Weckman: The Complete Organ Works / Hans Davidsson
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- Loft
- March 6, 2015
WECKMAN Complete Organ Works • Hans Davidsson (org); Ulrike Heider, cond; Sweden Schola Gothia • LOFT 1065–67 (3 CDs: 196:29)
Matthew Weckman was born in Niederdorla, Germany, around 1616, and died in 1674. While familiar to many musicians, he hardly is a household name, even among serious record collectors. Hans Davidsson and Loft Recordings have left no stone unturned in an effort to expose Weckman to a wider public. This really is a labor of love. The packaging and background information are the finest I have seen in a long time. The layout is beautiful. The text is well written. There are two different inserts, either of which would have been satisfying. Davidsson wrote his dissertation on Weckman and the first insert provides highlights of his exhaustive research, and a lifetime of study and performance. This also includes descriptions of each selection on the three CDs. The second booklet gives details on organ registration employed in the 17th century by Weckman and others, and the registration used in this recording. This may sound dry but it is not.
Davidsson places Weckman in historical context: when he learned to play; the experiences that helped him learn to compose; his experiences in Denmark and other stops on his journey through life. While growing up in Dresden, he was exposed to crosscurrents that were reshaping music in Europe, including influences from Italy and England, the Netherlands, and Northern Germany. Davidsson explains how these forces and trends came together for Weckman. And in the recording, we hear the elements unfold, illuminated by Davidsson’s insights. In the process, he demonstrates why Weckman is “without doubt one of the most important musical personalities of Germany in the seventeenth century.”
The music? When I asked an organist friend about Weckman, he laughed, and gave me a one word response: “Boring.” Yes, this is not the most electric music in the world and some of it could be described as boring. But, perhaps prejudiced by the outstanding packaging and recording, I found every section transformed into an insightful window into a faraway world. Many of his organ words are based on chorales and this recording includes these chorales, expertly sung by Schola Gothia. The organ is the North German Baroque Organ, captured in beautiful sound.
I enjoyed this album immensely. It was a fascinating and surprisingly enriching experience. Perhaps more than anything else, this provided new respect for Weckman, and greater appreciation for his role in music history. The recording, like the packaging, is spectacular. Highly recommend, particularly to organists and students of music history.
FANFARE: John E. Roos
Matthew Weckman was born in Niederdorla, Germany, around 1616, and died in 1674. While familiar to many musicians, he hardly is a household name, even among serious record collectors. Hans Davidsson and Loft Recordings have left no stone unturned in an effort to expose Weckman to a wider public. This really is a labor of love. The packaging and background information are the finest I have seen in a long time. The layout is beautiful. The text is well written. There are two different inserts, either of which would have been satisfying. Davidsson wrote his dissertation on Weckman and the first insert provides highlights of his exhaustive research, and a lifetime of study and performance. This also includes descriptions of each selection on the three CDs. The second booklet gives details on organ registration employed in the 17th century by Weckman and others, and the registration used in this recording. This may sound dry but it is not.
Davidsson places Weckman in historical context: when he learned to play; the experiences that helped him learn to compose; his experiences in Denmark and other stops on his journey through life. While growing up in Dresden, he was exposed to crosscurrents that were reshaping music in Europe, including influences from Italy and England, the Netherlands, and Northern Germany. Davidsson explains how these forces and trends came together for Weckman. And in the recording, we hear the elements unfold, illuminated by Davidsson’s insights. In the process, he demonstrates why Weckman is “without doubt one of the most important musical personalities of Germany in the seventeenth century.”
The music? When I asked an organist friend about Weckman, he laughed, and gave me a one word response: “Boring.” Yes, this is not the most electric music in the world and some of it could be described as boring. But, perhaps prejudiced by the outstanding packaging and recording, I found every section transformed into an insightful window into a faraway world. Many of his organ words are based on chorales and this recording includes these chorales, expertly sung by Schola Gothia. The organ is the North German Baroque Organ, captured in beautiful sound.
I enjoyed this album immensely. It was a fascinating and surprisingly enriching experience. Perhaps more than anything else, this provided new respect for Weckman, and greater appreciation for his role in music history. The recording, like the packaging, is spectacular. Highly recommend, particularly to organists and students of music history.
FANFARE: John E. Roos
Product Description:
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Release Date: March 06, 2015
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UPC: 617145106520
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Catalog Number: LRCD1065
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Label: Loft
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Number of Discs: 3
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Composer: Matthias, Weckmann
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Performer: Hans, Davidsson