Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) composed this work as part of a group of 20 pieces entitled Symphoniae Sacrae (Book 1), Opus 6, published in 1629. The collection set biblical texts mostly from Psalms and the Song of Solomon. Schütz had studied in Venice with Giovanni Gabrieli and just prior to this work with Claudio Monteverdi, and the pieces reflect the Monteverdi style of presenting the text plainly rather than in a polyphonic manner.

The text for Fili mi, Absalon comes from the 2nd book of Samuel. Absalon (or Absalom, as is also commonly seen) was the third son of King David. Absalom eventually rebelled against his father’s rule, setting himself up as king. The story goes that in a battle in Ephraim’s Wood, Absalom became ensnared in the boughs of a tree and was killed as he hung there.

David then lamented, upon hearing of his son’s death:
“O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!
Would God I had died for thee,
O Absalom, my son, my son!”

The vocal text for that:
Fili mi Absalon fili mi Absalon.
Quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te!
Absalon fili mi fili mi.

The instrumentation is for sackbuts, continuo and solo voice in a low register. Sackbuts were the early version of the trombone, and so the piece lends itself well to a cello ensemble arrangement. This arrangement can be done with either a vocalist or another cellist performing the vocal line, which should predominate when present. The dynamics, tempi and metronome marks, phrase markings and slurs, and of course bowings are all suggestions, not original, so there is considerable room for interpretation. In bars 22-26 and 54-66 the continuo part has been filled out in the cello 3 part with a chordal pizzicato.

Another very fine setting of this lament is one commonly thought to be by Josquin des Prez, but which some recent researchers believe to actually be composed by Pierre La Rue. It will also be available here on Ovation.

-Charles Jacot

Click below to listen to a fine performance of this work: