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Dietrich BUXTEHUDE (1637–1707) Eine Lübecker Abendmusik Benedicam Dominum (BuxWV 113) [11:42] Gott hilf mir (BuxWV 34) [13:34] Wie wird erneuet, wie wird erfreuet (BuxWV 110)
[11:18] Wo soll ich fliehen hin? (BuxWV 112) [15:03] Mein Gemüt erfreuet sich (BuxWV 72) [07:54] Herr, ich lasse dich nicht (BuxWV 36) [07:36] Ihr lieben Christen, freut euch nun (BuxWV 51) [10:37]
La Capella
Ducale
Musica Fiata/Roland Wilson
rec. 20–22 November 2006, St. Nikolaus- und Ulrichskirche,
Nürnberg-Mögeldorf, Germany. DDD CPO 777
318-2 [78:18]
The
commemoration of Buxtehude's death in 1707 has resulted in
a flood of recordings of his sacred music. This part of Buxtehude's
oeuvre, largely neglected, turns out to be of very high quality
and shows remarkable variety.
In
1667 Buxtehude was appointed organist at the Marienkirche
in Lübeck. In this capacity the writing of vocal music for
the services formed no part of his official duties. Most
sacred music must have been written to be performed during
the Abendmusiken, public concerts which took place on Sunday
afternoons during the weeks of Advent. It was Buxtehude's
predecessor Franz Tunder who had started the Abendmusiken
in 1646 and under Buxtehude these concerts were extended
and became more ambitious. Evidence of this is the fact that
wind instruments were bought, and that additional balconies
were constructed to have more space for all musicians who
participated.
This
disc gives some impression of the kind of music performed
during the Abendmusiken. The programme opens with 'Benedicam
Dominum', a large-scale motet in 24 parts, for the performance
of which Buxtehude will have made use of the balconies in
the Marienkirche, as the 24 parts are divided over 6 choirs.
It is a setting of verses from Psalm 34: "I will bless
the Lord at all times". This is a true ensemble piece
in which voices and instruments participate on equal terms.
The scoring of cornetts, trumpets, trombones, dulcian and
great bass shawm, with the usual strings and basso continuo
underlines the content of the text, but Buxtehude doesn’t
miss the opportunity to single out the words "audiant
mansueti" (the humble shall hear thereof) through a
modulation. The impression of this piece in the Marienkirche
must have been overwhelming, and La Capella Ducale and Musica
Fiata emulate that here.
Buxtehude's
sacred works are mostly called 'cantatas', but he himself
never used that term. It is also a little imprecise, as there
is a lot of variety in his sacred oeuvre, as this disc shows.
Some of the compositions on this disc are so-called 'concerto-aria-cantatas':
a combination of texts from the Bible, chorales and free
poetry (aria). The second item on the programme, 'Gott hilf
mir', belongs to this category. It starts with texts from
the 69th Psalm (Save me, God, for the waters are come in
unto my soul) and verses from Isaiah 43: "Fear not,
for I have redeemed you". They are set for bass solo,
and contain some examples of word painting. Then the full
ensemble comes in with a short quotation from Psalm 130 ("Israel,
hope in the Lord") and the chorale "Wer hofft in
Gott und dem vertraut", the 5th stanza of the hymn 'Durch
Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt' (Lazarus Spengler, 1524). This
is sung on original music; the hymn tune only appears in
the strings. Then follows the aria: "Ach ja, mein Gott,
ich hoff auf dich" (Ah yes, my God, I hope in you),
set for two sopranos and bass. The cantata ends with the
full ensemble, quoting again Psalm 130: "Let Israel
hope in the Lord". Wolf-Mathias Friedrich sings the
bass soli very well, and he and the two sopranos blend well
in the aria.
'Wie
wird erneuet, wie wird erfreuet' is an example of the so-called
'Lied-Kantate', a cantata on a strophic text of free poetry.
This kind of cantata is especially associated with German
Pietism. The text is by Erasmus Francisci and was published
in 1675 as part of a meditation over Psalm 84, about being
close to the Lord and his temple. This aria describes the
joy of the soul about the redemption through Christ, using
images which are typical for German Pietism. The stanzas
where the text is most intimate in character (2 – 7) are
set for solo voices, the first and last stanza for the tutti.
The intimacy of this piece is impressively realised by the
ensemble and its soloists.
