MAC No. 19: Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen

Enjott (Norbert Jürgen) Schneider (* 1950) studied school music, German language and musicology as well as church music. In 1979 he became professor at the Munich Musikhochschule, teaching first music theory and church music composition and since 1996 film music composition. He is well known as a composer of film music (e.g. “Brother of Sleep”). But he has also published several organ symphonies and a collection of 18 chorale preludes (Ansbacher Orgelbüchlein, Schott ED 20348). More information on the composer is available on his website (http://www.enjott.com/en).

From the composer’s notes: “… expresses a very special kind of rapture: delight at the prospect of leaving the world. This piece should be approached like one of Mahler’s compositions, in a characteristically valedictory mood. The adagio melody in the right hand (with very free and subjective phrasing) has an infinite perspective, supported by dark string chords and bass sounds. The swell pedal may be used ad. lib. to add intensity to the upper parts.”