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1 CD -
Teldec 8.41124 XH (c) 1989
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1 LP -
Telefunken SAWT 9565-B (p) 1970 |
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NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT - 25 Years
on TELDEC |
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Johann Sebastian
Bach (1685-1750) |
Ein Musicalisches
Opfer, BWV 1079 (Titel nach
dem Autograph der Widmungsvorrede
für König Friedrich II, von Preußen)
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Ricercare
a 3 (Cembalo) |
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6' 05" |
A1 |
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Canon
perpetuus super thema regium
(Flauto traverso, Violine,
Tenorviola) |
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0' 58" |
A2 |
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5 Canones
diversi super thema regium: |
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6'
48" |
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Canon a 2 (Cembalo) |
0' 57" |
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A3 |
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Canon a 2 Violini in unisono
(2 Violinen, Cembalo, Violoncello) |
0' 56" |
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A4 |
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Canon a 2 Per motum contrarium
(Flauto traverso, Violine, Viola) |
0' 39" |
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A5 |
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Canon a 2 Per augmentationem,
contrario motu (2 Violinen,
Tenorviola) |
1' 52" |
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A6 |
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Canon a 2 Per tonos (Violine,
Viola, Tenorviola) |
2' 24" |
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A7 |
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Fuga
canonica in Epidiapente
(Flauto traverso, Violine, Cembalo,
Violoncello) |
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1' 52" |
A8 |
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Ricercare
a 6 (Cembalo) |
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7' 02" |
A9 |
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Canon
a 2 (Cembalo) |
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1' 17" |
B1 |
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Canon
a 4 (Flauto traverso, 2
Violinen, Cembalo, Violoncello) |
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2' 03" |
B2 |
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Trio
(Flauto traverso, Violine, Cembalo,
Violoncello): |
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18' 09" |
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Largo |
5' 52" |
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B3 |
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Allegro |
6' 24" |
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B4 |
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Andante |
2' 47" |
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B5 |
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Allegro |
3' 06" |
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B6 |
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Canon
perpetuus (Flauto traverso,
Violine, Cembalo, Violoncello) |
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1' 40" |
B7 |
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Concentus Musicus
Wien (mit Originainstrumenten) |
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- Herbert Tachezi, Cembalo
(Niederländischer
Bauwiese von R. Schütze, Heidelberg) |
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- Leopold
Stastny, Flauto
traverso (A. Grenser, Dresden, Mitte 18
Jh.) |
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- Alice
Harnoncourt, Violine
(Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1665) |
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- Walter
Pfeiffer, Violine
(Mattias Albanus, Bozen 1712) |
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- Kurt
Theiner, Viola
(Marcellus Hollmayr, Wien um 1650) |
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Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Tevorviola
(Tirol um 1650) und Violoncello (Andrea
Castagneri, Paris 1744) |
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Nikolaus
HARNONCOURT, Leitung |
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Luogo
e data di registrazione |
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Casino
Zögernitz, Vienna (Austria) -
febbraio / marzo 1970 |
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Registrazione:
live / studio |
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studio |
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Producer
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Wolf
Erichson |
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Edizione CD |
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TELDEC
- 8.41124 XH (242 748-2) - (1 CD -
durata 46' 40") - (c) 1989 - AAD |
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Originale LP
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TELEFUNKEN
- SAWT 9565-B - (1 LP - durata 46'
40") - (p) 1970 - Analogico |
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Note |
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In
the Spring of
1747, Bach
traveled to
Berlin with his
son Friedemann
to visit Philipp
Emanuel who was
engaged as
chamber
harpsichordist
at the court of
Frederick ll.
The “Berlinische
Nachrichten“ of
May 11,1747
carried a report
of his visit.
“From Potsdam we
learn that on
the Sunday just
past (May 7) the
famous
Capellmeister
from Leipzig.
Mr. Bach,
arrived in the
city for the
purpose of
enjoying the
pleasure of
hearing the
excellent Royal
Music here. ln
the evening,
shortly before
the time that
the chamber
music
customarily
commences in the
King's
apartements, it
was reported to
His Majesty that
Capellmeister
Bach had arrived
in Potsdam and
that he has
waiting in the
ante-chamber in
the hope of
receiving His
Majesty’s
permission to
attend the
performance of
the music.
His
Majesty
immediately
ordered his
admission and,
upon his
entry,went to
the so-called
"Forte and
Piano" (the
newly invented
Hammerklavier)
and without any
preparation
personally
condescended to
play
Capellmeister
Bach a theme
that the latter
should improvise
into a fugue.
This was
accomplished by
the aforesaid
Capellmeister
Bach so
successfully
that not only
was His Majesty
inclined to
indicate his
pleasure, but
all other
persons present
were given to
great
astonishment.
Mr. Bach found
the theme so
exceedingly
lovely that he
wanted to write
it down on paper
as a properfugue
and have it
engraved on
copper. There is
also another
account of this
memorable visit,
namely, the
dedication with
which Bach
prefaced the
"Musical
Offering": "Most
respectfully I
do hereby
dedicate a
’Musical
Offering’ to
Your Majesty,
from whose hand
the noblest part
personally
stems. lt is
with reverential
pleasure that l
still recall the
very exceptional
Royal kindness
when, upon my
presence in
Potsdam some
time ago, Your
Majesty
personally
condescended to
play me a theme
for a fugue on
the piano and at
the same time
most graciously
enjoined upon me
that it be
improvised
immediately in
the presence of
Your High
Person. To obey
Your Majesty's
command was my
most respectful
duty. I soon
noticed,
however, that
due to the lack
of the necessary
preparation the
improvisation
did not want to
succeed as
befitted such an
excellent theme.
