Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich

The a cappella choral setting Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich for four-part women's choir written by the 1553-born composer Johannes Eccard from Mühlhausen in Thuringia is, indeed, a real pleasure. The German-language text is borrowed from an old Latin Christmas carol, singing of the miracle of Nativity in two verses. Eccard manages, in an engaging manner, to musically express the joyous atmosphere of this poem. All four female voices (SSAA) join imitatively in the angelic chant of joy one after the other, while central words like 'freudenreich' [joyful], 'Himmelreich' [kingdom of heaven], 'Jungfrau' [virgin] or 'Mutter' [mother] are particularly embellished. This is exhilarating and easy-to-perform utility music for Christmas church services.