Hermann Schroeder

Unüberwindlich starker Held St. Michael

The fact that Hermann Schroeder ranks among the most important composers of Catholic church music in the 20th century shows especially in the simple church music form of the choral setting, e. g. in his setting of the sacred song Unüberwindlich starker Held, Sankt Michael. With his own typical archaic tonal language, Schroeder creates an a cappella choral setting (SATB) in which the dignity and the admiration of the heroic deeds of the Archangel Michael find their musical expression in a very compact form. The underlying melody (GL 924) dates from 1623. The author of the text of the Song of Michael is the German hymn writer Friedrich Spee. A very charming choral setting that can be easily mastered by any church choir; its five verses have to be sung alternately by the choir and the congregation. Apart from the a cappella choral setting, the practical congregational edition also contains a chorale prelude and the organ chorale which can, of course, be used as accompaniment for the congregation, but also for the choral setting.