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| | CD Releases 2005CD Release November 2005
Frauenkirche Dresden. Organ music by Bach & Duruflé
Super-Audio-CD: 6 channel Surround recording. Can be played on standard CD or SACD player. After twelve years of construction, the reconstructed Dresden Frauenkirche will be festively dedicated on 30 October 2005. Few organ building projects have been followed with such interest and excitement as the reconstruction of the new organ at the Frauenkirche Dresden. The organ case, like the structure of the church, was designed by George Bähr, and during the rebuilding of the Frauenkirche it was constructed in every detail in accordance with that of the Gottfried Silbermann organ, which was built in 1736 and destroyed in 1945. However, the internal workings of the organ are not simply a reconstruction of the Silbermann organ. Daniel Kern, the organ builder from Strasbourg, followed the “classical” disposition of the Silbermann organ but he also added an additional manual in the French romantic style. The Kern organ unites the numerous advantages of an historical organ with the technical advances of a modern concert instrument. Through a program on this first CD recording rich in contrasts of style, featuring music by Bach and Duruflè, Samuel Kummer, the organist of the Frauenkirche, demonstrates the astounding sonorous versatility of this organ. On 1 December 1736, shortly after the completion and initial presentation of the Silbermann organ, Johann Sebastian Bach gave an organ recital in the Dresden Frauenkirche to publicly give thanks for the title of Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Court Composer which had been conferred upon him. Unfortunately we do not know what music Bach played, or whether he improvised on that occasion. For the present recording works were chosen especially suited to the new Kern organ and which would bring to life the sound and acoustics of the Frauenkirche. Maurice Duruflé (1902–1986) derived his musical language from the French tradition; it is carried by a well-polished compositional technique and marked by gentle melancholy. For his Suite op. 5 (1934) Duruflé had in mind for the performance of this work a grand symphonic organ of the Cavaillé-Coll type. His indications for registration point towards the Orgue néoclassique, in which radiant mixtures are heard especially to advantage. This style is also a characteristic for the new organ of the Frauenkirche.
This CD presents for the first time a comprehensive documentation of the choral arrangements by Cytus Gottwald, who will celebrate his 80th birthday in November 2005. Gottwald's contributions to contemporary a cappella choral music are of exceptional importance. In his choral transcriptions of songs with piano accompaniment or orchestral songs ranging from Schubert, Berlioz, Wagner and Wolf to Mahler and Debussy, Clytus Gottwald has transferred to traditional music the compositional techniques from new music. He makes audible the structures of the works he transcribes through the use of a finely differentiated sound. The concrete starting point for this idea was a concert conducted by Pierre Boulez in 1976. As Gottwald explained, “when he rehearsed the first Ravel piece, Soupir , I recognized the possibility of transcribing this music for voices, in which Ligeti's technique of writing for voices could serve as a source for motives. I wanted to confirm the new style, as I had encountered it in the first performance of Ligeti's Lux aeterna of 1966, by adapting its manner of writing to the music of Ravel.” Clytus Gottwald's choral settings have gained a firm place among the repertoire of ambitious chamber choirs – as with the KammerChor Saarbrücken, which presents here a wide selection of works performed at the highest artistic level, under the direction of Georg Grün.
The work has also been published by Carus. CD Releases October 2005
Music from Dresden is a major theme for Carus – whether it be festive music for the Court of Dresden or the sacred repertoire from, historically, two of Dresden’s most important churches, the Kreuzkirche and the Frauenkirche. The Christmas cantatas by Gottfried August Homilius are a most interesting highlight among Dresden’s treasures. For over forty years Homilius worked at the Frauenkirche Dresden, thus he held one of the most important posts in the field of church music in the Residence City of Saxony. In contrast to his predecessors, he composed most of the music required in his positions himself. His music was performed far beyond the boundaries of Dresden, which clearly shows the popularity which he enyjoyed in his day. The Körnersche Sing-Verein, the Dresden Instrumental-Concert and outstanding soloists play under the direction of Peter Kopp.
Georg Philipp Telemann was one of the central musical figures of the first half of the 18th century. At the center of his creative output church music played an important role, especially the treasure of sacred cantatas. This CD includes four interesting Advent and Christmas cantatas as well as a Magnificat, performed by world-renown artists and specialists in the field of Baroque music, under the direction of Kay Johannsen.
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Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: L'arpa festante - Barockorchester München |
Few composers have exercised such great influence on their successors, after their death, as Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. His Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen of 1753 is to this day the standard treatise on the subject of keyboard playing. As a composer C. P. E. Bach was extremely versatile. Almost all the genres of music of his time are to be found in his œuvre. In his choice of musical instruments he greatly favored keyboard instruments, especially the clavichord. No less than 50 concertos for harpsichord and orchestra by Carl Philipp Emanuel, as well as 13 sonatinas and 4 compositions for two keyboard instruments and orchestra have survived.
Rien Voskuilen, the internationally renowned harpsichordist, has chosen three
concertos for the present recording. He is accompanied here by the L'arpa
festante , one of the most esteemed early music ensembles in Germany. The
group used original instruments for this CD. The vast musical experience of
the individual musicians and their virtuosity has led to this ensemble's unmistakably
characteristic sound: It is colorful, rich in nuances, sensitive, expressive.
