Label: CANTATE SACD 58022
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Oratorio de Noël, Op. 12 (Christmas Oratorio); Mass Op. 4

Anna Maria Friman, soprano; Aleksandra Lustig, mezzo; Partricia Wagner, alto; Andreas Wagner, tenor; Tobias Schabel, bass; Peter Kranefoed, Rie Hiroe-Lang, organ
Bachchor Stuttgart; Cantus Stuttgart; Bachorchester Stuttgart/Jörg-Hannes Hahn

The famous Christmas oratory was recorded live in Stuttgart on December 19, 2004. A very living atmosphere is present especially in the multi-channel version. Apart from their mutual temporal relevance, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Camille Saint-Saens’ Oratorio de Noel offer no reason to search for any similarities. Bach’s six-part cycle of cantatas, which the Leipzig Thomaskantor combined to make into an oratorio, was not a mode for the French composer in spite of the reverence he paid to Bach, writing “Dans le style de Seb. Bach” at the beginning of the opening “Prelude” of his Oratorio de Noel. Saint-Saens’ composition is light-years away from the festive, timpani-supported trumpet-splendor of the “jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage” (exult, rejoice, arise, praise the days) with which Bach opened the first cantata of his Christmas Oratorio. Saint-Saens’ model was more likely his immediate musical environment, the markedly lyrical orientation of French church music of the nineteenth century. To bring the SACD up to a normal length it was combined with the mass op. 4 recorded in the studio. Saint-Saens’ first sacred work, which was written in 1856 and performed for the first time in Paris the following year, indeed shows the remarkable maturity of the only twenty-one-year-old composer, but also displays the clear influences of historicism, which played an important role in the church music of that time, and is thus more strongly obliged to tradition than later works. (SACD Hybrid)

Label: CANTATE SACD 58025
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WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756 - 1791): Marcia in D major KV 408/1 (383c); Adagio in C KV 356 (617a); Versette in G KV 154a; Fuga á tre in G KV 443 (385l); Gigue in G KV 574; Versette in D KV 154a; Marche funebre in C minor KV 453a; Andante in F major KV 616; JUSTIN HEINRICH KNECHT (1752 - 1817): Kleines Oboenkonzert in B; Choralvorspiel “Nun danket alle Gott”; Mehrstimmige Fantasie für die volle Orgel in A major; THEODOR GRUNBERGER (1756 - 1820): Aus “Neue Orgelstucke, nach der Ordnung unter dem Ambte der Hl. Messe zu spielen” (B major); JAN KRITITEL KUCHAR (1751 - 1829): Andante in A minor; Pastorale in C; LEOPOLD MOZART (1719 - 1787): Adagio und 6 Variationen in F major; ABBE GEORG JOSEPH VOGLER (1749 - 1814): 6 Petites Preludes pour l’Orgue in D major; CHRISTIAN HEINRICH RINCK (1770 - 1846): Introduction “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman”; Thema und Variationen (I-IX) “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman; Finale “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman”

Christian Brembeck, organ
From the point of view of musical history, the eighteenth century was informed to a great degree by transitions. When around the middle of the century the Baroque era reached a last climax in the masters Bach and Handel, the gradual transition to the sensitive style, to Sturm und Drang (wonderfully manifest, for example, in the works of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach) was no longer to be stopped. From about 1780 this renewal ultimately led into the period of the „Viennese Classic,“ and continued until well past the turn of the century. As the most significant characteristics of the new style, one might mention the outstanding importance of the melodic line, its invention, and its intended expression. “Expression” was even newly defined on the basis of three interlocking fundamental ideas: the gallant, the sensitive, and “Strum und Drang.” The concept of the gallant style, originating from seventeenth-century French lute music, was also taken up in Germany around the middle of the eighteenth century, whereby the style of the music had disposed of the contrapuntally thought-out Baroque ideals. Two- to three-part homophonic movements, tonally transparent, in clear formal structures (sonata form, rondo, variation schemes) now predominated. As a rule, the charm of this music is provided by the use of playful-gracious melodies, elegant embellishments, finely crafted motivic work, frequent use of passages in thirds, the sometimes exquisite-colorful sonority, and an emphasis on the upper voices. The Abbey Church Neresheim (Swabian Alb) is Balthasar Neumann’s last work and represents a solitary culmination of late-Baroque sacral architecture. The move from the old church into the newly built chapel began in 1782. On 6 August 1792 a contract for the construction of an organ for the west choir loft of the Abbey Church was made with the Swabian organ builder Johann Nepomuk Holzhay (1741-1908). In its present form, the organ of the Abbey Church Neresheim can be considered one of Europe’s most magnificent organs from the time of Mozart.

