Vincent Lübeck 1654–1740 Complete Harpsichord and Organ Music CD1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
76’10
Praeambulum in D minor LübWV 11 Praeambulum in G minor LübWV 12 Chacon in A LübWV 20 Praeambulum in E LübWV 7 ‘Ich ruff zu dir Herr Jesu Christ’ LübWV 13 Praeambulum et fuga in F LübWV 8 Praeambulum in G LübWV 9 ‘Nun lasst uns Gott, dem Herren’ LübWV 15 Praeambulum in C minor LübWV 6 ‘Ach wir Armen Sünder’ LübWV deest Praeambulum in C LübWV 10
8’33 10’16 4’27 7’14 14’29 3’36 6’26 6’29 5’22 2’42 6’33
CD2
69’54
from the Clavier Uebung (Hamburg, 1728)
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Praeludium et Fuga in A minor LübWV 16 Praeludium: Vivace Fuga: Allegro
2’39 3’50
3 4 5 6
Suite in G minor LübWV 17 I. Allemande II. Courante III. Sarabande IV. Gigue
2’37 2’00 2’17 3’27
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Chaconne: ‘Lobt Gott ihr Christen allzugleich’ LübWV 18
1’31
from the ‘S.M.G. 1691’ manuscript 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
Menuet L’Allemand March Menuet Menuet Aria: ‘Mit Geduld will ich ertragen’ (Reinhard Keiser 1674–1739) Trompeter Stück Air Gavott Menuet Englischer Winck = Tanzt od[er] Gique Menuet Folie d’Espagne (Var. 1 & 2) March Menuet Aria: ‘Watt wart uns Armen Deerens suhr’ (Reinhard Keiser) Bourée Menuet March LübWV 22.1 (Vincent Lübeck father) Menuet LübWV 22.2 (Vincent Lübeck father) Gavotte: ‘Sa, sa, sa, die Gesundheit’ (Reinhard Keiser) Entreé Menuet Air Trompeter Stück March Bourée Menuet
0’51 1’03 0’41 1’03 1’00 0’41 0’30 1’04 1’15 0’57 0’51 1’41 0’55 0’53 0’32 0’48 0’51 0’57 1’00 0’38 0’52 1’20 1’10 1’06 0’57 0’52 0’54 3
35 36 37 38
Suite in A minor LübWV 21 (Vincent Lübeck father) I. Allemande II. Courante III. Sarabande IV. Gigue
2’25 1’25 1’07 0’47
39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55
Menuet March (Vincent Lübeck son, 1684–1755) Menuet (Vincent Lübeck son) Passepied Menuet Menuet March Menuet Menuet Menuet Menuet Praeludium in D LübWV 19.1 (Vincent Lübeck father) Ciaconne LübWV 19.2 (Vincent Lübeck father) March (Vincent Lübeck son) Menuet (Vincent Lübeck son) Menuet du L’Empereur Joseph (Joseph I von Habsburg 1678–1711) La reponse Menuet
0’50 1’13 0’52 0’53 0’37 1’00 1’02 0’55 1’15 0’48 1’04 1’00 3’46 1’08 1’07 1’11 1’17
Manuel Tomadin at the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ (1646/1725), Grote Sint Laurenskerk Alkmaar, The Netherlands (CD1) harpsichord William Horn after Michael Mietke, Berlin, 1700 (CD2: 1–6, 12–13, 16–19, 27–30, 35–38, 46–51) positiv organ Francesco Zanin, 2012 (CD2: 7–11, 14–15, 20–26, 31–34, 39–45, 52–55)
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Thanks to Grote Sint Laurenskerk Alkmaar, Accademia Organistica Udinese, ‘G.B. Candotti’ International Organ Festival - Friuli, ‘J.S. Bach Orgelherbst’ - Trieste, Lutheran community of Trieste, Andrea Marcon, Christian Tarabbia, Paolo Tomadin, Silvia Tomat, Francesco Zanotto, Lorenzo Ghielmi, Shanna Somers, Pieter Van Dijk, Cor Brandenburg, Berend Van Buiten, Elia Pivetta, Federico Savio, Chiara Minali, Federico Furlanetto, Francesco Zanin Organ Builders - Codroipo (Udine), Brilliant Classics
Recording: 25 September 2017, Grote Sint Laurenskerk Alkmaar, The Netherlands (CD1); 25 November 2017, Silvelle di Trebaseleghe, Italy (CD2) Tuning: Flentrop Orgelbow (Alkmaar); Francesco Zanotto (Silvelle) Record production, Recording, Editing & Mastering: Daniël van Horssen – www.dmp-records.nl (Alkmaar) Recording & Editing: Federico Savio and Manuel Tomadin (Silvelle) Mastering: Federico Savio · Assistant: Roberto Squillaci Covers: prospect and console of the Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ (1646/1725), Grote Sint Laurenskerk Alkmaar Artist photo: ! Cor Brandenburg " & ! 2018 Brilliant Classics
