To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the composer’s death, Nova Stravaganza present the recording premiere of some of the few chamber works by Graupner and perform on historical instruments.

GRAUPNER Angst und Jammer, GWV 1145/11. Furcht und Zagen, GWV 1102/11b. Ich bleibe Gott getreu, GWV 1106/19. Ach Gott und Herr, GWV 1144/11 . Overture in c, GWV 413: “Tombeau” • Peter Barczi, cond; Miriam Feuersinger (sop); Capricornus Consort Basel (period instruments) • CHRISTOPHORUS 77381 (76:06 Text and Translation)


Several years ago I mentioned in a review that the cantatas of Christoph Graupner, a well-regarded contemporary of Bach and Telemann, were a vast and largely untouched repertory. Graupner, who lived most of his life in Darmstadt, seemed to write fluidly and continuously in this genre, penning a huge number of them, and yet only a handful have ever been recorded. This disc continues to redress this historical omission with a series of four more intimate works for solo soprano, all but one of which appear here for the first time.


The one thing that comes to mind when listening to these works is the tremendous control that Graupner exercises over his voice and instruments. Scored for a small string body, the latter are particularly well used. For example, there is a playful quality in the closing aria of the first cantata, Angst und Jammer (that would be “Fear and Lamentation” for the German-challenged), that would seem on the surface to be rather more dour and solemn, but this closing movement fairly bounces with life. The voice has some impressive roulades, while the strings dart hither and yon describing the “heavenly hours and blessed times” at the end. It is positively hopeful. The second cantata opens with some interesting close harmonies, almost fearfully (the first aria reads “Fear and Apprehension”) and then more positively as he modulates. He concludes the instrumental introduction on quavering notes, leading directly into a rather twisting vocal passage. Later on, he introduces a chorale tune in the soprano and continuo, all the while the violin moves in equal and non-thematic exercises around, clothing it in a woven musical fabric. This provides a nice contrast to the marching bass line of the final aria, which occasionally grinds to a halt with unexpected caesuras. In the middle is a gentle pastorale, which calms the relentless rhythmic pace. In the third cantata, the aria “Tobt, ihr Feinde” is almost mocking, with a line that positively dances about through various interesting harmonies. In the opening aria of the final cantata, Graupner adds an oboe cantus firmus to the marching strings, a style that one usually associates with Bach. Here it floats above the moving inner parts to give the theme a particular emphasis, and when it finally joins in the motion as the voice enters, one has a feeling of hovering above the restless ground on harmonic wings. Here to, the jaunty final aria is like a Baroque nursery rhyme, with a rocking set of dotted rhythms that almost approximates a triumphal march.


These are well-conceived and quite effective cantatas, once again demonstrating Graupner’s mastery of the genre. As innovative as these are musically, the clear and unambiguous voice of Miriam Feuersinger brings out the lines with a crystalline sound. She handles the demands, both lyrical and coloratura, with ease. Moreover, she and the disciplined Capricornus Consort blend well together. The close harmonies are conceived with studied ease, the continuo is well-paced, and the entire recording is in tune. Oboist Xenia Löffler adds a nice bit of color to the final cantata, and the entire disc is about as pleasing musically as one could imagine. My only quibble is the insertion of the “Tombeau” movement from one of his instrumental suites, which doesn’t really seem to fit. I expect that it was there simply to fill out the disc, and as it is equally well performed there shouldn’t be more than the momentary qualm. For anyone contemplating a complete cantatas collection from this early 18th-century time period, Graupner is a must, and this recording will entice you into exploring his music further.


FANFARE: Bertil van Boer

Technically brilliant and captivating - strongly recommended

Not long ago Christoph Graupner was little more than a name. He was mainly known for being one of the applicants for the position of Thomaskantor in Leipzig in succession to Johann Kuhnau. He was second on the town council’s list, and when the first, Georg Philipp Telemann, was not available after all, they turned to Graupner. His employer, the Landgrave of Hessen-Darmstadt, didn't want to let him go, and therefore Leipzig had to settle for - as it was called - 'mediocrity' in the person of Johann Sebastian Bach.
 
Some of Graupner's music has been recorded in the past, but it is only since the beginning of this century that some musicians have started to focus strongly on his oeuvre. The German conductor and keyboard player Siegbert Rampe recorded two discs of orchestral and chamber music with his ensemble Nova Stravaganza (MDG), and the Canadian harpsichordist Geneviève Soly is recording Graupner's keyboard music (Analekta). In his programme notes, Glen Wilson - himself a renowned harpsichordist and the former teacher of Naoko Akutagawa - refers to Graupner's "sterling reputation as a performer". A part of Graupner's keyboard music was published during his lifetime, but this disc mainly contains pieces which were never printed. And Wilson may be right in suggesting that the virtuosity of these pieces is such that they were mainly written for Graupner's own use.
 
The works here are called 'Partita' which is one of the terms used in Germany for a suite of dance movements. The standard structure of the suite was a sequence of allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue. But - like other composers - Graupner adapted the structure when he wanted. And so the Partita in A, which opens this disc, begins with a preludium, the sarabande - with double - is followed by a menuet and an aria with five variations, before closing with a gigue. Or rather, it does on this disc: it really ends with a Chaconne which is played later. The Partita in c minor doesn't have a gigue at all; again it opens with a praeludium, and after the sarabande we find a menuet and another aria with variations. The disc ends with a Partita which was the first of a series of Partitas which was planned to be published as 'The Four Seasons', but only this Partita, called 'Winter', has come down to us. It is not known whether Graupner for some reason didn't continue with this series or whether the other pieces have been lost. This work also starts with a praeludium, followed by allemande and courante, three menuets, an 'air en sarabande' and is closed with a 'bourrée en rondeau'.
 
