German Baroque Music

[FideLeo]

It's an excellent disc, indeed. That fat continuo works out very well.

Alas the organ lady died; the fat continuo team has since disbanded.  It's unfortunate for what could have turned out to be a long brilliant series of recordings. 

[FideLeo]

The Youtube snips do not quite do the actual recorded sound justice, but the visuals are nice; performance itself sure sounds lovely.

(Annunciation)
http://www.youtube.com/v/_ci6ltVhF5o

(Guardian Angel: Passacaglia)
http://www.youtube.com/v/aLjqm5t69qw

[asin]B0014QNGH8[/asin]

[Que]

I have just listened to this disc three times, but I consider it highly recommendable.

The music itself is a fine demonstration of the development of keyboard music based on some stylized dances, where Mattheson was both respectful and aware of tradition and also an innovator. He principally recalls me the Bach of the Partitas, even more than the English or the French Suites.

I would say the general pathos of Mattheson's music is a firm feeling of self confidence and confidence in the world as a secure place, with no too much room for sadness or unexplainable melancholy. But even so his music is full of poetry (what a beautiful allemandes, for instance!) and some traces specifically German, like his use of counterpoint.

Cristiano Holtz is beyond any reproach and I would really love if he could record some Bach, especially the aforementioned partitas and suites. Anyway, now I need to get his Inventions & Sinfonias played on clavichord.

The harpsichord is an excellent copy by Bruce Kennedy after Michael Mietke (1702-1704) and its sound is perfectly suitable to this music. The recorded sound is close, but pretty clear and pleasant.

The disc includes seven suites, but just three of them are complete and the remaining are extracts, including from one to four movements.

The liner notes and presentation are excellent, as usual with Ramée.

Do I need to use the adjective "mandatory"? 

Noted, thanks for the review!

Q

[SonicMan46]

Interesting that I left the last post in this thread back in late March! 

Well, my FIRST Graupner discs arrived today - just left a post in the 'listening thread' (quoted below) - also found a fabulous site devoted to this extremely prolific but 'forgotten' Baroque composer - check out the link which includes a listing of his own catalog, i.e. GWV numbers!  My GOD, the guy wrote over 1400 'sacred cantatas' alone - have none!  Of course, the Soly recordings of the harpsichord works are another 'in depth' exploration of this composer - will there be a 'box set'?

But back to my first recordings below - both are w/ 'period' instruments and am enjoying these recordings tremendously - look forward to further recommendations & acquisitions!   

Graupner, Christoph (1639-1760) - Christmas Oratorio w/ Florian Heyerick and many - not really an integrated oratorio but a compilation of 9 cantatas written for Lent & Christmas over a wide span of Graupner's career.

Some facts about the composer above in my previous post - have now accumulated about a half dozen instrumental CDs, so this is my first to explore his vocal works; he was one of the most well known Baroque composers at that time, and was second in line (after Telemann) for the position JS Bach finally obtained (i.e. third choice).  His output was phenomenal (and most still exists!) and nearly the equal of Telemann according to the liner notes in this release - non-vocal catalog HERE - a review of this 2-CD vocal package attached from the Jul-Aug issue of Fanfare -

[Leo K.]

I am very impressed and fascinated by this set of sonatas from Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722). I am currently listening to the Biblical sonatas and find them profoundly moving! The sound of this disk is a plus 

[PaulSC]

I am very impressed and fascinated by this set of sonatas from Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722). I am currently listening to the Biblical sonatas and find them profoundly moving! The sound of this disk is a plus 

Leo, John Butt is not always my favorite harpsichordist, but I agree that's a very fine disc. I've found Kuhnau's keyboard music consistently engaging. Another recording I've really enjoyed is Gabriele Micheli playing Vol. 1 of the Neuer Clavier-Ubung (1689).

[PaulSC]

Having enjoyed the Opus 1 sonatas of Georg Muffat (armonico tributo, 1682),  I'm interested in exploring more of the chamber and orchestral music. The next most widely recorded work is his twelve Concerti Grossi (1701). I understand some of the latter are reworkings of the Opus 1 sonatas.

Does anyone happen to know the details of the corresponding portions of these works? If I choose a selection from the concerti grossi (rather than a complete cycle), I would prefer to have less duplication between the two works.

On a separate note, I have just placed an order for Siegbert Rampe's recording of the same composers complete harpsichord works.

[prémont]

On a separate note, I have just placed an order for Siegbert Rampe's recording of the same composers complete harpsichord works.

I suppose, that you know his organ works already, maybe the most interesting of his surviving works.

[PaulSC]

I suppose, that you know his organ works already, maybe the most interesting of his surviving works.

To be honest, I don't know his organ works. I'll have to add them to my list of things to explore. Thanks for the tip.

[PaulSC]

Actually, premont, what do you think of Kelemen's Orgelmeister series on Oehms Classics? I've been eyeing the Pachelbel volume, and I see he's recorded a double CD of Muffat as well. (But it's far from the only option...)

