In 1999 the archive of the Berlin Singakademie was discovered in Kiev and
two years later was returned to Berlin. Since then musicologists have been
busy sorting it out. As a result various works considered lost have come to
the surface. The present disc is an example of a production which would not
have been possible without the rediscovery of the archive. Two of the works
recorded here are marked as "lost" in
New Grove given
that the archive of the Singakademie was the only source. A considerable
part of Agricola's sacred music is now available again and that
allows us to gain a more complete picture of musical life in Berlin in the
mid-18th century.
Agricola was born in Dobitschen in Saxe-Altenburg, son of a government
agent. In 1738 he enrolled in Leipzig University where he studied law. He
became a pupil of Johann Sebastian Bach and took part in performances of his
church music and of the Collegium Musicum. At this time he also started to
copy works by Bach. In 1741 he moved to Berlin where he took lessons from
Johann Joachim Quantz. There he became acquainted with some of the main
poets of the time and the leading composers of the day including Carl
Heinrich Graun and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
For some time he enjoyed the patronage of Frederick the Great who
appointed him as court composer in 1751. Their relationship was not without
problems: Agricola married one of the opera singers. This was against
Frederick's wishes who wanted his opera stars to remain single. In
1759 Graun died and Agricola succeeded him as director of the Opera,
although without the title of
Kapellmeister. Frederick was very
critical of Agricola's operas, some of which he ordered to be
rewritten almost completely. Agricola was an important composer of songs, a
genre which enjoyed great popularity at the time.
He was also active as a performer: he worked as organist in the tradition
of Johann Sebastian Bach and sang the tenor part in the first performance of
Graun's oratorio
Der Tod Jesu. This is a text he also set
himself. It was part of a trilogy of oratorios or cantatas about the life of
Jesus from the pen of Carl Wilhelm Ramler (1725-1798).
Der Tod Jesu
was the only part Graun composed. It was one of the most frequently
performed oratorios in Germany, well into the 19th century, until it came to
be overshadowed by Bach's
St Matthew Passion. The first part
was
Die Hirten bey der Krippe zu Bethlehem and the third
Die
Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu. Only two composers set all three:
Telemann and Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach. Agricola composed music for
the first and the third part; the first had been thought lost until it
turned up in the Singakademie archive.
In this piece Ramler mixes biblical references with idyllic images from
the world of Arcadia. God is often called
Schiloh - a name from the
Old Testament - but also "God of shepherds". Ramler indicates that
the cantata should open with a pastoral song for instruments; Agricola
composed a piece without any reminiscences of a well-known Christmas song.
Then we hear a recitative for soprano which begins with the words:
"Here he sleeps, oh, how sweetly, and smiles in his sleep, the blessed
Child". In the following aria the strings are joined by two flutes.
Especially in the second recitative and duet the Arcadian world is mixed
with biblical images, for instance the peaceful living together of lion and
lamb which we find in the book of Isaiah. There's also a reference to
Eden, the garden in paradise, when the world was still peaceful. The duet
ends with the line: "May heaven and earth be as once they were, one
song, one chorus". The cantata ends with "Glory to God in the
highest", with an obbligato part for organ.
It seems very likely that the first performance of Graun's
Der
Tod Jesu in 1755 inspired Agricola to consider writing sacred music
himself. This was mostly performed at St. Peter's Church in Berlin.
Die Hirten bey der Krippe zu Bethlehem dates from 1757 and seems to
have been written under the direct influence of Graun's oratorio.
Kündlich groß ist das gottselige Geheimnis which dates from 1768.
It opens with a chorus which is followed by a recitative, an aria, an
accompanied recitative and another chorus. It closes with a second aria and
a chorale, a stanza from the old Christmas song
Ein Kind geborn zu
Bethlehem.
It is not known when
Uns ist ein Kind geboren was written; it is
again a piece which was thought to have been lost but has turned up in the
archive of the Singakademie. It opens with a chorus: "To us a child is
born, a son is given to us". On the next line, "whose mighty rule
is on his shoulder", the full orchestra enters. The ensuing aria is of
an operatic character, with plenty of coloratura. Agricola effectively uses
the various instrumental groups - strings with flutes, oboes and horns - to
underline elements in the text. The aria 'Holder Jesu' is of a
quite different character as the text suggests: "Dear Jesus, your names
are my balm in the world". The alto is supported here by strings alone.
In the next aria the tenor and the strings are joined by a trumpet - a
pre-eminently 'royal' instrument - which can be explained by
the reference to "the Prince of Peace" in the A-part.
The sacred music from this time is something one has to get used to,
especially if one is acquainted with the cantatas and oratorios of Johann
Sebastian Bach. This is a different world. Agricola's contemporary
Johann Adolph Scheibe (1708-1778) stated: "[It] is the main final goal
of church music primarily to edify the listeners, to encourage them to
engage in devotion, in order in this way to arouse in them a quiet and holy
reverence toward the divine being." Take this as a good description of
the sacred music of the mid-18th century in Germany. This explains why the
texts are often rather moralistic and the way these ideals are realized by
Agricola is admirable. The three pieces on this disc, which are certainly
all recorded here for the first time, are fine additions to the repertoire.
If you are interested in music for Christmastide which is different from
what you are used to, don't hesitate.
The performances are generally very good. Berit Solset has shown her
qualities in previous recordings of repertoire from the same period. Her
mastery of these sometimes quite demanding arias is admirable. Myriam Arbouz
is a newcomer but I like her singing here, especially in the tender aria
mentioned before, 'Holder Jesu'. Nicholas Mulroy sings well,
but I don't like his huskiness; the top notes sound a little stressed
at times. Matthias Vieweg has a rather small role but sings well. The
choruses are performed by the soloists, with four additional
ripienists. The orchestral effects are fully explored by the Kölner
Akademie.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen
