GMCD 7248 You can order this CD in our E-Shop under Choral Music/Choir of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Reviews ***Sound Clips***

Sacred Vocal Music from 18th Century Switzerland   The Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge Geoffrey Webber-Director The Cambridge Baroque Camerata Judy Tarling (Violin 1), Ellen O’Dell (Violin 2), Penny Veryard (Viola), Gareth Deats(Violoncello), Ian Gammie (Violone) Jonathan Hellyer Jones  -Director Gavin Roberts, Timothy Kennedy organ continuo Works by Franciscus Josef Leonti Meyer, Johannes Schmidlin Johann Casper Bachofen, Johann Jakob Walder Jonathan Hellyer Jones [3], [7], [8]; Gavin Roberts [2], [4-6], [9] and Timothy Kennedy [1] Soloists: Helen Ashby [1]; Carris Jones [1]; Andrew Griffiths [1]; James Collin [1]; Alexandra Kidgell [2], [9]; Julia Doyle [2], [4-6], [9]; Clara Green [2], [9]; David Wright [2], [9]; Abigail Boreham [3]; Richard Hooper [3]; Catherine Bell [6], [8]; Jonathan Stainsby [6]; Jennifer Dunford [8]. Music from the Zentralbibliothek Zurich

Contents:

DDD Recorded: Chapel of Queens’ College, Cambridge – 10-12 December 2001 Total Time = 60:20

Musical life in Switzerland today is one of an extremely high standard. Many music conservatories and institutions offer the highest levels of musicology as well as specializing a wide variety of approaches to music performance.  

This rich palette is a far cry from Switzerland of the late 18^th century. Though the country had a rich musical heritage through Medieval and Renaissance times, it was the Reformation that in many ways stunted its musical growth. At least this is the common perception. Sadly, the study of western musical history does not spend a lot of time on the music of Switzerland. In the field of church music, recent research has kindled an awareness of musical activities that operated in a parallel fashion to the restraints imposed by the church;  particularly in Zurich.  

This coexistence of religious musical sobriety and the expression of religious musical sentiments in a secular sphere led to the formation in the 17^th century of music societies which catered to these needs. These societies were often based in schools or private homes.  

Both Johann Caspar Bachofen (1695-1755) and Johannes Schmidlin (1722-1772) were active in Zurich in the 18^th century. Bachofen’s last and most important post was that of Cantor at the Grossmünster and also as president of the ‘Canons’ Music Society’. His major publication ‘The Musical Hallelujah’ appeared in 1727 and contains over 200 parts-songs for 2, 3 and 4 voices.  Schmidlin was actually a pastor though very active as music teacher. He too published vocal works much in the same vein as Bachofen.

In his Aria a Due ‘Schafelein wo bleibst du doch?’ Bachofen successfully creates the atmosphere suitable for what is really a pastoral dialogue. The ‘lost and found’ pattern of the shepherd and shepherdess dialogue seems remarkably devoid of any of the erotic inferences and innuendoes of other pastoral dialogues (particularly those of French and Italian origin). The second Aria a Due ‘Wo ist Jesus meine Liebe’ unashamedly seeks closer union with Christ through a text richly imbued with images from nature.

Johannes Schmidlin’s Gloria and Magnificat are both economical in their use of musical resources. It is not clear for which occasions these two works were composed. If anything they demonstrate a practical (though limited) sense of musical expression.  

The collaborative work of Johan Heinrich Egli (1742-1810) and Johann Jakob Walder (1750-1817) is represented by the songs ‘Drittes Morgenlied’ and ‘Auf meines Gottes treu’.  Both composers were pupils of Schmidlin. They published their works (mostly religious songs) together which makes attribution to either composer difficult. The vocal writing demonstrates a keen sense of melodic fluidity vaguely reminiscent of the south German and Austrian prototype lieder of the mid-18^th century. 

The only composer not directly associated with Zurich is Franz Meyer von Schauensee (Joseph Leonti) (1720-1789). He was born and died in Lucerne. He is also known as Franciscus J. L. Meyer. After his studies in Milan and a period of military service he settled in Lucerne as a civil servant and musician. He was ordained as a priest in 1752 and in 1762 founded the Lucerne College of Music. His ‘Te Deum Laudamus’ (1763) employs relatively humble forces considering the lavish settings by other composers of the mid-18^th century. The text of the ‘Te Deum Laudamus’ (by St. Ambrose ca. 340-397) has always posed a problem for the composer due to its length. At best the faster method of dispensing with the text is to resort to a homophonic texture with limited use of melismatic indulgence.     

The general compositional approach is one which is quite in tune with contemporary trends in church music – at least of the South German Catholic tradition. The undisputed role of the basso continuo to glue the musical fabric together, an almost total absence of any overt contrapuntal devices and a melodic and harmonic naiveté are all factors which have fuelled the opinions of the detractors of this music. What should be embraced is a clearer understanding of the aesthetic goals of the time as well as the social contexts in which this music thrived.

 John Reid Coulter  (Johannesburg October 2002)   

Page revised 26.06.03