German Baroque Music

Started by Que, July 08, 2007, 11:09:09 PM

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Kullervo

I like this disc, but it is OOP.


The new erato

#21
I fell in love with Bach in the 70-ies through the Teldec series of cantatas, but it was with the CD explosion of the early 90-ies I could start to explore the Baroque more systematically, having amassed some hundred CDs by the like of Bach, Handel and Rameau, but also exploring somewhat systematically other trails.

Here are, in no particular order, some of my discoveries from this period in Germany

I agree that Schutz, by far, Is the most important German composer before Bach. Anyone wanting to check on that can spend a lot of money by buying virtually anything in the Harmonia Mundi catalogue by the likes of Junghanel or Jacobs.  For a cheaper alternative, the Brilliant series is never less than serviceable, and often (Kleine Geistliche Konzerte) very good.

Here goes in no particular order (I've avoided composers like Buxtehude and Zelenka, which I consider established masters with well documented catalogues):

The best recording of German vocal music I know of by a contemporary of Schutz, is this:



The shortlived student of Buxtehude, Nikolai Bruhns, wrote some fine cantatas documented on this superb record:



An early Dresden violin virtuosos is Walther



Superb recordings of interesting violin suites in a consort like style.

Another somewhat later Dresdener, contemporary with Zelenka and Heinichen, with some superbly virtuosic violin sonatas in more traditional style, is Pisendel:



A student friend of Heinichen and Pisendel, Fasch ended up in Leipzig under Kuhnau at one time.



Superb playing, rhytmically precise of some very good music..

A final Dresdener, Westhoff, born in 1656 and destined to become Bachs teacher, represents one of the best records of Baroque chamber music I know:



The aforementioned Kuhnau, Thomaskantor in the ThomasKirche before Bach took the post, is represented by the best record in Hyperions 5 CD miniseries of contemporaries of Bach:



The Bohemian Fischer was contemporary with Bruhns and Westhoff, and mainly active in Prague:



And finally an Italian, Conti, I have included since his professional life was spent in Vienna, because he is virtually unknown, and because this record of cantatas being absolutely charming:


FideLeo

#22
Quote from: Kullervo on July 09, 2007, 05:31:48 AM
I like this disc, but it is OOP.



Has been re-released as part of the Baroque Espirit series (budget line).   :)
HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

FideLeo

#23


Best performances of the Zelenka trios for me, and all HIP!  :)
HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

FideLeo

#24
The German Frescobaldi, Johann Jakob Froberger, wrote utterly compelling music for the keyboard.  Leonhardt has returned to his works time and time again in recordings (the 1964 classic using a Johannes Ruckers instrument is a must) but there are great performances from other musicians as well.  This 2-for-1 set is a great bargain in many senses of the word:



HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

Tancata



Nice thread. There exists this recital CD by Andreas Scholl, called simply Kantate, which is a delightful way to sample a number of the composers mentioned so far including Schutz, Buxtehude, Tunder, Erlebach, various non-JS Bachs and other German baroque composers who lived before JS Bach.

It's a lovely disc - from the period when Scholl's voice was at its peak, with excellent, sensitive continuo - different combinations of lutes and viols - provided by the Basel Consort and others. All the works featured are short (less than 10 minute) German baroque cantatas. The music is universally interesting, with Schutz, Buxtehude and JC Bach's numbers being particularly special.

M forever

Well, Ditters was his actual name, and he added von Dittersdorf to it when he was made a noble. There is actually a place called Dittersdorf somewhere in East Germany, I drove past it on the Autobahn many times.

BTW, Dittersdorf wrote an autobiography which is a *highly interesting* book, a first hand account of what the life of a musician was like in the 18th century. Extremely readable, and also quite funny.

M forever

It may help you to know that the U is not pronounced as in "bump" but as in "bull".

Que

#28
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on July 10, 2007, 06:16:55 AM
But anyway, we better get back on topic or Q will be cross with us.

Very good thinking....  ;D 8)

I'm overwhelmed by all the recommendations on composers and recordings that have been made! :)
I have a lot of questions, let's start with a few.

I interested in expanding my knowledge on Biber's music - any additional recommendations are welcome.

Also I will focus on Zelenka, I'll keep the recommendations by Masolino in mind.

Question on Zelenka: is this set any good?
Looks like a nice starter?



EDIT: I get the impression that it's on modern instruments - is this the "Holliger set" referred to earlier?



Q

71 dB

Quote from: Que on July 10, 2007, 09:31:09 AM
I don't have it or heard it, but is any of you familiar with the series (10 volumes) on Ricercar called "Deutsche Barock Kantaten" of some years ago? (Probably eligible for reissue) I was told it is exceptionally good.

   

Q

Those Ricercar discs are totally OOP. I have hunted Bruhns disc for almost 10 years without success.  :-\
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Kullervo

Quote from: masolino on July 09, 2007, 03:47:44 PM
Has been re-released as part of the Baroque Espirit series (budget line).   :)

Thanks for that!

