Amber Jacob | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

“Musicam semper amavi” (“I have always loved music”) - Martin Luther. In Reformationssvit, I wanted to create a musical journey through the history of Christianity with a series of hymns, composed or modernised by Martin Luther, as well as some Swedish hymns, both well-known and little known, which I have arranged in different styles. Most of the hymns can be found in the Swedish hymnbook from 1697, some of which are still included in the present day hymnbook. I have used the old translations, amongst others those by Olaus Petri. The journey begins in Jerusalem in the first century. People are playing music in the streets and market places and singing can be heard from the temple. We also hear Jesus’ last words on the cross. Then, via the Coptic church, we arrive at the Gregorian chant with its modes: Mixolydian, Lydian, Dorian, etc. All the melodies I have used were originally single line melodies, so all the voicing and harmonisation have been created by me. /Jonas Dominique