[hammeredklavier]

CPE Bach: Magnificat in D Major

Et misericordia eius

 

[hammeredklavier]

A new week and a new time period. The music from the transition from Baroque to Classical, referred to as Galant and Empfindsamkeit styles. Not to say that all of the music this week demonstrate those styles. Just that these composers are most often associated with them. So, a week of music from Carl Frederich Abel, CPE Bach, JC Bach, WF Bach, Christoph Graun, Domenico Scarlatti, Johann Stamitz, Giuseppe Tartini and the non-operatic work of Christoph Willibald Gluck - his operatic work to come in our first full opera week next week.

Also, we'll uncover a bit of the "tradition" of singspiels as we go; involving figures such as Adam Hiller (although pretty much none of his stuff has been recorded), Jiří Antonín Benda (Mozart's favorite Lutheran kapellmeister) Johann Friedrich Reichardt, Michael Haydn (though his later singspiels haven't been recorded).

Die Hochzeit auf der Alm, Schäfergedicht in 2 Aufzügen MH 107 (1768)

"Wo wahre Treue die Herzen verstrickt"

 

[Chilham]

Also, we'll uncover a bit of the "tradition" of singspiels as we go; involving figures such as Adam Hiller (although pretty much none of his stuff has been recorded), Jiří Antonín Benda (Mozart's favorite Lutheran kapellmeister) Johann Friedrich Reichardt, Michael Haydn (though his later singspiels haven't been recorded)....

Cool. I hadn't linked these composers specifically with this period so had placed a couple of operas by Benda to next week, and the works of Michael Haydn, Hiller and Reichardt that have been recommended to later weeks. Happy to explore them this week.

I'm only aware of 'singspiel' as a style of opera used by Mozart. Interested to discover more.

 

[hammeredklavier]

Georg Benda - Romeo und Julie (1776)
full playlist on youtube:

"Gotter's libretto eliminates many of Shakespeare's characters and most of the original play's comedic elements. It does, however, adhere to unities of time and place. Gotter's text also makes Julie the strongest and most important character in the opera, which is further reflected in Benda's score. Gotter also gave his version of Romeo and Juliet a happy ending, in accordance with operatic tradition at that time."
(In Act 3), "Romeo resolves to enter the tomb to bid a final farewell to his bride, and then to kill himself. As he is about to stab himself, Julie revives and they sing a rapturous duet of joy."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_und_Julie

"O, meine Julie"

"Beste, du lebest?"

 

[new but obsessed]

Enjoying this week, thus far. Today's Scarlatti sonatas were lovely (though I stuck to your reduced list of recommended excerpts). And, like the Devil's Trill, the Cat's Fugue comes with yet another delightful anecdote. I grew up repeatedly watching a VHS of the Aristocats, so the anecdote was easy to picture.

Before this journey, I only ever really listened to large orchestral works and operas. So this has opened my eyes to the wonderful world of concertos, quartets, solo pieces, etc.

Off to CPE Bach next.

 

[pianozach]

Enjoying this week, thus far. Today's Scarlatti sonatas were lovely (though I stuck to your reduced list of recommended excerpts). And, like the Devil's Trill, the Cat's Fugue comes with yet another delightful anecdote. I grew up repeatedly watching a VHS of the Aristocats, so the anecdote was easy to picture.

Before this journey, I only ever really listened to large orchestral works and operas. So this has opened my eyes to the wonderful world of concertos, quartets, solo pieces, etc.

Off to CPE Bach next.

I've played some Scarlatti and CPE Bach back in the day. One of the CPE things was actually written partially in figured bass, the only time I've ever had that opportunity to use that knowledge.

 

[hammeredklavier]

There are C.P.E. Bach works I value, but with the keyboard works, I could not pass tests like this no matter how much I listened to the works. Howabout you?;

50 randomly-selected, unidentified 20-second excerpts from 50 different C.P.E. Bach keyboard sonatas (each excerpt extracted from a different work). How many can you identify?

 

[hammeredklavier]

Die Wahrheit der Natur, Ein Singspiel MH 118 (1769)

"Kann etwas Vergnügendes sein - Die Seele wird fröhlich..."

"The story of Die Wahrheit der Natur, or The Truth of Nature, revolves around Mentor's quest for true art, which here is aided by the three Graces, Aglaia (Brightness), Euphrosyne (Joyfulness) and Thalia (Bloom), the daughters of Nature. It is through this quest that they meet some more questionable characters including Herr Vollstreich, a vain master of song, and the boastful painter Herr von Wurmstich, as well as an ill-mannered schoolmaster and his wife. The comic text is from the allegorical poem by the Benedictine monk Florian Reichssiegel, which he based on antiquity and the tales of Greek mythology." -Stuart Sillitoe (musicweb-international.com)

"Bei zischenden Schrofen"

"Nimm von mir Aglaien hin! - Kritiker! Füllet mit..."

