Geistliche Lieder by Ton Koopman

Johann Sebastian Bach

Ton Koopman | Klaus Mertens

Geistliche Lieder

Price: € 19.95
Format: CD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917296723
Catnr: CC 72967
Release date: 20 October 2023
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Label
Challenge Classics

UPC
0608917296723

Catalogue number
CC 72967

Release date
20 October 2023

"If you collect Bach's music, this disc will provide some sort of completion to his efforts..."

Fanfare Magazine, 01-9-2024

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

Press

About the album

Only from the mid-1730s does Bach seem to be concerned with composing songs to contemporary lyrics. We find such a small series especially in the second piano booklet for Anna Magdalena Bach. He and his wife composed some "new songs" that certainly enriched everyday life in the family, such as making music together in the evening or prayers at home with their children. Among these six songs, there are especially those whose lyrics provide comfort.

The songs of the musical hymnbook have been given their title "Schemelli-Lieder" after the editor Georg Christian Schemelli (around 1680–1762). Schemelli is certainly responsible for the main selection of 954 songs and thus also for the selection of Bach settings to music.

The publication was titled Musicalisches Gesang-Buch (Musical Hymnbook) and contains 954 "witty, both old and new songs and arias, with well-set melodies, in discant and bass". In the preface of April 24 , 1736, the Naumburg superintendent Friedrich Schulze wrote the following:

The melodies contained in this Musicalisches Gesang-Buch are by Johann Sebastian Bach, Master of the Chapel Choir and Choir Conductor. Musicians in Leipzig, partly composed completely new, partly also improved by him in the basso continuo.

Of 69 songs with (mostly) figured bass, 21 are hymnologically detectable for the first time in this printing. Exactly these 21 songs were therefore taken as the basis for the selection here from the Musicalisches Gesang-Buch in addition to the mentioned small selection from the second book of sheet music of Anna Magdalena Bach.

The order of the 21 selected songs for the present production was based on musical aspects, e.g., related key combinations between songs. The performers also made a subjective selection from the multitude of printed verses.

Opnieuw een wonderschoon album van de gerenommeerde oude muziek pionier Ton Koopman. Samen met vriend en bas-bariton Klaus Mertens brengt hij een selectie uit van Geistliche Lieder van Johann Sebastian Bach. Klavecinist en organist Koopman begeleidt Mertens op het Teschemacherorgel van de Michaëlskerk in Oosterland, Noord-Holland.

Pas vanaf het midden van de jaren 1730 lijkt Bach zich bezig te houden met het componeren van liederen op eigentijdse teksten. Zo komt een aantal van de liederen op dit album uit het tweede pianoboekje voor Anna Magdalena Bach, zijn tweede vrouw. Samen componeerden ze enkele ‘nieuwe liedjes’, waarvan de tekst troost biedt en die het dagelijks leven in het gezin beslist ten goede kwamen. Zo maakten ze 's avonds samen muziek of gingen ze thuis met de kinderen bidden.

Een deel van de liederen van het album Geistlich Lieder is ontleend aan dat pianoboekje voor Anna Magdalena. De andere liederen komen voornamelijk uit het zogenaamde ‘Schemelli Boekje’. Georg Christian Schemelli (rond 1680-1762) was een Duits cantor en uitgever van het liedboek Musicalisches Gesang-Buch, en daarmee voor het merendeel verantwoordelijk voor de keuze van de 954 liederen die het boek bevat. Dus ook voor de selectie van de melodieën van Bach.

Het liedboek bevat 954 ‘geestige, zowel oude als nieuwe liederen en aria's, met goed gezette melodieën, in discant en bas’. In het voorwoord van het boek van 24 april 1736 schreef de Naumburgse superintendent Friedrich Schulze: “De melodieën in het Musicalisches Gesang-Buch zijn door de weledele heer Johann Sebastian Bach, kapelmeester en koordirigent in Leipzig, deels volledig nieuw gecomponeerd en deels ook door hem verbeterd in het basso continuo.

Van de 69 liederen zijn er 21 voor het eerst in druk verschenen. Daarom zijn juist deze 21 liederen geselecteerd uit het Musicalisches Gesang-Buch als basis voor dit nieuwe album, naast de genoemde kleine selectie uit het boekje van Anna Magdalena Bach. De volgorde van de 21 nummers is gebaseerd op muzikale aspecten, als verwante toetscombinaties tussen de liederen. De makers van het album maakten ook een subjectieve keuze uit de veelheid aan gedrukte verzen.

Erst ab Mitte der 1730er Jahre scheint sich Bach mit der Komposition von Liedern zu zeitgenössischen Texten beschäftigt zu haben. Eine solche kleine Reihe finden wir vor allem im zweiten Klavierbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach. Er und seine Frau komponierten einige "neue Lieder", die sicherlich den Familienalltag bereicherten, etwa das gemeinsame Musizieren am Abend oder das Gebet zu Hause mit den Kindern. Unter diesen sechs Liedern befinden sich vor allem solche, deren Texte Trost spenden.

