Contents: 1. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence2. O Come O Come Emmanuel3. Come Thou Long - Expected Jesus4. Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
SKU: CA.1306300
ISBN 9790007167035. Language: all languages.
In the creative output of the Bach pupil Johann Ludwig Krebs, arrangements of chorales and freely composed works for organ and a second instrument occupy an important position. They offer a glimpse into the so-called figural music of the 17th and 18th centuries, which has its roots in Protestant church music and constitutes a major aspect of music and music making in worship services. Until now, Kreb's arrangement of the chorale Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern existed only as a fragment. The editor of the present edition discovered the remainder of the arrangement, which was previously missing, and was able to complete the fragment. Thus, the complete chorale arrangement, composed wholly in the spirit of Bach, is now available for performance for the first time.
SKU: CA.1002849
ISBN 9790007189389. Text language: German.
The collection Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica of 1619 is rightly regarded as the high point in Michael Praetorius's output. It combines Solennische Friedt- und Frewden-Concert: which Praetorius as a travelling musician had composed largely for festive occasions - he writes of Kayser: Konig: Chur: vnd Furstlichen zusammen Kunfften - and also for furnehme Capellen vnd Kirchen. In these chorael concerti the highly modern, Italian style and the Protestant chorale combine and form a symbiosis which showed the way forward for the history of German music. The chorale settings draw on influences from Venetian polychoral music, use ritornelli and employ obbligato instruments in a way which is beyond compare, even in contemporary Italy. Here we see a quite different side of the master from the composer of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. And above all, Praetorius always remains a practical musician who ensures that these breathtaking chorale concerti can also be effectively performed with smaller forces, sometimes considerably reduced ones. In the chorale setting Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern Praetorius wrote for a five-part ensemble which is joined in some sections by a four-part capella. For the ensemble, Praetorius suggested both voices and instruments, which he uses in a sophisticated texture of sound, the instruments sometimes duplicating the voices and sometimes alternating with them. Score and part available separately - see item CA.1002800.
SKU: MN.60-9771
UPC: 688670697715. English.
A festive setting of the tune WEISSE FLAGGEN that may be used with or without brass. Commissioned for the 2022 Texas Choral Directors Association Conference.
SKU: BR.OB-32117-11
ISBN 9790004350829. 10 x 12.5 inches.
The cantata Schmucket das Fest mit Maien has survived without any information about the time of its composition, its purpose, or its scoring. The librettist is also unknown, although there is a comparatively similar text in the work of the Silesian poet Hans Assmann Freiherr von Abschatz (1646-1699), printed in Leipzig in 1704. Since the copy of the score that serves as the source for this edition was probably written after 1708, and the work is closely related to the cantata Daran erkennen wir (PB 32090), it could have been written during Kuhnau's first years as Thomaskantor from 1701 on.The text set to music provides information about the purpose of the cantata. In the course of the work, the image of the bridegroom and his bride from the Song of Songs is reinterpreted as the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the congregation of Christians. In the first part, passages from the Song of Songs predominate while the second part quotes their symbolic interpretations or treats them in free poetry. In the concluding chorale, a stanza from Philipp Nicolai's Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern (How beautifully the morning star shines), the outpouring and the flames are also mentioned, so the purpose to the feast of Pentecost is clear.Another special feature of the cantata is the varied and colorful instrumentation with the scoring of two flutes, two oboes and bassoon in individual movements, in addition to the usual, sometimes divided strings.
SKU: PR.416415760
UPC: 680160636532. 9 x 12 inches.
