Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor Rob Barnett Editor in Chief
John Quinn Contributing Editor Ralph Moore Webmaster
David Barker Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf MusicWeb Founder Len Mullenger
The Trio Sonata in 17th-Century
Germany Johann VIERDANCK (1605-1646) Suite in A [07:51] Nicolaus A KEMPIS (1600-1676) Symphonia No 2 'Dolorosa' [04:47] Johann Heinrich SCHMELZER (1623-1680) Lantery (Sonata a 3) [05:35] Dietrich BECKER (1623-1697) Sonata XXVI in A (1674)
[04:13] Johann ROSENMÜLLER (1619-1684) Sonata in e minor [08:16] Matthias WECKMANN (1619-1674) Sonata in G [03:28] Carolus HACQUART (1640-1701) Sonata VI in d minor (1686) [10:51] Dietrich BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) Trio Sonata in G (BuxWV 271) [09:04] Johann Caspar KERLL (1627-1693) Trio Sonata in F [06:03] Heinrich Ignaz Franz VON BIBER (1644-1704) Partita VI in D [11:29]
London
Baroque (Ingrid Seifert; Richard Gwilt; violin; Charles
Medlam; viola da gamba; Terence Charlston; harpsichord;
organ)
rec. January 2005, St Martin's Church, East Woodhay, Hampshire,
England. DDD BIS BISCD1545 [73:06]
The
title of this disc should be taken with a grain of salt.
As the track-list shows London Baroque has included pieces
by composers who are Austrian rather than German. And even
when 'German' is interpreted as 'German-speaking' this
doesn't explain the inclusion of two pieces by composers
from the Southern Netherlands. To say, as does Charles
Medlam in the booklet, that the idiom of their music is
such that they fit into this programme seems a shade far-fetched.
In
his programme notes Charles Medlam refers to the Thirty
Years War (1618-1648) as an event which had a very damaging
effect on the state of the arts in Germany. The most famous
German composer of the 17th century, Heinrich Schütz, described
its effect this way: "Among the other free arts the
noble art of music has not only suffered great decline
in our beloved fatherland as a result of the ever-present
dangers of war; in many places it has been wholly destroyed,
lying amid the ruins and chaos for all to behold." The
war had taken away most of the financial resources which
otherwise would have been spent on art, and musicians had
died as a direct or indirect effect of the war. But although
much financial effort was required to restore the economy
after the Peace of Westfalia in 1648 it is remarkable how
quickly the arts rose up "by God's grace to their
former dignity and value", as Schütz put it. He and
many other composers started to write music again, from
sacred music in large scoring to chamber music for small
ensembles. It is this kind of music which is presented
here.
Most
music dates from the second half of the 17th century, reflecting
the resurrection of music from the ruins of the war. But
the programme begins with a suite by Vierdanck, which is
the earliest music on the disc. The booklet doesn't give
the source, but I assume it comes from Vierdanck's first
publication, Erster Theil newer Pavanen, which dates
from 1637. In this collection the dances are grouped in
suites according to key. Vierdanck was one of the first
German composers to follow the Italian model of the trio
texture - as this suite shows. Stylistically it is still
very much like the dance music of the late renaissance,
and Vierdanck was also influenced by the English consort
music, which was brought to Northern Germany by, in particular,
William Brade.
The
rest of the programme shows an increasing influence of
the Italian style in Germany. That is not surprising: a
number of Italian musicians had travelled north to look
for employment, like Bertali, Turini, Farina and Buonamente.
Some German composers went to Italy to get acquainted with
the newest fashion in music, like Kerll. But even when
a composer never set a foot in Italy, like Matthias Weckman,
it was no problem to learn the Italian style, through the
presence of Italian musicians as well as through the many
manuscripts and prints which circulated through the continent.
