Joachim a Burck

Born at Burg near Magdeburg in 1546, Joachim a Burck always used his place of birth for a last name rather than his family name–Moller!  About 1556 he went to school at Mühlhausen and became Kantor there by age 17.  At 20 he was organist at the principal church in Mühlhausen, St. Blasius.  (150 years before Bach!)  He remained in Mühlhausen the rest of his life, active in civic as well as musical life, and died there in 1610.

 

Uns ist ein Kind geboren

One of the first outings of Concentus Musicus into “Greater” Minnesota was a Christmas Concert in the Abbey Church at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville.  The “unique” acoustics of this famous building are in evidence here; as well as the singing of sopranos, Nancy Cox and Mary Earl, which marked the start of a very successful partnership.

Joachim a Burck "Uns ist ein Kind geboren"

by Concentus Musicus MN, Arthur Maud, dir. | 'In nativitate' 1971, St John's

Text:

Uns ist ein Kind geboren,

dess frewn wir uns zu hören,

sonst wären wir verdorben,

ja, ewiglich verstorben.

 

Unser natur wird newe,

weil Gott ist so getrewe,

dass er uns seinen Sohn gibt,

der unser Fleisch an sich nimpt.

 

Lob sey in Himmels Throne

dem Vater und dem Sohne.

Sien Geist sey bey uns allen

mit Fried und wolgefallen.