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The Keyboard Music of Vincent Lübeck Vincent Lübeck (c.September 1654–9 February 1740) was born in Padingbüttel, a small town about 70 km north of Bremen, Germany. His father, also named Vincent, held a position as organist in Glückstadt and later at the Marienkirche in Flensburg. The latter post began in 1647 and in 1654 Caspar Förckelrath replaced him there. Lübeck’s father died that same year and Förckelrath married his widowed mother. As a result, Förckelrath became young Lübeck’s first teacher. According to the scholar Wolfram Syré, Lübeck may have also studied with Andreas Kneller, whose tangible influence is evident in the surviving keyboard works by Lübeck. After growing up primarily in Flensburg, at the end of 1675 Lübeck became organist of St Cosmae et Damiani in Stade, Germany. It was here that he earned himself an illustrious reputation as a composer, performer and improviser. The city had previously been a prominent member of the Hanseatic League, but in 1675 it was slowly being eclipsed by nearby Hamburg. However, St Cosmae had an organ by the renowned builder Arp Schnitger, which has survived until the present day, albeit having undergone some rebuilding works over the years. As was customary at the time in parts of northern Germany, upon accepting the post, Lübeck married Susanne Becker, the daughter of his predecessor. In 1702, Lübeck moved to Hamburg to take up a prestigious position at St Nikolai. St Nikolai was one of the most important churches in the city and the organ, built by Arp Schnitger, was one of the largest in the world, featuring four manuals and 67 stops. Writing in 1721, Johann Mattheson declared both the organ and the organist ‘extraordinary’ and alluded to Lübeck’s great fame by stating, ‘but how may one exalt someone who is already so famous? Just mention the name of Vincent Lübeck.’ Unfortunately, this church was destroyed during the Great Fire of 1842. Lübeck remained the organist at St Nikolai until his death in 1740. Numerous documents of the time attest to his extensive reputation throughout northern Germany as a consultant in the building of organs. On several occasions he gave his opinion on work that was done by Schnitger, not only in the churches of large cities such as Hamburg (Nikolaikirche, Georgenkirche, Jacobikirche) and Bremen (St Stephen’s Cathedral), but also in those of Oberndorf (Georgenkirche), Hollern (St Mauritius), Sittensen (St Dionys) and smaller towns. Lübeck was a highly sought-after teacher, and his salary as a teacher was much higher than that of a liturgical organist. Some of his most prominent students included Christian Heinrich Postel and Michael Johann Friedrich Wiedeburg, (later a renowned keyboard teacher himself), as well as two of his own sons, Peter Paul,
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who later took up a position in Stade, and Vincent Lübeck Junior, who took over his father’s position at St Nikolai in Hamburg where he had been working as his father’s assistant since 1735. Although Lübeck’s music influenced Johann Sebastian Bach, the two men almost certainly never met. Lübeck’s works were soon forgotten along with much of the organ music of the 17th and 18th centuries. The first modern edition of the composer’s work appeared in Germany in 1921 (published by G. Harms in Klecken). Despite the composer’s long life, fame during his lifetime and frequent opportunities to demonstrate his skills as a composer and performer, particularly during Vespers services, very few of his organ works are well known. Only a handful of preludes and chorales for organ in northern Germanic style, a few cantatas and various pieces for harpsichord, some of which were published during the life of the composer, have survived. The only dated works by Lübeck are two cantatas composed in Stade in November 1693, which were both commissioned by the Swedish administration in Stade in memory of Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. Apart from these pieces, we know very little about the composer’s endeavours. At the time, Hamburg was already one of the largest cities in Germany and had a long-standing organ tradition first associated with pupils of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, including Heinrich Scheidemann and Jacob Praetorius. A number of other important composers worked in Hamburg in the late 17th century, including Matthias Weckmann, who helped to organise concert life in the city, as well as Johann Adam Reincken, who was one of the most famous organists of his time. However, when Lübeck arrived, only Reincken was still alive and the city’s musical life, as well as its economic