The
fifth disc in Bine Bryndorf’s continuing series surveying the
complete organ works of Buxtehude takes her to Hamburg, a city
with which the composer had strong contacts. In fact he is now
thought to have studied with Heinrich Scheidemann, the famous
organist of the Katharinekirche. That organ still awaits its
reconstruction which may yet be completed before the end of
the decade. In the meantime the Hamburg organ mecca remains
St Jacobi, the largest surviving instrument of Arp Schnitger.
Since Ahrend’s 1993 restoration the organ has been no stranger
to Buxtehude’s music, indeed, one of the first recordings made
on it was the final CD in Harald Vogel’s still legendary cycle
for MD&G.
Interestingly,
Bryndorf records several of the same pieces as Vogel. Interesting
to note that while Vogel transposes the BuxWV 139 Praeludium,
presumably to avoid the dissonances caused by the curious 1/5th
comma meantone tuning in bars 87-90, Bryndorf doesn’t seem bothered
about it. Frankly the moment passes so quickly that I don’t
mind it either. Her well considered reading of the f# minor
Praeludium is however presented in g minor. This is logical,
but should be acknowledged in the booklet!
Bryndorf
seems to have rather shaken off the ‘stylus-Vogeliensis’ accelerandi
at the beginning of the free works, which I’m glad about. Listening
to Vogel’s recording however reminds me how much more monumental
the organ, and Buxtehude’s music in general, can sound than
Bryndorf sometimes allows it to here, especially in the context
of the free works. Her stunning technique and attention to detail
(her vocabulary of articulation is a model of sophistication)
is to my mind slightly compromised by her occasional tendency
towards the too brisk and breezy. The result for me occasionally
causes something of a quandary between perceived affect and
musical content. This is especially true of the second section
of the Te Deum where the first line of the cantus firmus is
presented; the setting begins with just two voices and grows
in stature to the monumental conclusion, double pedal and all.
Bryndorf’s rather light registration and way of playing is,
in my opinion, a pity. Vogel by contrast even adds the 32’ reed
at the end. The chorale fantasia which follows it (Pleni sunt
coeli) would also have benefited from being a notch slower and
more considered.
This
is not to say that Bryndorf’s approach to the proportio in the
free works and the affect suggested by the time signatures is
illogical, indeed she is one of the few interpreters of the
music whose approach demonstrates a highly accurate reflection
of the notation. She even, inadvertently, corrects the programme
notes of Kerala Snyder who refers to the second fugue of BuxWV
140 as being in ¾. In older editions this was the case, however,
in the now standard Belotti edition in which BuxWV 140 is based
on the Thuringian manuscript ‘Pittsburgh Ms/2’ the fugue is
notated in 3/2, and Bryndorf plays it as such.
Given
her exceptional accuracy in such matters, it is then strange
to have to report a small rhythmic inaccuracy in BuxWV 140.
The second fugue begins with a single crotchet, followed by
a rest and 3 semiquavers (abruptio). In bar 55 Bryndorf shortens
the opening crotchet to a quaver, resulting in the same rhythmic
notation as the second fugue of BuxWV 146, but leading to a
moment of rhythmic crisis.
Bine
Bryndorf has preserved in her recordings something of the registrational
style of Harald Vogel. Her use of the organ is less complicated,
though personally I prefer an even more stable solution in the
free works, even given the organ’s four manuals. The Magnificat
primi toni is for me especially over-fussy. Her ear for colour,
particularly in her use of the reeds, in the shorter chorale
based works is, however, highly effective.
The
interpretation of Buxtehude’s works is a highly subjective area,
and I admire Bryndorf for her sheer musicality, brilliant technique
and straightforward way of playing, even if I prefer a more
weighty approach in general. The Hamburg organ sounds exceptional
of course, and is very well recorded. Among the current batch
of new Buxtehude recordings Bryndorf’s discs remain recommendable.
Chris Bragg
