Come sing, ye choirs exultant (St. Luke the Evangelist)

Today, October 18th is the Feast Day of St. Luke, Apostle and Evangelist.

Luke the Evangelist is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of canonical Gospels. The early church fathers ascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel according to Luke and the book of Acts of the Apostles.

The New Testament refers to him as a doctor; thus he is thought to have been both a physician and a disciple of Paul. Christians since the faith's early years have regarded him as a saint. He is believed to have been a martyr, reportedly as having been hanged in an olive tree.

The Roman Catholic Church and other major denominations venerate him as Saint Luke the Evangelist and as a patron saint of artists, physicians, surgeons, students and butchers.

There aren't too many hymns "for" St. Luke, and I've already done the few that are, so, this hymn, "Come sing, ye choirs exultant" is for an evangelist.

The music, "Ach Gott vom Himmelreich" was composed by Michael Praetorius (probably 15 February 1571 – 15 February 1621), the German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to improve the relationship between Protestants and Catholics.

He is said to have died on his 50th birthday, in Wolfenbüttel, Germany and is entombed in a vault beneath the organ of the Marienkirche there.

The text is by Adam of St. Victor (died 1146), a prolific poet and composer of Latin hymns and sequences. He is believed to have sparked the expansion of the poetic and musical repertoire in the Notre Dame school with his strongly rhythmic and imagery-filled poetry.

The text is translated by Jackson Mason, M.A. (1833-1889).

The score is attached below, as well as a likeness of Praetorius, a painting of St. Luke, and several photos of the Marienkirche in Wolfenbüttel.

Full text in the First Comment.