"Orpheus soll in der Mitte mit gespornter Laute sein"

"Der Trutzerl war a wackara Hund"

"Alexander und Philotas"

"Ich suche die Natur"

"Fähnium-Marche"

"Fürsten! Euch geht dieses an"

"Ich liebe das Essen"

 

[Chilham]

Level 1
No works

Level 2
No works

Level 3
Tartini, Giuseppe: Violin Sonata in G Minor "Devil's Trill"

Level 4
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Magnificat in D Major
Scarlatti, Domenico: Essercizi per gravicembalo K. 1-30 esp. K. 9 "Pastorale", K. 11, K. 20, K. 29, K. 30 "Cat's Fugue"

Level 5
Scarlatti, Domenico: Sonata in E Major K. 380 "Cortège"
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: "Hamburg" Symphonies esp. Wq. 182.2, 182.3
Tartini, Giuseppe: Violin Concerto in D Minor
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Cello Concerto in A Major

The first symphonies of our journey:

CPE Bach: "Hamburg" Symphonies Wq. 182.2, 182.3

Amandine Beyer, Gli Incogniti

Tartini: Violin Concerto in D Minor

Chouchane Siranossian, Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon

Bach: Cello Concerto in A Major

Steven Isserlis, The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

 

[Mandryka]

I've played some Scarlatti and CPE Bach back in the day. One of the CPE things was actually written partially in figured bass, the only time I've ever had that opportunity to use that knowledge.

If you like Scarlatti, then try Charles Avison's concertos based on Scarlatti sonatas. For some reason Scarlatti was very popular in England in the 18th century, as these trio sonatas testify. It's a long time since I heard them, but I remember they were fun -- for me funner than the originals.

Scarlatti seems to me rather similar to Rameau. Once I was at a concert -- it was Sokolov, and he plays a huge number of encores, he likes doing encores. Anyway I was absolutely sure he did a Scarlatti sonata, I mean, I know this music! I know what Scarlatti sounds like! But no, I was wrong, it was a bit of something by Rameau.

 

[hammeredklavier]

With C.P.E.'s Wq.182, it seems to me that No.3 (with its sudden "attaca" to the slow movement) and No.5 are most popular.

 

[hammeredklavier]

Der Kampf der Buße und Bekehrung (1768)
The harmonies; "Jesu, der den Tod besiegt"

"Es ist nicht g'nug"

 

[Chilham]

Der Kampf der Buße und Bekehrung (1768)
The harmonies; "Jesu, der den Tod besiegt"

"Es ist nicht g'nug"

Is this singspiel?

 

[hammeredklavier]

Is this singspiel?

an oratorio.

Die Hochzeit auf der Alm, Schäfergedicht in 2 Aufzügen MH 107 (1768)

"Wo wahre Treue die Herzen verstrickt"

"Gequaltes Herz! Entdecke mir die Wahrheit deiner pein"

Btw, it's also quite striking if you compare their similarities (in terms of general harmonic style) with Mozart's, for instance,

Gequaltes Herz:

Non so più cosa son:

Gequaltes Herz:

Missa longa K.262:

"Auf! Es kommt der Fruhling an"

"Lobet ihr Krafte den Schopfer der Welt"

"O Meine Phyllis! Ich lebe vergnugt"

 

[Chilham]

an oratorio...."

The general works of Michael Haydn come in several weeks time. You said we'd uncover the tradition of singspiel this week. Tell us more about singspiel.

 

[Chilham]

Level 1
No works

Level 2
No works

Level 3
Tartini, Giuseppe: Violin Sonata in G Minor "Devil's Trill"

Level 4
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Magnificat in D Major
Scarlatti, Domenico: Essercizi per gravicembalo K. 1-30 esp. K. 9 "Pastorale", K. 11, K. 20, K. 29, K. 30 "Cat's Fugue"

Level 5
Scarlatti, Domenico: Sonata in E Major K. 380 "Cortège"
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: "Hamburg" Symphonies esp. Wq. 182.2, 182.3
Tartini, Giuseppe: Violin Concerto in D Minor
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Cello Concerto in A Major
Bach, Johann Christian: Concerto for Harpsichord or Fortepiano in E-flat Major Op. 7 No. 5
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Flute/Keyboard Concerto in D minor, Wq. 22
Gluck, Christoph Willibald: Don Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Sonata in G Minor
Scarlatti, Domenico: Sonata in C Major K. 159
Scarlatti, Domenico: Sonata in D Major K. 96 "Gigue"
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: "Württemberg" Sonatas Wq. 49
Bach, Johann Christian: Symphony Op. 6 No. 6

For me today:

CPE Bach: Flute Concerto in D Minor

Emmanuel Pahud, Kammerakadamie Potsdam, Trevor Pinnock

Gluck: Don Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre

Chouchane Siranossian, Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon

CPE Bach: "Württemberg" Sonata Wq. 49/2

Marc-André Hamelin

JC Bach: Symphony Op. 6 No. 6

Academy of Ancient Music, Simon Standage

 

[Mandryka]

(Deleted as I was confusing the Wurttemberg sonatas with the Prussian sonatas!)

 

[Chilham]

Oops! I must have a different sonata there. Will get into it later as work beckons.

Thanks for the steer.

Edit: This suggests he has.

 

[Mandryka]

Oops! I must have a different sonata there. Will get into it later as work beckons.

Thanks for the steer.

No, I deleted the post, I was confusing CPE Bach sonata sets. Sorry.

 

[Miranna]