Michael Praetorius’s Variable Opinions on Performance

Abstract

This article presents Praetorius’s wide-ranging opinions on performance practice, including what distinguishes a good composition from an inferior one, how performance forces are to be selected and deployed, and which performance practices are acceptable and which are to be avoided. His stance varies from laudatory and supportive to censorious and disapproving. These and other issues are presented in both English and the original German, and offer suggestions on how to orchestrate a polychoral work today, including reference to recorded media.

Keywords

• tempo (fast/slow)
• dynamics (loud/soft)
• text and harmony
• fingering
• time signatures
• psalm 116