After Missa Latina and Magnificat, Te Deum is now the third major composition by musician and composer Karl Albrecht “Bobbi” Fischer published by Carus. Fischer’s musical roots lie in classical music, which he combines with jazz elements and Latin American rhythms.
All three styles appear in the Te Deum. In keeping with the proclamation “Te Deum laudamus” (We praise thee, O God), the work begins with the festive (Cuban) energy, propelled by timpani and trumpet; the choir can also be heard imitating fanfares. Later, a cappella choruses become a recurring element, in which phrases set as Gregorian chant are presented against an ever-changing chordal background. But the score also features elements of swing and rhythm & blues, frenetic choral outbursts of joy, as well as moments of mystic contemplation. Moreover, the instrumentalists are given ample opportunity for improvised solos. Interwoven into the otherwise Latin text is the well-known German chorale Großer Gott, wir loben dich. Here several verses can be sung with the congregation; alongside the original German text, the score features the English translation “Holy God, we praise thy name”.
- ISMN: 9790007250904 (M007250904)