Thereupon I
resolved, and
undertook
forthwith to
work out this
very Royal theme
more perfectly
and then to make
it known to the
world. Within my
powers, this
resolution has
now been
realized..."
Completely
sold to the
modern musical
style of Graun
and Hasse, the
young king of
Prussia wanted
to hear the
legendary
grandmaster of
improvisation
and
counterpoint. At
the same time he
wanted to lake a
look into the
musical past by
having the most
famous master of
the old - by
that time
already
'antiquated' -
style display
his prowesses.
It was totally
clear to Bach
that he was
hardly any
longer respected
there as a fully
valid musician
since even his
sons also
composed
exclusively in
the modern
style.
Bach
politely praised
the theme
altough it was
entirely
unsuited for use
as a fugue
theme. lt is
probable that
the musically
versed king
deliberately
posed such a
difficult theme
to see how Bach
would get around
it.
The
composer’s
answer was
indeed just as
ingenious and
clever: He had
received an
almost
unsolvable task
and responded
with an almost
insurmountable
task for the
flute-playing
king. The Trio
Sonata for
Flute, Violin
and Continuo was
almost
impossible to
play on the
flute of that
time. Frederick
cannot possibly
have played the
sonata, but
perhaps his
flute-teacher
Quantz did. On
July 7, 1747, in
the name of his
father, Bach’s
son Carl Philipp
Emanuel (then
court
harpsichordist
of Frederick the
Great) presented
the king an
engraved copy of
the "Musical
Offering." Bach
had dedicated
the work to His
Royal Majesty
"most
respectfully"
after his visit
at Potsdam had
inspired him to
Write it . The
thema regium,
the
improvisation of
which had at the
time not wanted
to “succeed”, he
had "worked out
more perfectly"
and wanted then
to "make it
known to the
world" by having
it printed.
Although
to a great
extent Bach's
scoring can be
determined from
his markings and
musical demands,
distorting
revisions and
attempts at
instrumentation
especially of
the two
ricercare, have
often been made.
The
work is opened
by a three-part
ricereare (an
old term
designating a
movement in
fugue style) for
harpsichord.
This fugue of
great dimensions
is followed by a
series of canons
that are
miniature gems
of counterpoint.
There are very
few indications
of the scoring
for this part,
Still, since
some instruments
are definite the
transverse flute
in the Trio in
the Canon
perpetuus, the
two violins in
Canon a 2, and
the Cello as
bass instrument
in the Trio and
the Canon
perpetuus, the
division of
parts becomes
almost
self-evident. A
viola and a
tenor viola need
to be added to
but a few of the
canons. Some of
the voices, by
way of their
range, show that
they are flute
parts.
Flute
and bass play
the first canon
in double
octaves while
the violin plays
the thema regium
as cantus
firmus. - The
next five canons
are as different
in construction
and tonal
structure as can
be imagined: In
the first canon
(for two voices)
the same part is
simultaneously
played in its
normal forward
movement and
cancrizans, in
crab fashion.
The second canon
is for two
violins playing
at the unison -
the answering
voice enters one
measure after
the first -
above a
harpsichord
accompaniment of
the theme. In
the third canon
the top voice
plays the
subject while
the second and
third play per
motum
contrarium,
hence in
contrary motion,
answering a
half-measure
later. Above the
fourth canon per
augmentationem,
contrario motu
(by augmentation
and contrary
movement) Bach
wrote in Latin
“Like the note
values, may the
king’s happiness
also increase.”
This complicated
canon is
executed by the
first and third
voices; the
lower voice part
must be repeated
so that the
inversion in the
upper voice can
answer by
playing the
entire piece in
notes of doubled
length. The last
canon of this
group is taken
per tonos
(through various
keys); it, too,
has a symbolical
meaning: “Like
the ascending
modulation, may
the king's glory
also rise.” The
subject in the
upper voice is
varied almost to
the point that
it cannot be
recognized. The
canon at the
fifth, with
subject and
answer separated
by one measure
in their
commencement, is
repeated six
times, each time
a whole tone
highter.
The
Canonic Fugue is
a canon of
strict and large
dimensions for
the two upper
voices at the
fifth over an
independent
bass. - Next
comes the real
heart of the
work, the
six-part
Ricercare. With
this piece Bach
wanted to comply
with the king's
wish for a
six-part fugue
for harpsichord.
The six voices
never leave the
range of the
harpsichordist's
two hands. ln
the dedicatory
printing the
notes appear in
six different
lines (the cause
of many
misunderstandings);
there is also an
autograph scored
in two lines.
Next
follows a puzzle
canon inscribed
“He who seeks
will find,” in
which one voice
is given (a
variation of the
theme) and the
second voice
must be found
from it. The
solution is the
inversion that
enters two and a
half measures
later and a
seventh lower. -
ln the following
four-part canon
at unison, with
one voice in the
base range,
each voice
begins with the
theme.
ln
the great Trio
Sonata the theme
is cited only in
fragmentary
hints and
harmonies until
it finally
returns as main
theme in the
last
movement.This
trio is written
in the somewhat
modern gallant
style, perhaps
in deference to
the king’s
tastes, The
concluding canon
is a very
special gem.
Flute and violin
play in
inversion over a
free
figured-bass.
Nikolaus
Harnoncourt
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