Buxtehude: Praeludium in D Minor, BuxWV140

The latest volume of Christopher Herrick’s acclaimed series of Buxtehude’s complete organ works comes from Paris and the admired organ of St-Louis-en-l’Île – formally opened in 2005, and based on the work of Zacharias Hildebrant (1688-1757). As with previous discs, it includes a selection of the composer’s praeludia, ostinato works, canzonettas and canzonas, interspersed with chorale preludes, chorale fantasias and variations.

Highlights include the magnificent Praeludium in D minor, BuxWV140, which is among the finest and most striking examples of the genre, and a particularly beautiful and contrasting set of chorale preludes.

The Arp Schnitger organ in St. Ludger’s Church in Norden is among the most important baroque instruments of its kind.

The artists perform an appealing programme designed to demonstrate the strengths of the instrument.

This is Luchterhandt and Janssen’s third release on “their instrument”.

On this CD works by Tunder, Hasse, Buxtehude, Bach, Schiefferdecker and Bruhns are performed by Martin Rost on the Stellwagen Organ (1959), St. Marien Stralshund. Martin Rost tracked down the original plans for this instrument so that it could be restored with loving care.

In his youth, J.S. Bach came across two North German musicians who considerably influenced him: Georg Böhm and Buxtehude. Their stylistic influence on Bach can be seen clearly in his early works. This SACD demonstrates the musical connection in a selection of pieces. Formal parallels and harmonic borrowings made by Bach from the North German masters become apparent. In this recording, Martin Neu plays the Ahrend organ in Herzogenaurach. The organ builder Jürgen Ahrend from Leer, North Germany is reckoned to be one of the leading organ builders and restorers, and who has gained an international reputation particularly for his consistent restoration work and his great artistry in voicing. The Ahrend organ in Herzogenaurach was built by his son Hendrik Ahrend who continues the tradition of Ahrend organs.

This is the eighth release in a series of recordings which is presenting the complete works of the highly influential17th century composer Dieterich Buxtehude, and the third volume devoted to his organ works. The cycle is being produced by one of the world’s foremost experts in early music performance, the Dutch keyboard player and musical director Ton Koopman, who as president of the International Dieterich Buxtehude Society is considered to be the leading authority on his music.

None of the original instruments played by Buxtehude as organist in Helsingborg, Helsingør, and Lübeck has survived. Therefore, it is in no way possible to obtain information on the quality of sound of the individual organs that might have inspired the composer. The organs used for the present recordings were not Buxtehude’s instruments, but they represent excellent examples of historical instruments from Buxtehude’s time which resemble the typical range of large and medium-sized instruments characteristic of the North German organ landscape. The Schnitger organ of Hamburg’s Jacobi Church of 1689-93 actually represents an instrument that Buxtehude would surely have known, for he travelled frequently to Lübeck’s sister city. He also wanted Arp Schnitger to thoroughly renovate his own organ at St. Mary’s, but he did not succeed with his plans. On the other hand, in 1696-99 Schnitger and his companion Hans Hantelmann built the new large organ for the Lübeck cathedral, an instrument not only tested officially by Buxtehude but probably frequently played by him as well.

Five different types of pieces are included among the works collected in this CD, all representing distinct genres of improvisatory styles that make up the broad spectrum of the daily practice of organists in Lutheran Germany, whether designed as functional music for worship services, for presenting them in recitals, or for purposes of compositional study. The five pedaliter preludes in C BuxWV 137, in D BuxWV 140, in F BuxWV 145, in G BuxWV 148, and again in G,BuxWV 149, include some of Buxtehude’s most mature, attractive, and exemplary large-scale compositions. Fugal writing for organ is represented by two examples, the Fuga in B-flat BuxWV 176, written in canzona manner, and the Canzonetta in A BuxWV 225. Both works don’t make use of the organ pedal. Instead they require most demanding fingerwork on the manuals. The Ciacona in C BuxWV 159, one of three independent ostinato compositions, demonstrates how this type of variation setting not only can sustain an entire work, but can also introduce innovative elements. The organ chorales represent two basic types, multi-movement variations and chorale preludes.