Label: CANTATE SACD 58026
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Concerto for Organ, Strings and B.C. in G major Wq 34;Concerto for Organ, Strings and B.C. in E flat major Wq 35;Pieces for Flute and Harp-Clocks: Menuet in G Major für “Flöten und Harfe“ Wq 116/48; Polonoise in E fl at Major Wq 166/44; Presto in "for a Musical Clock" C Major Wq 53/1; Minuetto in F Major Wq 193/12; Marsch in F Major Wq 116/45; Marsch in D Major Wq 116/46; Polonoise in D Major Wq 116/49; Polonoise in F Major Wq 116/41; Polonoise in A Major Wq 116/42; Allegro di molto in A Major "for Harp-Clock" Wq 116/36; Tempo di Minuetto in C Major "for two Flutes"; Duetto in C major "for two Clarinettes"; Menuett in A Minor "for Harp Clock" Wq 116/39; Allegro in E Major "for Harp Clock" Wq 193/6

Jörg-Hannes Hahn, organ
C.Ph.E. Bach Ensemble: Lukas Friederich, Annette Schäfer-Teuffel, violins; Janis Lielbardis, viola; Barbara Noeldeke, cello; Georg Noeldeke, bass
This SACD is the last volume in the series of the complete organ works of C.Ph.E. Bach. Firstly recording the works for organ alone (C 58016 and C 58020), Jörg-Hannes Hahn now recorded at the original Migend-organ owned by his pupil Anna Amalie von Preußen in Berlin-Karlshorst the two organ concertos. With one exception, Carl Philipp Emanuel’s organ compositions do not make use of the pedal organ, and the two concertos are even expressly intended “per l’organo overo il cembalo concertato”, that is to say, “for concertante organ or harpsichord”. They are clearly conceived for clavier, based on the tonal transparency of the harpsichord. The stylistic change toward the early Classic, in which C.Ph.E Bach and his oeuvre played a significant role, is reflected here. In terms of style this meant dispensing with thoroughgoing polyphony in favor of homophonic texture, and breaking through the bass line, the basso continuo, that is to say, no longer considering and employing it as the foundation of the structure. The pedal organ, to which until then the bass line had usually been assigned, naturally became expendable as a result of this approach. In spite of the marginal importance of the organ works in C.Ph.E. Bach’s complete oeuvre, it pays to take a closer look at them, for the stylistic break with the fathers’ generation, the setting out for new musical horizons, can hardly be perceived and heard more clearly than in these finely fashioned virtuoso pieces. The G-Major Concerto was undoubtedly one of his most popular, as evidenced by many transcriptions and even a flute concerto version.

Label: CANTATE SACD 58028
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JEAN-FRANCOIS DANDRIEU: Rondeau (D major); THEODORE DUBOIS: Toccata in G major (Organ); ANTONIO VIVALDI: Pastorale; TOMASO ALBINONI: Concerto in B flat major; MICHEL-RICHARD DELALANDE: Concert de Trompettes in D major; Symphonie de Noels; MICHEL CORRETTE: Noel Allemand (B flat major)(Concerto about “Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich”); JOHANN CRUGER: Three Chorals (Wie soll ich dich empfangen; Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland; Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen); JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier (Soprano/Organ); Dein ist allein die Ehre (Final Chorus from Cantata BWV 171); GEORG FRIEDRICH HANDEL: Daughter Zion (Timpani/Organ); Daughter Zion (Soprano/Organ); Music from the Oratorio “Semele”
Plus: Organ Music for Christmas; Silent Night (Soprano/Organ); Hört der engel helle lieder

Pfeiffer-Trompeten-Consort
Peter Schumann, organ; Mathias Muller, timpani; Max Muller, boy soprano
Pfeiffer-Trompeten-Consort (The Pfeiffer Trumpet Consort = PTC) was founded by the brothers Joachim, Martin, and Harald Pfeiffer in 1985. They were soon joined by Dale Marrs, who has decisively put his stamp on the musical style of the group. Mathias Muller, tympanist, joined in 1992. Through Peter Schumann, organist, the group's musical home has always been the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit) in Heidelberg, Germany. Most of the works performed by the Pfeiffer-Trompeten-Consort, famous, as well as less-well-known pieces, are presented in new, festive arrangements, most of which (with the exception of a few original compositions) have been revised and adapted by members of the ensemble. These arrangements are unique in their style. It is always easy to recognize the concern for combining Baroque trumpet artistry with modern playing techpiques. In addition to the original trumpet parts, the Pfeiffer-Trompeten-Consort tries to include as many of the other instrumental parts as possible, and thus to consider the musical compositions in their entirety. The possibilities of modem trumpets combined with the splendid sound of the instruments transform familiar compositions into a new listening experience.