As with many composers in Germany Graupner, both in his keyboard works and his orchestral music, is a representative of the 'mixed taste', a combination of French and Italian elements. The preludes are especially interesting because of their almost improvisatory nature. All of them are in two sections: the preludes of the Partitas in C minor and F minor begin with a slow section, followed by a fast second section. The prelude of the Partita in A is in fact a prelude and fugue, and bears the traces of  the 'stylus phantasticus' which was a feature of the North-German organ school. Graupner is more interested in counterpoint than some of his contemporaries. This shows the influence of his teacher, Johann Kuhnau, who thoroughly instructed him in counterpoint.
 
Naoko Akutagawa shows her impressive technical skills in this programme of pieces which are often very virtuosic. That is not only the case in the preludes, which are played with the appropriate touch of improvisation, but also in the large Chaconne - probably one of the longest in the 18th century. It is another bow to tradition in that it is a passacaille bass but slightly extended. It was originally part of the Partita in A which opens this disc, but played here independently. Ms Akutagawa plays it brilliantly with an intensity which never fades. Other highlights are the air with variations which ends the Partita in C minor and the three menuets from the Partita in F minor. She has a very good sense of the rhythm of the dance movements: listen, for instance, to the courante from the Partita in A. Only the menuets of the Partitas in A and in C minor could have been played with a little more elegance; Ms Akutagawa's performance is a bit too robust to my taste.
 
I mentioned some highlights in this recording, but in fact that is hardly necessary as this disc is captivating from beginning to end. If you are sceptical about the quality of a composer whose name hardly ever appears on the concert programmes of keyboard players, just purchase this disc. I am sure it will convince you that Graupner was a great composer whose name deserves to be mentioned in one breath with the likes of Telemann, Fasch, and - indeed - Johann Sebastian Bach. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if you end up looking for more. Thanks to Naoko Akutagawa and her wonderful recording.
 
-- Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International

It was Christoph Graupner who was selected as the Thomaskantor in Leipzig after Johannes Kuhnau, and it was only the fact that Graupner’s patron in Darmstadt did not let him go that Johann Sebastian Bach got the job! In fact Graupner was the more famous and more “modern” composer during those years, yet history almost forgot him for more than two centuries – even having composed five times as many cantatas as Bach. An important and highly praised step in the re-discovery or Graupner’s music was already presented by the soprano Miriam Feuersinger and her ECHO Klassik awarded debut release on Christophorus together with the Capricornus Consort Basel. She is now joined by countertenor Franz Vitzthum for a new album of duo cantatas. This is music of great depth, with the two voices blending so well that sometimes they seem just one.

Classical Music

In 1709, the music-loving Landgraf Ernst Ludwig from Darmstadt had discovered Christoph Graupner as a harpsichordist at the Hamburg Opera in 1709 and had hired him on the spot. The Landgraf had made a real stroke of luck with Graupner, because he was not only an outstanding musician but also a perfect organizer of the courtly musical life and especially for the church music which had to be performed weekly. Over the years, more than 1,400 works of sacred music and more than 250 concertos and orchestral works have gathered from his pen and paper. L’arpa festante and Rien Voskuilen have put together an exquisite selection with orchestral music from this repertoire for the present release: two concertos for oboes and trumpets and two Overtures for transverse flute in the French style, probably all from the first half of the 1730’s.

Christoph Graupner was one of the most important composers in Germany during his lifetime. In the competition for the position of Leipzig's Thomaskantor, he was second only to Telemann and ahead of Bach. However, his employer, Landgrave Ernst Ludwig, did not let him go. So he remained as court kapellmeister in Darmstadt and in the end held the position for over 50 years! Time enough to create an enormous oeuvre, at the center of which are over 1400 cantatas. Countertenor Franz Vitzthum and tenor Georg Poplutz have selected solo arias and duets for their voices from this fund, focusing on cantatas for Easter and the Easter season. These cantatas radiate great confidence and hope, which Graupner's translates into his very modern and forward-looking galant style. The Main Baroque Orchestra complements the vocal program with an overture in C minor and a concerto for two violins.

When the cantor Johann Sebastian Bach performed sacred cantatas in Leipzig on Sundays and public holidays, his colleagues did the same in many other places in Lutheran Germany. Among them was Christoph Graupner, the court conductor of Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1709, the music-loving Landgraf Ernst Ludwig from Darmstadt had discovered him as a harpsichordist at the Hamburg Opera in 1709 and had hired him on the spot. The Landgraf had made a real stroke of luck with Graupner, because he was not only an outstanding musician but also a perfect organizer of the courtly musical life and especially for the church music which had to be performed weekly. Over the years, more than 1,400 works of sacred music and many concertos and orchestral works have gathered from his pen and paper. Dorothee Mields and Harmonie Universelle have put together an exquisite selection from this repertoire for the present release: three cantatas from Graupner's early years as kapellmeister, complemented by two orchestral works. All three cantatas contain "Herz" [heart] as a central theme and Graupner has put the sacred texts into music with a never-ending fantasy.