Johann Sebastian Bach: Osteroratorium · Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach:
Danket dem Herrn / Heilig
CD recording with Frieder Bernius
The "Osteroratorium", BWV 249, is Johann Sebastian Bach's happy reply on Easter Sunday to the "St. John Passion", which had been performed for the second time on Good Friday, 1725. This eleven-movement work was based on music written by Bach in homage of Duke Christian von Sachsen-Weißenfels. From the outset, when he compose this piece, Bach had his eye on reusing it for festive music. Later performances of the work testify to the fact that Bach regarded the "Osteroratorium" very highly.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's two-part "Dankhymne der Freundschaft" (Hymn of thanks for friendship) dates from January 1785; the piece was composed on the occasion of the 72nd birthday of a noble patron and it inspired the composer to write one of his liveliest and "most modern" works. The present recording includes only the first part of the work, which is the longer of the two parts and is sacred in nature ("Danket dem Herrn"). This is a hymn of praise to God, who, wise and benevolent in his omnipotence, has created the universe. At the highpoint of the first part of his "Dankhymne der Freundschaft" C. P. E. Bach intended a "Heilig" (Sanctus) to be performed. The demands and scope of the Hymne suggest that Bach had in mind his celebrated double-choir "Heilig" Wq 217, in which a choir of angels reply to a choir of the peoples. In its tonal language Bach's "Dankhymne der Freundschaft", which was forgotten and inaccessible for more than two centuries, can best be compared to Haydn's "Creation" and the "Seasons".
With this recording Frieder Bernius once underscores his leading position among the conductors. International soloists, the Kammerchor Stuttgart and the Barockorchester Stuttgart have given a masterly interpretation of these two interesting works.
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Johann Sebastian Bach: Osteroratorium BWV 249 Joanne Lunn, Soprano; Elisabeth Jansson, Alto; |
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The newest CD with the Freiburger Vokalensemble, conducted by Wolfgang Schäefer, is dedicated to the secular choral music of Josef G. Rheinberger. The centerpiece of this recording is the cycle “Vom Goldenen Horn,” a “Turkish Singspiel” based on texts by the folk singer and improviser, Assim Agha Gül-hanendé. The plot, the story of the love between Assim and Assaïdy, is only suggested. Rheinberger did without orientalisms, choosing instead to concentrate entirely on the interpretation of the emotional love poems. He composed a music in “beautiful form, capturing the prevailing mood of the poetry” (Theodor Kroyer).
In “Liebesgarten” images of nature serve to reflect on love in its many shadings and hue, whereas in “In Sturm und Frieden” the title is sometimes interpreted literally while in others is serves as a methphor for the human condition.
Each of the three cycles on the present CD conveys a characteristic impression of their themes and they display the musical richness of Rheinberger's secular choral works. They display compact harmonic changes and place great demands on their realization and shaping of the sound and the Freiburger Vokalensemble realizes these artistic aims most admirably.
The present CD brings together two compositions, each of which is dedicated to a different occasion for grieving or earnest self-examination. Written expressly for the two ensembles of prime importance to Hasse, they demonstrate both the high quality and the stylistic breadth of this composer's work.
Hasse wrote his Miserere in D minor for the Venetian orphanage “Ospedale degl'Incurabili,” which through its outstanding music instruction and distinguished music directors enabled the female students to contribute to the cost of their expenses by performing concerts for paying audiences. The singing of sacred music and the performance of concerts at Venetian orphanages were then on a level unrivalled, even in Italy. – Hasse's Requiem in E flat major is the farewell work of the mature master at the end of his tenure at Dresden, where the great Court Orchestra was also of exceptional quality.
Hans-Christoph Rademann, the Kammerchor Dresden and the Dresdner Barockorchester are especially devoted to the interpretation of the music of the Court of Dresden, which has been realized on the present CD in a coproduction with DeutschlandradioKultur, Berlin.
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Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767) Ruth Ziesak, Sonja Erwied, Soprano; Arnon Zlotnik, Alto; Jan Kobow, Michael Berner, Tenore; Konstantin Wolff, Basso; Reinhold Friedrich, trumpet; Vocalensemble Rastatt; Les Favorites; Holger Speck |
Telemann composed psalm settings and motets throughout his creative life. His
Œuvre includes compositions for larger ensembles of soloists, choir and
orchestra, as well as smaller works for voices accompanied only by a basso continuo.
In addition to the purely instrumental Hamburgische Trauermusik, the present
CD is devoted to vocal works for various ensembles by Telemann. These include
the colorfully orchestrated psalm setting Ich danke dem Herrn von ganzem Herzen,
the motets for double choir Es segne uns Gott, and Halt, was du hast, both of
which are accompanied by a basso continuo. The CD also presents the four-voice
chorale motet based on Luther’s well-known hymn tune from the Reformation,
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, as well as the setting of Psalm 96 Singet dem
Herrn ein neues Lied, which is accompanied by strings. The Vocalensemble Rastatt
and the baroque orchestra Les Favorites, conducted by Holger Speck, shine in
this lively, expressively meaningful interpretation.