Label: CANTATE SACD 58029
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JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 – 1750): Toccata con Fuga: pedaliter ex d BWV 565; From Sonata in G major BWV 1019a (Presto & Catabile); JOH. ADAM REINCKEN (1643 – 1722): Choralfantasie: “Was kann uns kommen an für Not”; WILLIAM BRADE (1560 – 1630): Choral; HEINRICH SCHEIDEMANN (1596 – 1663): Praeambulum in F; Toccata in G; Paduana Lachrymae; JOHANN SCHOP (1590 – 1667): Lacrime Pavan; DIETRICH BUXTEHUDE (1637 – 1707): Praeludium in G minor BuxWV 148

Anngegret Siedel, baroque violin; Pieter van Dijk, organ
This SACD is an introduction to the nearly forgotten tradition of ensemble performance with violin and a large (church) organ. Besides the accompaniment of the congregational singing, great church organs primarily have a soloistic function in today’s musical practice. For performances of cantatas and oratorios, chest organs are usually employed today. The continuo part in solo music for violin is typically performed on harpsichord and/or chest organ. The situation was very different in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries! The organists on the large organs in the municipal churches of northern Germany had to be able to play together with other instruments and small ensembles. The program of this CD includes music for violin and organ as it was heard in northern and central Germany. The combination of cornetts, trombones, and large organ is documented in Hamburg already in the sixteenth century. This practice was known as “Blasen in die Orgel”, i.e., “playing [or lit. ‘blowing’] in the organ”, since on the floor of the church the instruments sounded as if they were part of the large organ. Annegret Siedel (see also Musicaphon 56830 Johann Schop and Cantate SACD 58030 Musical Vesper) and Pieter van Dijk playing the ancient organs of the Grote Sint Laurenskerk in Alkmaar show us, that also for strings and organ such repertoire existed. A special highlight of this SACD is the interpretation of the famous Toccata D Minor by J. S. Bach in a version for violin solo – obviously this piece was written for this originally, possibly by Nicolaus Bruhns.

Label: CANTATE SACD 58030
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FIRST RECORDING!!!
ANDREAS HOFER (1628/29 – 1684): Dixit Dominus, Psalm 110 (109) mit einleitender Sonata; Confitebor Tibi, Psalm 111 (110); Beatus Vir, Psalm 112 (111); Laudate Pueri, Psalm 113 (112); Laudate Dominum, Psalm 117 (116); Cum Iucunditate; Magnificat; Virgo Prudentissima – De Sancta Caecilia, Motette
HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ BIBER (1644 – 1704): Sonata in F major from “Fidicinium sacro-profanum”
GIOVANNI VALENTINI (1582 – 1649): Canzon à tre in G minor (2)
JOHANN BAPTIST DOLAR (ca. 1620 – 1673): Salve Regina

Monika Mauch, soprano; Tiina Zahn, mezzo; Henning Voss, alto; Hennig Kaiser, tenor; Wolf Matthias Friedrich, bass
Bell’Arte Salzburg/Annegret Siedel
When Andreas Hofer held the position of court chapelmaster in Salzburg, vice-chapelmaster there was the violin virtuoso Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, and the office of cathedral organist was occupied by Georg Muffat (1653-1704). During this period, the residence of the Salzburg Prince-Archbishop was a musical center of European standing. Andreas Hofer was appointed to this highest musical position after many years of experience as vice-chapelmaster and cathedral chapelmaster. Hofer’s compositions, which are preserved in important libraries and monasteries, were written exclusively for liturgical use. Andreas Hofer’s music is distinguished by an intimate and many-layered relationship to the language, which effectively emphasizes the message of the text. The admirable quality of his compositions becomes audible with the whole splendor of Baroque performance practice in the present “Musical Vespers” for Sundays and holidays. Besides the motets by Hofer which are the centre of this release we hear some works by Biber, Dolar and Valentini.