[Coopmv]

Actually, premont, what do you think of Kelemen's Orgelmeister series on Oehms Classics? I've been eyeing the Pachelbel volume, and I see he's recorded a double CD of Muffat as well. (But it's far from the only option...)

I have the Pachelbel volume in SACD, though I have listened to it only once months ago and thereby cannot quite render a fair opinion yet.  I am only 1 volume away from completing my Pachelbel Organ Works Collection on the Centaur label ...

[PaulSC]

Coopmv, thanks for your input (and do post again if you revisit Kelemen's Pachelbel and find you have more to say about it). I've been tempted by Payne's series — and there is Bouchard's and I guess Matthew Owens has begun one on Delphian as well. But I shouldn't spend the money (and I wouldn't really spend enough listening time to make it worthwhile). So I've decided to go for Selected rather than Collected.

[Coopmv]

Coopmv, thanks for your input (and do post again if you revisit Kelemen's Pachelbel and find you have more to say about it). I've been tempted by Payne's series — and there is Bouchard's and I guess Matthew Owens has begun one on Delphian as well. But I shouldn't spend the money (and I wouldn't really spend enough listening time to make it worthwhile). So I've decided to go for Selected rather than Collected.

I also have the Complete Organ Works by Johann Ludwig Krebs by John Kitchen on the Priory label.  Krebs was supposed to be one of JS Bach's favorite students.

[eyeresist]

I was listening last night to a disc of guitar concertos by Vivaldi, Fasch and Krebs (both for guitar and strings in D). I think in this case Vivaldi overshadowed the Germans, but the Krebs did catch my ear delightfully several times.

[SonicMan46]

Having enjoyed the Opus 1 sonatas of Georg Muffat (armonico tributo, 1682),  I'm interested in exploring more of the chamber and orchestral music. The next most widely recorded work is his twelve Concerti Grossi (1701). I understand some of the latter are reworkings of the Opus 1 sonatas.

Does anyone happen to know the details of the corresponding portions of these works? If I choose a selection from the concerti grossi (rather than a complete cycle), I would prefer to have less duplication between the two works.

On a separate note, I have just placed an order for Siegbert Rampe's recording of the same composers complete harpsichord works.

Hi Paul - I own just 2 CDs of Muffat's works, including the ones you discuss above.  In Roy Goodman's liner notes from the sonatas, he states "since most of the movements appear, albeit newly arranged, in his twelve concerti grossi (Sonata 1 in CG V, Sonata II in CG IV, Sonata III in CG II, Sonata IV in CG XI, and Sonata V in both CG X & XII)."

Hope that is the information you wanted?  May have to look into his Concerti Grossi now myself! -   Dave

 

[PaulSC]

Hi Paul - I own just 2 CDs of Muffat's works, including the ones you discuss above.  In Roy Goodman's liner notes from the sonatas, he states "since most of the movements appear, albeit newly arranged, in his twelve concerti grossi (Sonata 1 in CG V, Sonata II in CG IV, Sonata III in CG II, Sonata IV in CG XI, and Sonata V in both CG X & XII)."

Hope that is the information you wanted?  May have to look into his Concerti Grossi now myself! -   Dave

 

Dave, thank you! That was exactly the information I'm looking for. Ironically, I own the very same recording of Armonico Tributo, but I have it as a download, sans liner notes. Fortunately for both of us, Goodman's recording is made using small forces. Muffat permits a range of ensemble sizes, and any movements that reappear in the concerti grossi offer a chance to hear the music played by a larger and more diverse group.

[prémont]

Actually, premont, what do you think of Kelemen's Orgelmeister series on Oehms Classics? I've been eyeing the Pachelbel volume, and I see he's recorded a double CD of Muffat as well. (But it's far from the only option...)

I own all of them. Interesting organs well recorded, scholary playing sometimes a bit magistral but always worthwile. None of his CDs  constitute my ultimately preferred interpretation of the works in question. However as I am a completist as to large parts of this repertoire,  his recordings are mandatory (for me).

Concerning Pachelbel I would like to know if Payne´s and Bouchard´s recordings are interesting (they are hard to get hold of in my country). My earlier experiences with Payne and Bouchard (in Bach) are not that stimulating. I own a number of Pachelbel recordings but only the one by Wolfgang Rübsam (Naxos) seems to add that exiting stylus phantasticus quality to the music which is stimulating and prevents the music from sounding in the usual nice and harmless way.

[Que]

.[asin]B0012S57YI[/asin]

First run of this disc. I knew the name of Heinrich Scheidemann before, but he is of earlier date than I suspected. When I listened I immediately thought: Sweelinck. And it turns out that Scheidemann was a favourite pupil of Sweelinck and founder of the north German organ school. And so everything comes neatly together.