status, was slowly declining (In 1720, Johann Sebastian Bach applied for a position at the Jacobikirche, but withdrew his application after taking stock of the local situation). Of the music by Lübeck that has come down to us, there are seven preludes (one is thought to be incomplete and another two possibly not by him), two elaborations on chorales (one is only partially complete), a single suite for harpsichord published in 1728 and five cantatas. The pieces for organ are the most important of his works. Influenced by Dieterich Buxtehude and Reincken, Lübeck composed works that were both technically and artistically elaborate with frequent two-pedal virtuosic passages, five voices and other compositional elements rarely used by most of his contemporaries. This is particularly the case in his polyphonic writing, in the fugue passages and in the double fugues. Buxtehude’s music rarely attains this level of virtuosity. Lübeck’s preludes are very interesting in that each one has a distinct structure consisting of toccata sections, fugues, and fugal parts and recitatives, which may be considered as drawing on
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stylus fantasticus. Buxtehude’s influence is evident in some of Lübeck’s fugue themes and in the fivesection structure of the Prelude in E major. The non-structured sections often feature virtuosic solos in the pedal and the Prelude in G minor includes passages that utilise a double pedal. The majority of Lübeck’s fugues feature a secondary melody obbligato, generally appearing when the subject is first introduced: the preludes in F major and in G major are attributed to Vincent Lübeck junior. The Prelude in F major features a simple two-section structure (Prelude and Fugue) that demonstrates nothing of the virtuosity featured in the works that have been truly authenticated as his. The younger Vincent may have written the chorale ‘Ach wir Armen Sünder’ during his youth. The structure of the Prelude in E major is similar to the five-part form codified by Buxtehude: a convivial prelude in toccata style, a fugue in 4/4 time, a central section (in either free or fugue form), and a 3/4 (4/4) fugue and toccata to conclude the piece. The Prelude in D minor (toccata, fugue and toccata) and C minor (toccata and fugue) could be works from a later period; the brevity of the latter and the final cadence on the dominant suggest that it was probably an incomplete work. Like Buxtehude and Nicolaus Bruhns (who had learned organ and composition from Buxtehude), Lübeck often unified these flexible structures using subtle thematic relationships, including by transformation of the fugue subject, as is the case in the Praeludium in G minor. Trills in 3a and 6a, long pedal solos and, in the case of the Prelude in G minor, writing that features a double pedal all attest to his virtuosity and the inspiration that the treasured organs of Stade and Hamburg provided. The Prelude in D minor contains intriguing original markings: seven St Andrew’s crosses (X), larger than alphabet letters, appear in the manuscript copy made by Johann Gottfried Walther (German music theorist and composer who compiled the Musicalisches Lexicon in 1732). These symbols may also indicate the places where an assistant could change stops, and could thus provide an insight into contemporary registration practice. The fantasia based on ‘Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ’ is the only prelude to the existing complete chorale by Lübeck. Comprised of 271 measures, it is one of the greatest-known examples of the genre. There are 12 clearly distinct sections that include the entire first line of the chorale and that use several techniques that may be traced to the North German school. The piece may have been composed for liturgical use during communion. The use of so many techniques brings to mind the great choral fantasia by Buxtehude based on ‘Nun freut euch’. The melody appears not only in counterpoint and with various coloratura passages, but also as an echo and in toccata form. Although the variations on ‘Nun lasst uns Gott, dem Herren’ are incomplete, with only the first six verses set to music, this is still sufficient material to indicate the composer’s ability.
