the cantus firmus is in the bass.