In
the pieces by Dietrich Becker and Matthias Weckmann, both
working in and around Hamburg, we find the influence of
the 'stylus phantasticus', which is so characteristic of
North-German organ music, and which in itself is influenced
by the Italian style. They, like Dietrich Buxtehude, were
able to merge the Italian style with the traditional German
preference for counterpoint.
The
most 'Italianate' composer in the programme is probably
Johann Rosenmüller, who worked in Leipzig, but escaped
to Italy when he was imprisoned for a sexual offence. Here
he fully embraced the theatrical style of the Italians,
as his Sonata in e minor shows. This sonata, from a collection
of 12 sonatas which was printed in 1682, is passionate
and expressive, but at the same time pays tribute to the
German tradition. The 'gravity' which Heinrich Schütz considered
a typical feature of German music, is certainly present
in this sonata. The second movement, largo, which is repeated
at the end, is in my opinion one of the most beautiful
pieces ever written. It is a fugue, whose subject you just
won't forget once you have heard it.
The
composers from the south of Germany and from Austria were
often surrounded by Italian musicians, and that had a strong
influence on their own compositions, like those of Johann
Heinrich Schmelzer who himself never went to Italy. Johann
Caspar Kerll, on the other hand, went to Rome to study
with Carissimi. Here he also became acquainted with the
keyboard music of Girolamo Frescobaldi.
The
German-speaking regions in Europe were considered a centre
of violin virtuosity. When the German composer Nicolaus
Adam Strungk travelled to Rome he met Arcangelo Corelli.
When the Italian asked him if he played the violin he replied
that he did so reasonably well. As he played Corelli was
astonished: "Sir, if I am called Arcangelo, you should
be called Arcidiavolo". Strungk was just one of the
representatives of the 'German' violin school. Biber -
who worked in Olmütz (today in the Czech Republic) and
Salzburg - is another one, many of whose works reflect
his own astonishing virtuosity. In his collection 'Harmonia
artificiosa-ariosa' (1696) he included seven partitas in
different tunings for the two upper parts. The Partita
VI is the only one without 'scordatura'.
The
odd ones out in this programme are the pieces by two composers
from the Southern Netherlands. Nicolaus à Kempis was from
Brussels and acted as organist there. He published a series
of collections with 'Symphoniae', rather unpretentious
pieces aimed at domestic use. This doesn't hold him back,
though, from writing a piece with the subtitle 'Dolorosa'
whose main features are chromatically falling lines. Hacquart
was a gambist by education, born in Brughes, but moving
to Amsterdam in the early 1670s. The sonata played here
comes from a collection of ten sonatas in three or four
parts. It hasn't that much in common with the German music
on this disc. It is more Italian in style than the pieces
by most German composers, more melodious and lacking the
German 'gravity'.
Most
music played here requires technical virtuosity but also
a good feeling for the specific features of German music.
Over the years I have heard too many recordings which don't
really explore the depth and the strongly rhetorical character
of this repertoire. But London Baroque has much experience
in this field, in particular its first violinist, Ingrid
Seifert. Some people will not immediately appreciate the
somewhat sharp and penetrating sound of the violins, especially
that of Ingrid Seifert, and I would advise turning down
the volume a little, particularly when you listen though
headphones.
However
the interpretations in many ways offer what this repertoire
requires. There is a good sense of the gravity in this
music, but its brighter side comes through equally well.
Sometimes I find the articulation not sharp enough, and
I would have liked to hear stronger dynamic differences,
for instance between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ notes. The largo
from Rosenmüller's sonata, which I already have referred
to, is a good example. I have to admit that ever since
I heard Musica Antiqua Köln in this repertoire - unfortunately
disbanded a couple of years ago - I have found it difficult
to appreciate any other recording. That ensemble's performances
of this repertoire were close to ideal, and they are difficult
to match – as Bis have found.
Despite
a few reservations this disc is admirable. Currently it
is one of the best available to represent German chamber
music of the 17th century.
Reviews
from previous months Join the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the
discs reviewed. details We welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin
Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to
which you refer.