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However, Lübeck’s Clavier Uebung, written in 1728, consist of a single suite for harpsichord. In this work the traditional dances (Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Gigue) are preceded by a prelude and fugue, and followed by a chaconne, which is a simple piece for two voices in which the chorale melody of ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzugleich’ by Nikolaus Herman is combined with an ostinato lasting eight measures. The suite is well written and features some of the virtuosic qualities found in Lübeck’s organ works. Writing in 1732, Walther described Vincent Lübeck as a ‘famous organist’, and Schnitger referred to him as ‘the world-famous organist’. This concept is a very recent one because unfortunately, until recently, this music was simply regarded as northern German music from the 17th century in the pre-Bach era. This recording is the first edition to include all existing organ and harpsichord compositions by Lübeck as well as a series of previously unknown manuscript pieces. The S.M.G. manuscript from 1691 includes 45 short pieces for keyboard, many anonymous, although five are attributed to Lübeck father and it also contains the only known compositions of his son. These pedagogical pieces work well on a small historic harpsichord or clavichord, or on a small or royal stop organ. In fact, the dynamic markings in certain pieces indicate clavichord, which was considered to be the preferred instrument on which to learn keyboard technique. The written ornamentation is very interesting, as it perhaps represents common performance practice at that point in history. This collection of short pieces mainly contains dances (some containing a da capo) and settings of arias, comparable to the Anna Magdalena Bach notebook. The most significant pieces in the collection are: a prelude and a chaconne with 12 variations that demonstrate considerable compositional variation, the Suite in A minor comprised of the traditional four movements in which the Allemande and the Courante have unusual harmonic progressions. The Gigue is homophonic and much less technically demanding than more complex works by Reincken and Buxtehude. The two variations on ‘Folie d’Espagne’ are very interesting, while the dynamic markings of f and p in the Air No.23 and the Minuet No.43 may imply, as suggested above, that the collection was actually intended for the clavichord, or an instrument with two keyboards. This would speak to the fact that clavichords built in Hamburg in 1700 only cost a fraction (10–15%) of the price of a harpsichord! These pieces were clearly intended for beginners and could have been used for teaching purposes. They could continue to be used as such today, featuring many examples that illustrate correct performance practice. Their charm and simple yet melodic inventiveness also make them a joy to play. ! Manuel Tomadin Translation: Elisabeth Madama
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Manuel Tomadin studied piano, organ, organ composition and harpsichord, continuing his harpsichord studies at the University of Udine (where his thesis was based on J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations). As well as devoting himself to the practices of Renaissance and Baroque music, he has participated in masterclasses led by Claudio Astronio, Andrea Marcon, Michael Radulescu, Luca Scandali, Ferruccio Bartoletti, Peter Planyavsky, Olivier Latry, Paolo Crivellaro, Jon Laukvik, Ludger Lohmann, Gustav Auzinger, Hans Fagius, Peter van Dijk, Teo Jellema, Francesco di Lernia and Eric Lebrun. From 2001 to 2003 Tomadin studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (Switzerland) with Jean-Claude Zehnder and Andrea Marcon. He regularly collaborates with Baroque recorder-player Manuel Staropoli, and belongs to the early music and period-instrument group Terg Antiqua. Tomadin enjoys a busy concert career in Italy and Europe, and has recorded several CDs on the historical organs of the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the Netherlands and Germany; many of these – featuring music by Tunder, Leyding, Kneller, Bruhns, Hasse, Handel and Druckenmüller – have been awarded 5 stars or 5 diapasons. He teaches organ and harpsichord at the Conservatory of Music G. Tartini in Trieste. He was organist of the civic Cathedral of Trieste from 2004 to 2008 and is now organist of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the same city. Tomadin has won awards at several national and international contests, including the first prize in Germany’s Fussen-Breitenwang-Mittenwald and the second prize in the prestigious Paul Hofhaimer Competition in Innsbruck on two occasions (2006 and 2010). He was also the winner of the Grand Prix d’ECHO 2011 in the Alkmaar Schnitger Competition, and is artistic director of both the International Organ Festival ‘G.B. Candotti’ in Udine and the ‘Johann Sebastian Bach Orgelherbst’ Festival in Trieste. Tomadin plays the organ and harpsichord as part of the Friuli in Musica project.