Die Lieder des musikalischen Gesangbuchs haben ihren Titel "Schemelli-Lieder" nach dem Herausgeber Georg Christian Schemelli (um 1680-1762) erhalten. Schemelli ist sicherlich für die Hauptauswahl der 954 Lieder und damit auch für die Auswahl der Bach-Vertonungen verantwortlich.

Die Publikation trug den Titel Musicalisches Gesang-Buch und enthält 954 "geistreiche, sowohl alte als neue Lieder und Arien, mit wohlgesetzten Melodien, in Discant und Bass". In der Vorrede vom 24. April 1736 schrieb der Naumburger Superintendent Friedrich Schulze folgendes:

Die in diesem Musicalischen Gesang-Buch enthaltenen Melodien sind von Johann Sebastian Bach, Meister des Kapellenchores und Chordirigent. Musikern in Leipzig, teils ganz neu komponiert, teils auch von ihm im Basso continuo verbessert.

Von 69 Liedern mit (meist) beziffertem Bass sind 21 in diesem Druck erstmals hymnologisch nachweisbar. Genau diese 21 Lieder wurden daher der hier vorliegenden Auswahl aus dem Musicalischen Gesang-Buch zugrunde gelegt, zusätzlich zu der erwähnten kleinen Auswahl aus dem zweiten Notenbuch von Anna Magdalena Bach.

Die Reihenfolge der 21 ausgewählten Lieder für die vorliegende Produktion erfolgte nach musikalischen Gesichtspunkten, z.B. nach verwandten Tonartenkombinationen zwischen den Liedern. Die Interpreten trafen auch eine subjektive Auswahl aus der Vielzahl der gedruckten Strophen.

Artist(s)

Ton Koopman (pipe organ)

Ton Koopman is a leading figure in Early Music and historically informed performance practice. As organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman has performed all over the world and played the most beautiful historical instruments of Europe. His Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir has gained worldwide fame as one of the best ensembles on period instruments. Between 1994 and 2004 Ton Koopman and ABO&C have recorded all sacred and secular cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach, an extraordinary project that earned international acclaim. After that Koopman recorded the complete works by Bach’s predecessor, Dieterich Buxtehude. Besides performing as a soloist and with his ABO&C, Ton Koopman is very active as a guest conductor for modern orchestras and also devotes part of his time...

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Klaus Mertens (bass-baritone)

Bass-baritone Klaus Mertens is celebrated by critics as an “excellent master of his craft” for his “unique power of expression, his congenial timbre, his keen intuition for text, as well as his convincing manner of making music”. He has recorded more than 200 CDs, including the entire works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Dietrich Buxtehude. These testify eloquently to his art of singing, which spans a great arch from Monteverdi to his contemporaries. Characterized as “the most significant Telemann interpreter of our time”, Mertens received the Telemann prize of the city of Magdeburg in 2016. In 2019, he was honored with the renowned Bach medal of the city of Leipzig as the “ideal interpreter of Bach’s cantatas and passion texts”.

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Composer(s)

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Mass in B minor, two Passions, and hundreds of cantatas. His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual depth. Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest in and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.

Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest in and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.

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Press

If you collect Bach's music, this disc will provide some sort of completion to his efforts...
Fanfare Magazine, 01-9-2024

These are well sung (although eventually syllabic and a bit martial) and well played (it goes without saying, with Ton Koopman at the keyboard)...
Ritmo, 01-4-2024

Koopman infuses them with flexibility and variety without ever overdoing it or pulling the rug out for himself. His interpretation of the organ pieces attests to the same temperance. No excessive exuberance in the Gigue of the Pastorale BVW 590, no ornamental excess in the Canzona BWV 588: the musician has adapted to the character of the instrument: modest but warm.
Diapason, 31-3-2024

This album shows Bach’s life-long commitment to chorales and sacred texts at home as well as church and shines light on Bach’s more intimate smaller-scale music. The chorale preludes supply a good contrast to the groups of songs that all are pretty much of the same low-key style. The performances are first-rate, and this album will reward attentive listening.
American Record Guide, 01-3-2024

These pieces, composed undoubtedly to complete evenings, become somewhat dense when listened to one after another, despite the six pieces interspersed on the Oosterland organ and the excellence of Mertens and Koopman.
Scherzo, 01-3-2024

Mertens shows that careful use of the vocal cords can lead to wonderful results even in old age and Koopman once again proves that he is a master in finding catchy harmonizations and ornaments. The Teschemacher organ from 1762 turns out to be the ideal instrument and producer Tini Mathot, with technical help from Adriaan Verstijnen, created an atmospheric recording. A moving tribute to a unique collaboration.
Opus Klassiek, 01-3-2024

Mertens proves that careful use of the vocal cords can lead to wonderful results even in old age and Koopman once again shows that he is a master in finding the right harmonizations and embellishments. (...) A moving tribute to a unique collaboration.
Luister, 01-12-2023

Here one hears Bach in a closeness of rare intimacy, and it is precisely the supposed simplicity of the Schemelli songs that allows the artists to discover the great in the small: The songs reflect Bach’s deep assurance of faith. And this does not require timpani and trumpets, but only a small organ and a moving voice.
Pizzicato, 30-10-2023