Label: CANTATE SACD 58038
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MUSIC FROM SAXON CASTLE CHURCHES – MUSIC FOR BAROQUE OBOE AND ORGAN AROUND BACH
JOHANN LUDWIG KREBS (1713 – 1780): Fantasia a 4 in F major – Cantabile; Fantasia a 4 in F minor – Adagio non molto; Fantasia in F major - Largo
GOTTFRIED AUGUST HOMILIUS (1714 – 1785?): O Gott, du frommer Gott HoWV X Anh.8; O Gott, du frommer Gott HoWV X Anh.7; Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder HoWV X Anh.9; Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ HoWV X Anh.10; Sonata à Oboe solo col Basso HoWV XI.1; Mache dich,mein Geist, bereit HoWV X.27
Jesu, meine Zuversicht HoWV X. Anh.2 – Spirituoso
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 – 1750): Fantasia sopra: Jesus, meines Lebens Leben; Sonata in C minor
GOTTHILF FRIEDRICH EBHARDT (1771 – ca. 1840): Befiehl du deine Wege – Andante non molto; Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld
CHRISTIAN GOTTHILF TAG (1735 – 1811): Befiehl du deine Wege – Andante molto; Nun freut euch, lieben Christen gmein; Nun danket alle Gott – Vivace moderato

Ensemble Concert Royal Köln:

Karla Schröter, baroque oboe, oboe d’amore; Chiharu Abe, baroque violin; Ulrich Schardt, baroque trombone; Willi Kronenberg, organ
In the eighteenth century, a special genre of instrumental ensemble playing developed in church music: works were written for a wind instrument and obbligato organ. The geographical center of this genre was the kingdom of Saxony along with Thuringia. The majority of these works specify oboe as the wind instrument, less frequently horn or even trumpet, flute, or bassoon. Besides a few compositions in a free style, these were predominantly chorale preludes in which the wind instrument played the cantus firmus (the chorale melody), and the organ, usually in trio textures, performed elaborate, often very virtuoso figurations.
Jacob Adlung wrote concerning this: “Since one now tends to give most performances on the organ alone, it can also be pleasant when an oboe or other appropriate instrument is secretly placed behind or next to the organ, which performs the chorale and is accompanied by the organ, either playing from music or improvising. Playing from music, such an instrument could also perform the variation, and the organ takes care of the rest.“ (Anleitung zur musikalischen Gelahrtheit / Guide to Musical Learnedness, 1758).
This genre developed almost exclusively in the circle of Johann Sebastian Bach’s pupils and their pupils, whereby no work of this genre has been preserved that can be attributed with certainty to Bach himself. Among nearly all composers recorded here strong teacher-pupil relationships existed. The recording was done in the church of Wetter (Hassia) which possesses an organ by Johann Andreas Heinemann (1766), in 1997/99 restored by Förster & Nicolaus and built back to the original state.

FIRST RECORDING!!!

Label: CANTATE SACD 58044
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NEW FOR CHRISTMAS!
CARL BERTIL AGNESTIG (b.1924): Lucia; Lusse iella; REINIS SEJANS: Vindo (arr. Steffen Schreyer); ARNOLD SCHOENBERG (1874 – 1951): Friede auf Erden, Op. 13; ALICE CHARLOTTA TEGNÉR (1864 – 1953): Sankta Lucia (arr. Helene Stureborg); RAGNAR GRIPPE (b. 1951): Tritt ein, Lucia; PETER WARLOCK (1894 – 1930): Bethlehem Down; Capriol Suite – Lullaby my Jesus, arr. Andrew Carter; KNUT NYSTEDT (b. 1915): Hosanna; FRANZ BIEBL (1906 – 2001): Ave Maria; GIUSEPPE VERDI (1813 – 1901): Laudi alla Vergine Maria; STUART HINDS (b. 1962): Away in a manger; TRADITIONAL: Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen; KARIN REHNQVIST (b. 1957): I himmelen; HEINZ-WERNER ZIMMERMANN (b. 1930): Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme; JAN-ÅKE HILLERUD (b. 1938): Sankte Lucia;

ARTISTS: St. Gregory Children’s Choir, European Vocal Soloists, Steffen Schreyer, conductor

On the longest night of the year, our longing for light is at its greatest. From time immemorial this has found expression in rituals and popular customs. Thus, over 5000 years ago, in the Stone Age, the burial mound “New Grange” (north of Dublin) was laid out so that a ray of light would fall into the cross-shaped burial chamber only on the longest and the shortest days of the year. This day also honors “she who is full of light,” as the name “Lucia” signifies (following the old Gregorian calendar today on Dec. 13th). In the Middle Ages in Sweden, for example, St. Lucia’s Day marked the beginning of the pre-Christmas fasting period that preceded the Holy Night in which Jesus, “the light of the world,” was born; since the angels announced from heaven in a bright light, “Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, good will to men!” Here the circle closes, and here it becomes clear why Saint Lucia is so closely linked to the winter solstice and Christmas. December 13th is traditionally celebrated, especially in Sweden, with a festival of lights and traditional songs in which St. Lucia is sung about as the bringer of light and harbinger of Christmas. The

ARTISTs here present us an impressive compendium of music linked to or about St. Lucia from the Baroque to our time.