'Wo
soll ich fliehen hin' is another 'concerto-aria-cantata',
and described as a 'dialogue'. But that dialogue only takes
place in the first section, where the bass acts as 'vox Dei',
quoting texts from the Old and the New Testament. The troubled
soul – sung by a soprano - begins with the first stanza from
the chorale 'Wo soll ich fliehen hin' by Johann Heermann,
published in 1630 in a collection of 'Trostgesänglein' (hymns
of consolation): "Where shall I flee? For I am burdened
by the weight of many sins". The 'vox Dei' answers with
Matthew 11, vv28-30: "Come unto me, all you who labor
and are heavy laden". Another stanza of the chorale
follows, and then the bass quotes Matthew 7, v7 with the
words "knock, and it shall be opened to you'. The aria
in three stanzas – set for tenor solo – links up with this: "Knock
on heaven's door, and it shall be opened to you"; it
is beautifully sung here by Markus Brutscher. The knocking
is depicted by repeated notes in the strings. After the aria
the cantata closes with two stanzas from another chorale,
'Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut' (Bartholomäus Ringwald,
1588). The first is for soprano solo, the second for the
tutti (four voices and instruments). Both Wolf-Mathias Friedrich
as 'vox Dei' and Monika Mauch as the troubled soul are giving
splendid performances. The latter's singing of the chorales
is an example of how German chorales should be sung.
Another
'Lied-Kantate' follows: 'Mein Gemüt erfreuet sich' is a rather
simple strophic setting for soprano, alto, bass and instruments
of an anonymous text which was published in 1679 as part
of a collection of hymns for New Year. The text is about
the soul rejoicing about Jesus and his goodness. Instruments
are mentioned as playing in praise of Jesus, and at these
moments Buxtehude lets them play: in the fourth and fifth
stanza we hear trumpets, dulcians, flutes (recorders), the
regal and cornetts. The sixth and seventh stanza refer to
the birds singing their Creator's praises – in this performance
the organ depicts their singing in its upper register. Then
suddenly the ninth stanza modulates into minor mode and slows
down to 'adagio': "Man, O man, you image of God! Why
do you show your wild side? Do nothing but worry your whole
life long about clothing, food and drink?" Then Buxtehude
returns to major and the original tempo and metre: "Do
but think of that day when eternal life will be ours".
Another
dialogue is 'Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn',
set for tenor, bass and instruments. The text is from Genesis
(ch 32, vv 26-29), about the wrestling of God (bass) and
Jacob (tenor). In this piece Buxtehude makes use of the 'stile
concitato', which we know from Monteverdi's 'Combattimento
di Tancredi e Clorinda'. The dramatic character of this dialogue
is excellently realised by Markus Brutscher and Wolf-Mathias
Friedrich.
The
disc ends with another 'concerto-aria-cantata', which was
very likely written to be performed on the second Advent.
The Gospel reading for that Sunday was about the second coming
of Christ, and that is what the aria in the centre of the
cantata is about: "So do come, Jesus, come quickly,
to free us completely." This aria is preceded by two
quotations from the Bible, from the Letter of Judas and from
Revelation, set for the tutti and for bass solo respectively.
The cantata opens and closes with two stanzas of the chorale
'Ihr lieben Christen, freut euch nun' by Erasmus Alber (1546).
They also refer to the second coming of Christ and the last
judgment: "Oh, dear Lord, hurry to judgment, show us
your glorious countenance, the nature of the Holy Trinity,
that God may help us in all eternity. Amen." The scoring
of this cantata, including muted trumpets and trombones,
gives it a rather introverted character, which fits well
into the atmosphere of expectation which belongs to Advent.
Last
August I heard these ensembles with the same programme during
the Utrecht Festival Early Music. It was a stunning and often
deeply moving performance – for me one of the lasting memories
of this year's festival and even one of the highlights in
the festival's history. That was partly due to the quality
of Buxtehude's music, but also to the brilliant performance
by La Capella Ducale and Musica Fiata. This is the kind of
music which runs in their blood: they feel totally at home
in this repertoire. A thorough understanding of the German
culture of the 17th century and the religious climate of
the time is an essential precondition to reveal its spiritual
depth. And that is exactly what the ensembles do here.
The
atmosphere and the acoustical circumstances of a live performance
can never be emulated by a recording. Even so I am deeply
impressed by this disc. I believe this is the best recording
of Buxtehude's sacred music ever made - very closely followed
by Cantus Cölln's recording of 'Membra Jesu nostri'. I cannot
recommend it strongly enough. It is a disc to listen to over
and over again. If this doesn't convince you that Buxtehude's
sacred music is first-rate, nothing will.