The 1712 Overture stands out in P.D.Q. Bach's oeuvre for two reasons, among others: it is by far the most programmatic instrumental piece among those by the minimeister of Wein-am-Rhein so far unearthed, and 2) its discovery has led to a revelation about the composer's father, Johann Sebastian Bach, that has exploded like a bombshell on the usually serene musicological landscape. The overture is based on an anecdote told to P.D.Q. Bach by a cousin, Peter Ulrich. Since P.U. Bach lived in Dudeldorf, only a few miles down the road from Wein-am-Rhein, he was P.D.Q.'s closest relative, and he was, in fact, one of the few members of the family who was on speaking terms with P.D.Q. The story, related to P.D.Q. (fortunately for us posterity types) in a letter, may be summarized thus: The town of Dudeldorf was founded by two brothers, Rudi and Dieter Dudel, early in the 18th century. Rudi remained mayor of the newborn burg for the rest of his long life, but Dieter had a dream of starting a musicians' colony, an entire city devoted to music, which dream, he finally decided, could be realized only in the New World. In 1712, he and several other bagpipers sailed to Boston, never to return to Germany. (Henceforth, Rudi became known as der deutscher Dudel and Dieter as the Yankee Dudel). Unfortunately, the head of the Boston Musicians' Guild had gotten wind of Dudel's plans, and Wilhelm Wiesel (pron. VEE-zle), known none too affectionately around town as Wiesel the Weasel, was not about to share what few gigs there were in colonial America with more foreigners and outside agitators. He and his cronies were on hand to meet Dudel's boat when it pulled into Boston Harbor; they intended to prevent the newcomers' disembarkation, but Dudel and his companions managed to escape to the other side of the bay in a dinghy, landing with just enough time to rent a carriage and horses before hearing the sound of The Weasel and his men, who had had to come around the long way. The Germans headed West, with the Bostonians in furious pursuit. soon the city had been left far behind, and by midnight so had the pursuers; Dieter Dudel decided that it was safe for him and his men to stop and sleep until daybreak. When they awoke, they found that they were in a beautiful landscape of low, forested mountains and pleasant fields, warmed by the brilliant morning sun and serenaded by an entrancing variety of birds. Here, Dudel thought, her is where I will build my colony. The immigrants continued down the road at a leisurely pace until they came upon a little church, all by itself in the countryside, from which there suddenly emanated the sounds of a pipe organ. At this point, the temptation to quote from P.U. Bach's letter to P.D.Q. cannot be resisted: They went inside and, after listening to the glorious music for a while, introduced themselves to the organist. And who do you think it was? Are you ready for this -- it was your old man! Hey, no kidding -- you know, I'm sure, that your father was the guy to get when it came to testing new organs, and whoever had that one in Massachusetts built offered old Sebastian a tidy sum to go over there and check it out. The unexpected meeting with J.S. Bach and his sponsors was interrupted by the sound of horse hooves, as the dreaded Wiesel and his men thundered on to the scene. They had been riding all night, however, and they were no spring chickens to start with, and as soon as they reached the church they all dropped, exhausted, to the ground. The elated Germans rang the church bells and offered to buy everyone a beer at the nearest tavern. There they were taught, and joined in singing, what might be called the national anthem of the New World. The melody of this pre-revolutionary patriotic song is still remembered (P.D.Q. Bach quotes it, in the bass instruments, near the end of the overture), but is words are now all but forgotten: Freedom, of thee we sing, Freedom e'er is our goal; Death to the English King, Long live Rock and Ross. The striking paucity of biographical references to Johann Sebastian Bah during the year 1712 can now be explained: he was abroad for a significant part of that year, testing organs in the British Colonies. That this revelation has not been accepted as fact by the musicological establishment is no surprise, since it means that a lot of books would have to be rewritten. The members of that establishment haven't even accepted the existence of P.D.Q. Bach, one of whose major works the 1712 Overture certainly is. It is also a work that shows Tchaikowsky up as the shameless plagiarizer that some of us have always known he was. The discovery of this awesome opus was made possible by a Boston Pops Centennial Research Commission; the first modern performance took place at the opening concert of the 100th anniversary season of that orchestra, under the exciting but authentic direction of John Williams.
SKU: PR.41641576L
UPC: 680160636549. 11 x 17 inches.