Tancata

#31
The trouble with this thread is that it presents far too many new avenues to explore  :P.

I suppose this would be as good a place as any to mention Ton Koopman's Buxtehude Opera Omnia series - the complete Buxtehude.

As most of you probably know, it's planned to be a series of 20 or so volumes, 1 or 2 CDs each.

I have the first two volumes - both double-disc sets.



Volume 1 is (almost) the complete surviving harpischord music. The performance is exactly what you expect from Koopman. Exuberance and exhilaration. I might say it is insanely fast in parts - particularly in the two Arias with Variations...but I can't compare it to any other recordings, so I won't.

What struck me most strongly listening to this music was how much it reminded me of JS Bach's keyboard stuff. It is simply very good high Baroque music. Buxtehude's vocal music dates fairly obviously with its Schutzian and Purcellian influences, but his keyboard music sounds IMO ahead of its time.



The second volume is the first dedicated to vocal music. It's an oratorio that may or may not have actually been written by Buxtehude ("Wacht! euch zum Streit"). It's well-performed by Koopman's team, many of them carried over from his Bach cantatas series (and has the bracing lack of polish of those performances, too...) but, IMO, the music isn't massively interesting. It's good, but - again, IMO - not exactly a major Baroque oratorio. Purcell's influence is strongly felt throughout, along with a folksy Germanic twang.

There are several more releases in the series - including the organ music, which is definitely major stuff. I haven't investigated these yet, though. One thing holding me back is the hefty price of each set - €20 even for the one-disc releases...

FideLeo

#32
Quote from: Que on July 10, 2007, 09:15:07 AM

Question on Zelenka: is this set any good?
Looks like a nice starter?



EDIT: I get the impression that it's on modern instruments - is this the "Holliger set" referred to earlier?

Q


Unless you want Zelenka on modern instruments....   Camerata Bern is a precursor of today's "modern
instruments but more-or-less exactly like HIP" outfits and they recorded for labels like Denon in Japan
as well.  Yes Holliger's first recording of the trios (Archiv) is included in the set, along with the Capricci
and other concertante works.  CPO released a three-discs-for-the-price-of-one set of complete Zelenka
orchestral works recorded by Jurgen Sonnentheil and his Neu-Eroffnete Orchestre.  This is on period
instruments so the capricci, with their HIGH-lying parts for the corni da caccia, can sound downright scary
for the demands they make on the soloists.  Ensemble isn't exactly tight or neat and inspiration runs
kind of unevenly but for the price (and the valiant performances from the horn players) it is worthy
getting...

HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

71 dB

Quote from: Tancata on July 10, 2007, 11:32:08 AM
The trouble with this thread is that it presents far too many new avenues to explore  :P.

German baroque music is a cornucopia.  ;)
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Soundproof

A cornucopia from which flows forth the greatest of music.

Today I got hold of this one, the complete Mysterien Sonaten by Biber:


Que

#35
Quote from: Soundproof on July 13, 2007, 10:22:37 AM
A cornucopia from which flows forth the greatest of music.

Today I got hold of this one, the complete Mysterien Sonaten by Biber:



Soundproof, I would say those are key pieces in German baroque.
The repertoire by Biber for the violin raised my interest to look further than Bach! Will be interested in your impressions on this particular recording btw - Winter & Winter has always very interesting issues (always superbly recorded)...

I can recommend also the "other" violin sonatas by Biber from 1681.
Manze did them brilliantly (see my earlier post), but Marianne Rônez did them too (haven't heard it).
(From the online Biber discography here)



Q

Tancata

Quote from: Que on July 18, 2007, 08:19:36 AM
I'm also interested in harpsichord music from the German baroque.
It seems that the general consensus is that after Bach, Johann Jakob Froberger is the man! 8)
I would very much like some advice on this!

I haven't heard Froberger, but let me once again emphasize Buxtehude's harpsichord music - it is extremely good.

Que

Quote from: Tancata on July 18, 2007, 08:26:16 AM
I haven't heard Froberger, but let me once again emphasize Buxtehude's harpsichord music - it is extremely good.

Ah! OK, so Buxtehude's harpsichod music is also worthwhile.
Thanks for the info - any recordings I should check out?  :)

Q

The new erato

Quote from: Tancata on July 18, 2007, 08:26:16 AM
I haven't heard Froberger.

Ditto. But how about the Bøhm double set on Glossa:



Was about to mention it in my previous post, but it slipped my mind.

Tancata

Quote from: Que on July 18, 2007, 08:32:31 AM
Ah! OK, so Buxtehude's harpsichod music is also worthwhile.
Thanks for the info - any recordings I should check out?  :)

Q

Check out my post a few posts up from here, wherein I recommend Ton Koopman  :). The first volume of his Complete Buxtehude series is a 2-disc set of the harpsichord music, played in an extremely lively fashion.