First impressions: excellent, very nice indeed. Pieter Dirksen, who wrote a book about Scheidemans keyboard works, plays a bright and penetrating sounding double manual harpsichord after Ruckers.

EDIT: A wonderful, superb disc that makes me all the more anxious to try his organ works.  Interesting to hear German harpsichord music with a strong influence of the English tradition, something Scheidemann got from Sweelinck. Pieter Dirksen's style is profound and probing without being (too) scholary: the music is treated in a lively and expressive way. I like the big and dry sound of the Ruckers, though In the review below it's argued that it doesn't suit the more English orientated pieces. I'm inclined to disagree: this is an Hamburgian take on English influences  via Amsterdam. A Ruckers seems perfect for the job.

Here is the review from Fanfare's Barry Brenesal:

The modern reputation of Heinrich Scheidemann (c. 1595–1663) rested for a very long time on his prestigious position as organist of Hamburg's Catharinenkirche, as well as the recorded remarks and friendship of such colleagues as Johann Schop and Jacob Praetorius (who studied alongside him under Sweelinck). It wasn't until Gustav Fock rediscovered his organ tablatures at Clausthal-Zellerfeld in the 1950s that attention finally began to be paid to this musician. He is now regarded as among the leading lights of the North German organ school in the early 17th century, though Werner Breig (New Grove I) has this dour assessment of the current material: "Scheidemann's harpsichord pieces, on the other hand, are generally insignificant, though one or two notable ones . . . have survived."

Dutch harpsichordist and scholar Pieter Dirksen is of a different opinion, however. He states that the composer's harpsichord music "equals his organ music in quality if not in quantity," and forms "a lively and attractive facet of this fascinating musical personality." It is, of course, difficult to tell just how much of Scheidemann's harpsichord music was available to Breig when he wrote his article, but the original works included in this album are without exception graceful, and often subtle in their learning. Typical is Betrübet ist zu dieser Frist, with its three variations, employing a refined tapestry of imitative and scalar figuration. Most of Scheidemann's praeambula are for organ; the rare examples for harpsichord included on this disc are richly chromatic and expressive. The Canzon in F (paired here with a transcription of a trumpet-like organ praeambulum, to set the stage) is a freely contrapuntal variation canzona on an elegant trilling motif in three sections.

There are also transcriptions by the composer, such as the motet intabulation in brilliant toccata manner of de Lassus's five-part motet, Omnia quae fecisti; or another of Felice Anerio's five-part madrigal, Mio cor, se vera sei salamandra, that succeeds by delicately suggesting rhythmic, harmonic, and contrapuntal elements rather than elaborating them. Elsewhere, much of what Dirksen has chosen to record by Scheidemann emphasizes the composer's love for a good tune, and draws upon the repertoire of English string-players (such as William Brade) who spent much time abroad in the various German states and the Netherlands. The Englische Mascarata and Variatio in G Minor is a typical example, with elaborately contrapuntal variations that complement rather than weighing down their theme. Another, far simpler piece is the Französischer Allemand in D Minor, though to what extent the original is incorporated in this transcription isn't clear, given the former's loss. By contrast, the Galliarda and Variatio in D Minor, a complete recomposition of a work by John Bull, incorporates the Englishman's angular figurations into Scheidemann's own freely imitative and dramatic manner.

Pieter Dirksen isn't well known to concert audiences on this side of the Atlantic, although he gives numerous solo recitals each year in his native Netherlands, as well as the occasional Fifth Brandenburg with the Combattimento Consort. We're distinctly the losers. He has plenty of technique, but never lets it get in the way of the music. His tempos are reasonably chosen and varied, while the pieces that are more obviously based on vocal or lute origins receive a judicious degree of rhythmic freedom. I only wish that a greater number of instruments had been used, reflecting the different styles, purposes, and genres of this music. The brightly resonant two-manual 1996 Nuñez (after a 1638 Ruckers) that Dirksen plays is a very fine harpsichord, but more suited, I think, to the praeambula than to the numerous English folk dances and variations, or the laconic madrigal transcription.

Excellent, close sound is provided, which catches the instrument without much of the mechanism. Dirksen supplies his own notes, and does a fine job within the space limitations he has. In short, this is largely a fine and unusual mix of North German and English Baroque harpsichord music and styles, performed to a turn by a master harpsichordist. Highly recommended.

Q

[prémont]

[asin]B0012S57YI[/asin]

Yes, a rather interesting disc, as far as I know the first of its kind. But if you want to know Scheidemann better, you must exxplore his organ works.

[Que]

Yes, a rather interesting disc, as far as I know the first of its kind. But if you want to know Scheidemann better, you must exxplore his organ works.

I knew one of you (the triptych premont-Antonie Marchand aka toniño-PaulCS ) would know this disc! 

Reading up on Scheideman, I realized that his organ works would be the next step - any suggestions?

Q