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Van Hagerbeer/Schnitger organ (1646/1725), Grote Sint Laurenskerk Alkmaar, The Netherlands The big organ at the west end of the church is one of the most famous, significant and beautiful organs in the world. It was built by Jacobus Galtus van Hagerbeer and sons, and finished in 1646. The magnificent casework, which unusually stretches from floor to vault and makes the organ part of the architecture of the church, was designed by Jacob van Campen, a leading architect of the time. The enormous canvas shutters were painted by Caesar van Everdingen. The organ was rebuilt in 1725 by Frans Caspar Schnitger. He left the casework much as it was, but created an organ in the North German style within the old case. He reused much of the old fluework, but all the mixtures and reeds were new. The organ has not been changed much since then, and is rare in that 90 percent of the original material, pipework, action, soundboards, case, survives. As such it is one of the most important organs in the world.
Rugpositief (I)
Bovenwerk (III) Praestant 8' Baarpijp 8' Rohrfluit 8' Quintadena 8' Octaav 4' Fluit Dous 4' Spitsfluit 3' Superoctaav 2' Speelfluit 2' Sexquialtera II Scherp IV Cimbel III Hautbois 8' Vox Humana 8' Tremulant 12
1646 1685 1725 (1646) 1725 (1646) 1725 (1646) 1725 1725 1646 1725 1725 1725 1725 1725 1725
Praestant 8' (Tr.II) Quintadena 8' Octaav 4' Nasaat 3' Fluit 4' Superoctaav 2' Quintfluit 3' Waldfluit 2' Quintanus 1½' Mixtuur V–VI Sexquialtera II Cimbel III Fagot 8' Vox Humana 8' Tremulant
1782 (front) / 1646 / 1725 1646 (1782 / 1949 / 1986) 1725 1725 (1545 / 1646) 1725 1725 1646 / 1986 1646 / 1725 / 1986 1725 / 1986 1725 1725 1725 1725 1725
Groot Manuaal (II)
Pedaal
Praestant 16' Praestant 8' Praestantquint 6' Octaav 4' Quinta 3' Octaav 2' Flachfluit 2' Ruischpijp II Tertiaan II Mixtuur VI Trompet 16' Viool di Gamba 8' Trompet 4'
Principaal 22' Praestant 16' Rohrquint 12'
(1545) 1646 1646 1646 (1782 / 1986) 1646 1986 1646 1646 / 1725 1646 / 1725 1725 1986 1725 1725 1725 (1986)
Octaav 8' Quinta 6' Octaav 4' Nachthoorn 2' Ruischpijp III Mixtuur VIII Basuin 16' Trompet 8' Trompet 4' Cornet 2'
1646 1646 (1545 / 1644) 1725 (1782 / 1949 / 1986) 1646 (1646) 1725 (1986) 1646 1725 1725 1725 (1986) 1725 1725 1725 1725
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Francesco Zanin positiv organ (2012)
William Horn harpsichord, after the original by Michael Mietke, Berlin, (c.1700)
The instrument was created in 2012 by Francesco Zanin Organ Builders, Codroipo (Udine). The reed pipes of the Regale are made from brass channels and phonic bodies in maple wood with measures and proportions such as to harmoniously match the other three fonds stops (Bordone 8', Flute 4', Octave 2'). The pipes for an entire stop, divided between bass and discant, are placed on a single block of walnut wood and are readily accessed from the exterior for ease of tuning.
Disposition: two keyboards with shove coupler; 8', 8', 4', lute.
Bordone 8' Flauto 4' Ottava 2' Regale 8'
Full organ registrations for each track available at www.brilliantclassics.com 14
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