Johann Gottfried WALTHER
(1684-1748)
Organ Works Volume 2
Tr.: Vivaldi: Concerto del sig
Chorale Partita: Schmücke dich...
Tr.: Manzia: Concerto del sig in g minor
Chorale Prelude: Es is..
Chorale Prelude: Mache dich..
Tr.: Blamr: Concerto del sig in A
Tr.: Taglietti Concerto del sig in B flat
Chorale Prelude: Ach Gott..
Tr.: Torelli Concerto del sig in d minor
Tr.: Torelli Concerto del sig in B flat
Tr.: Torelli Concerto del sig in a minor
Craig Cramer
Organ of Marienkirche, Mechterstådt/Thüringen, Germany
Organ by Carl Christian Hofmann, Gotha, 1770 (restored 1995)
rec. 7-9.11.97, Mechterstådt/Thüringen, Germany
NAXOS 8.554317
[73.31]
Crotchet AmazonUK
AmazonUS
This is rather terrific. It is an example of the transcriber's art as high
as Bach's and a whole CD of it, full of Italian concertos we never hear,
as well as ones we do. What we have here is a kind of super-abundant version
of Bach's arrangements of Vivaldi and others. These are 'concertos after'
and reflect the transcriber's skill who has turned them into organ sonatas
with some degree of freedom. There was a Vol. 1 of transcribed (Albinoni,
Gregori, Telemann, Gentili) and original works which I've not yet heard.
Walther was a year older than his distant relative, J. S. Bach. The two became
friends when Bach spent time in Weimar. Walther was acknowledged as one of
the great organists of his day, playing not only his own compositions but,
as Vol. 2 shows, collecting those of other composers.
Born in Erfurt he received tuition from Johann Bernhard Bach. Organist at
his home city's St Thomas he formed a friendship, based on much travelling,
with Werckmeister, studied with Pachelbel's son, Wilhelm Hieronymus, then
studied philosophy back at Erfurt university. As often happens to musical
philosophy students in Germany around this time, he finally devoted his energy
to music from thenceforth, and was organist at St. Paul's Weimar from 1707,
joining the court orchestra by invitation of Duke Wilhelm Ernst, around the
time Bach was leaving after the death of his wife.
Walther's own chorale preludes are represented, and 'Mache, dich' with its
tinkling effects rather like some of Krebs's later efforts, recall one of
the occasional stops no longer used in the organ vocabulary. They're very
fine pieces and deserve to be better known. Walther's own modesty and low
profile as a composer is the key to their comparative neglect. The transcriptions
are suitable for the Italian or Italianate originals, the Vivaldi similar
to Bach's and the Manzia unexpected in its use of flute stops. The Blamr
is gentle, not quite bland, an attractive composition by someone hardly known
to us. The Taglietti is full of panache and the three Torelli concerti that
close the volume full of a graciousness one doesn't expect. The single movement
d minor is full of questing for the home key, reflective and quasi-churchy.
The B flat blows this away in brilliant ceremonials. The a minor is full
of bright gothic gloom.
A really enjoyable disc, a true addition, beautifully recorded and played.
Simon Jenner
