Dieterich BUXTEHUDE (1637 - 1707)
VII Suonate, op. 1
Sonata I in F, op. 1,1 (BuxWV 252)** [8:47]
Sonata II in G, op. 1,2 (BuxWV 253)** [7:47]
Sonata III in a minor, op. 1,3 (BuxWV 254)* [8:54]
Sonata IV in B flat, op. 1,4 (BuxWV 255)* [8:02]
Sonata V in C, op. 1,5 (BuxWV 256)** [8:13]
Sonata VI in d minor, op. 1,6 (BuxWV 257)* [7:47]
Sonata VII in e minor, op. 1,7 (BuxWV 258)** [6:42]
The Purcell Quartet (Catherine Mackintosh*, Catherine Weiss** (violin), Richard
Boothby (viola da gamba), Robert Woolley (harpsichord))
rec. 26 - 27 November 2008, 5 January 2009, Church of St Bartholomew, Orford,
Suffolk. DDD
CHANDOS CHAN 0766 [56:53]
Dieterich BUXTEHUDE (1637 - 1707)
VII Suonate, op. 2
Sonata I in B flat, op. 2,1 (BuxWV 259)* [7:24]
Sonata II in D, op. 2,2 (BuxWV 260)* [11:56]
Sonata III in g minor, op. 2,3 (BuxWV 261)** [10:35]
Sonata IV in c minor, op. 2,4 (BuxWV 262)* [7:11]
Sonata V in A, op. 2,5 (BuxWV 263)* [8:45]
Sonata VI in E, op. 2,6 (BuxWV 264)** [9:17]
Sonata VII in F, op. 2,7 (BuxWV 265)** [7:41]
The Purcell Quartet (Catherine Mackintosh*, Catherine Weiss** (violin), Richard
Boothby (viola da gamba), Robert Woolley (harpsichord))
rec. 21 - 23 February 2011, All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London, UK.
DDD
CHANDOS CHAN 0784 [62:55]
Dieterich Buxtehude's chambre music comprises two collections of seven sonatas
each, printed as op. 1 and op. 2 respectively, and eight sonatas which have
been preserved in manuscript. The latter are in different scorings: one or
two violins - with or without viola da gamba - or viola da gamba solo, all
with basso continuo. The two printed collections only include sonatas of the
scoring which was particularly popular in northern Germany: violin, viola
da gamba and bc. These were printed in about 1694 and 1696 respectively but
were not the first sonatas by Buxtehude. In 1684 the publication of another
collection was advertised, but this has never been found. It is impossible
to say whether it has been lost or perhaps never printed. The title is interesting
because of the reference to its use for the church and the 'table', the latter
meaning that they could be played during dinner. It is reasonable to assume
that the sonatas op. 1 and op. 2 were written with the same purpose in mind.
The sonatas may have been played by the members of the Ratsmusik in
Lübeck, an ensemble of highly skilled and versatile musicians. They played
at official events, but also in the private homes of wealthy citizens, and
participated in the Abendmusiken which took place in the Advent period.
Another possibility is that Buxtehude himself played his sonatas with his
colleagues and friends from Hamburg, Johann Theile and Johann Adam Reinken.
The sonatas have no fixed form; they consist rather of a variable number of
sections of varied length, character and metre. Quick succession of contrasting
sections is one of the features of the stylus phantasticus which had
its roots in Italian music of the early 17th century and left its mark not
only on music for instrumental ensemble but also on keyboard works. The German
theorist Johann Mattheson stated that "this style is the most free and unrestrained
manner of composing, singing, and playing that one can imagine, for one hits
first on this idea and then upon that one, since one is bound neither to words
nor to melody, only to harmony, so that the singer and player can display
his skill".
It is of vital importance to realise this character of the chamber music from
northern Germany of the 17th century. Another important aspect is that there
was a close connection between speech and music. German theorists of the 17th
century compare musicians with orators. A composition had to follow the rules
of rhetoric in its structure and organisation of material. Obviously performers
need to be aware of this in order to do justice to the character of a composition.
This means that the performance should be speech-like, as an instrumental
translation of the early baroque ideal of recitar cantando.
It is exactly in this department that the interpretations of The Purcell Quartet
fail to convince. The first disc is neatly played but rather dull. The sonatas
are quite dramatic thanks to the quick succession of contrasting sections
but the contrasts are severely underexposed. That is also due to the fact
that the tempi are too moderate: the fast sections are mostly too slow, the
slow sections not slow enough. Dynamically the playing is as flat as a pancake.
There is also too little differentiation between stressed and unstressed notes.
The performances are slightly better at the second disc: the contrasts are
stronger and the instruments also have more presence. The latter could in
part be down to the recording.
Even so, in the end these two discs are rather disappointing. Buxtehude's
music is much more dramatic and exciting than the interpretations of The Purcell
Quartet suggest. The recording of these two collections by L'Estravagante
(here) is a much better choice.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen
Buxtehude's music is much more dramatic and exciting than these interpretations
suggest.
see also review by Byzantion of CHAN0784