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Franz Liszt: The great organ works Präludium und Fuge über B-A-C-H |
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Franz Liszt wanted to convey his poetic ideas and his personal, emotional experience to the listener; he wanted to impress them and to move spiritually – an ambitious goal which could only be realized with similarly ambitious ideas. Superior technical mastery of the instrument and a high artistic self-confidence were the starting point for the pioneering organ works in which Liszt transferred the virtuosity of his piano artistry to the organ, thus bringing to this instrument new ideas of expression. In an entirely new and freer from he re-worked Meyerbeer's Anabaptist Chorale from "Le Prophète" into a broadly designed "Fantasie und Fuge" , he utilized the sequence of notes B-A-C-H to create a "Praeludium und Fuge" and he employed the descending lamento bass melody from Bach's cantata "Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen" BWV 12 in a large series of variations. This performance, by Kay Johannsen, is the first CD to be recorded on the newly-built organ of the Stiftskirche, Stuttgart. The completion of this organ (Orgelbau Mühleisen, Leonberg), has been one of the most ambitious organ building projects in recent years.
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Gottfried August Homilius (1714–1785) Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen |
The rebuilding of the Dresden Frauenkirche has gained widespread public attention throughout Europe and in the USA. Recently the bells were dedicated in a formal ceremony and the church was crowned with its ornamental tower. The present CD is dedicated to discovering the "traces of sound" through the music which was composed for this church. When the Kreuzkirche, the main church of the city, was destroyed in July 1760, the Frauenkirche moved into the forefront as the first parish church in the old town of Dresden. Gottfried August Homilius is considered the most significant and compositionally productive Kreuzkantor. His work also found a a widespread acceptance outside the capital of Saxony. Although he was music director of the Kreuz Kirche, due to its he spent three quarters of his tenure working in the Frauenkirche, where previously he had been the organist for 13 years. Most of his works – including the approximately 200 cantatas which have survived – were written directly for this church. The present CD features four festive cantatas for the feast of Whitsun in interpretations by the internationally renowned Dresdner Kreuzchor under their conductor, Roderich Kreile. The Kreuzchor is accompanied by the Dresdner Barockorchester.
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Die Bach-Söhne II: Cellokonzert B-Dur Wq 171 Freiburger Barockorchester; Kristin von der Goltz, Violoncello; Ann-Kathrin Brüggemann, Oboe; Michael Behringer, Cembalo; Christine Schornsheim, Hammerklavier |
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Carus continues its series of CDs with works of the Sons of J. S. Bach with a recording of instrumental music by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. The concerti of Bach's second-oldest son are extended over a period of more than 50 years and they range from compositions written in Leipzi 1733 under the tutelage of his father, when is was 19, to the Double Concerto for harpsichord and pianoforte Wq 47. The numerous copies of his concerti which have survived attest to how highly he was regarded, especially in the noble circles, among the middle class in Berlin and later throughout all of Germany.
In the first fifteen years during his residence in Berlin the composer created a basic model through his further development of the Italian ritornello form of the concerto movement. As late as 1800 this form was still praised as being exemplary. The well-known Double Concerto for harpsichord and hammerklavier Wq 47 from 1788 is especially attractive. The autograph of this work belongs to the holdings of the Sing-Akademie of Berlin. In this concerto Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach allows the cembalo and hammerklavier to engage in dialogue with each other. His compositions and the public performance of them played an essential role in the gradual replacement of the cembalo by the hammerklavier. Although the composer was plagued with the complaints of old age, the concerto shines with cheerfulness and beauty.
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Charles Gounod: Musica sacra Messe brève no. 7 Kammerchor "I Vocalisti"; Tobias Götting, Orgel; Hans-Joachim Lustig |
Unjustly, Charles Gounod (1818?1893) is known today almost exclusively as a composer of operas. However, sacred works form the center of his creative output. He was able to put his ideal of a simple, understandable choral music into practice through the composition of accessible works with an inner, natural expression that enjoyed a great popularity during his lifetime. The present Carus CD aims to contribute to insuring that the Musica sacra of Gounod once again achieves its rightful place among outstanding choral music. The Kammerchor "I Vocalisti" from Lübeck, conducted by Hans-Joachim Lustig, is a renowned vocal ensemble which Carus had the good fortune to engage for this recording. It contains sensitive interpretations of selected works for choir with organ accompaniment by this French composer, including a few world premiere recordings, which convincingly will bring his church music closer to the listener of today.
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Christoph Schönherr, Professor at the Hamburg Conservatory of Music, is
a respected expert in the field of jazz and pop choirs and he is a much sought
after choral composer. He has written of his work: “I have been especially
influenced by the polarity of the text. On one hand it expresses Mary's joy
at her pregnancy, but on the other Mary presents a bold image of God: a God
of almost old Testament sternness in his demand for justice on earth. My music
depicts a strong woman, who rejoices in her happiness and also swings (many
6/8, 12/8 and swing passages), but on the other hand who in formulating her
concept of God clearly stands up for the poor and needy. Here I use stylistic
elements of rock and funk music.” 
