Himmelsau

Carl Greith’s Himmelsau is written for SSAA voices in German. The music opens with a sense of wonder, echoing the first verse’s question about the stars in the heavenly meadow. The piece progresses through a series of natural images – the world, fields, woods – asking how many of each element exist, before returning to the refrain. This refrain, proclaiming that God is to be praised innumerable times, provides a powerful spiritual core. The text’s simple, profound reflections on the vastness of creation and the unending praise due to God are set with a gentle, hymn-like character, making it suitable for sacred occasions.