Buxtehude - Membra Jesu Nostri

Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) Membra Jesu nostri Tuesday 24 November, 8pm Chapelle Royale Duration: 1h30 without interval Composed in 1680 based on a medieval text by Arnaud de Louvain, Dietrich Buxtehude's Membra Jesu nostri form a cycle of seven cantatas dedicated to the body of Christ on the cross.

Unique in 17th-century repertoire, the work stands out for its writing, which is both stripped-down and highly theatrical: each cantata meditates on one of the crucified's wounds, progressing from the feet to the face, and places the listener beside the cross, in a direct relationship with the suffering Christ.

The Membra Jesu nostri, which invite us to contemplation and reflection, thus fit into the Lutheran spirituality of the post-Thirty Years' War era, where music becomes an opportunity for a sacred experience that is both individual and deeply embodied.