Reviews
GMCD 7248 Sacred Vocal Music from 18th
Century Switzerland
Amphion November 04
PPThe
Seasons in Zurich
The Purcell Singers
PPSacred
Vocal Music from 18th Century Switzerland
Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge
Guild GMCD 7255 and GMCD 7248
The Guild label consistently tries
to bring out new, exciting and inventive recordings – and these fall into this
category. Both are recordings of Swiss composers who are relatively unknown,
such as Schmidlin, Bachoffen and Meyer. The always excellent choir of Gonville
and Caius, Cambridge produces a rather more refined sound than the Purcell
Singers, which suits the nature of the Baroque/early Classical style of music.
Both discs provide a welcome insight into an unfamiliar repertoire, and the
performance of the Cambridge choir is without fault.
Schweizer Musikzeitung Nr. 4
April 2004
Musique vocale suisse du 18e
siècle
Sacred Vocal Music from
18th Century Switzerland (oeuvres de Meyer Schmidlin, Bachofen, WalderlEgli).
The Choir of Gonville & Caius College Combridge, dir.: G. Webber, The Cambridge
Baroque Camerata, dir.: J. Hellyer Jones.
Guild GMCD 7248
(Wiesholz- 42b, 8262 Ramsen)
Le titre « Musique vocale sacrée
suisse du 18e siècle » éveille la curiosité même si l'on ne s'attend pas à
rencontrer de grands maîtres. En faisant exception de J.C. Bachofen dont les
trois compositions sont trop répétitives et naïves, les oeuvres de J. Schmidlin
et de J.J. Walder / J.H. Egli (composées en duo !) sont charmantes et
mélodieuses.
Placé à juste titre en premier sur ce
CD, l’Hymno Ambrosiano, « Te Deum laudamus », composé en 1763 par le
Lucernois F.S.L. Meyer, mérite que l'on s'y attarde quelque peu. Cette musique
fait penser aux petits opéras de Haydn écrits pour le premier théâtre rococo
d'Esterhazy, avant l'incendie de 1779. La conclusion de l'oeuvre, elle, rappelle
certains passages des oratorios de Haendel. Influences de voyages ou de
musiciens itinérants rencontrés en Suisse ? Peu importe : cette musique est
agréabie... laissons voguer notre imagination!
L’excellent enregistrement restitue
fidèlement l'atmosphère intime de la chapelle de Queens' College à Cambridge.
L’ensemble et l'intonation des choeurs des collèges de Gonville et Caius sont
impeccables et bien dans le sillon de la grande tradition anglaise (remarquons
toutefois qu'il a fallu attendre 1979 pour que les femmes y soient admises !).
Il est d'ailleurs intéressant de noter
que la fluidité et l'expressivité du chant font penser au style et au timbre des
voix de garçons d'autres choeurs de Cambridge, notamment celui plus connu de
Saint John's College. Et les nombreux soli sont chantés avec une simplicité qui
s'accorde parfaitement avec le choix musical.
L’enchaînement des oeuvres est
malheureusement dérangeant, car trop abrupt! Ceci mis à part, ce CD se présente
bien, avec un livret qui contient les textes et des notes en allemand et en
anglais. Notre curiosité est donc pleinement recompensée...
Michael
Murray-Robertson
The Organ No.325 September 2003
The Choir of Gonville
and Caius College, Cambridge – Geoffrey Webber director – The Cambridge Baroque
Camerata – Jonathan Hellyer Jones director
Guild GMCD 7248 – 60’20’’
This CD brings together
examples of the works of Meyer, Schmidlin, Bachofen, Walder and Egli (in
collaboration with Walder), relatively unknown composers from late 18th
century Switzerland. Four of these composers, we are told in the programme
notes, were active in Zürich, but Meyer was born and died in Lucerne. Egli and
Walder were both pupils of Schmidlin.
The music begins with
Meyer’s – Hymno Ambrosiano: Te Deum Laudamus – a decidedly joyful
composition which uses all the musical forces heard on this recording to
glorious effect. The mixed voice choir, whose recordings specialise in
lesser-known and forgotten works blends beautifully in this piece and the
following – Floria in excelsis Deo by Schmindlin.
The rendition of
Bachofen’s Aria à due: Schäfelein wo bleibst du doch? Was somewhat less
satisfying due to some wavering in vocal line and occasionally piercing tone in
the upper register and an imbalance between the two voices. However, this music
is not the easiest to perform and perhaps highlights the difference between the
voice of the solo artist compared with that of a choir soloist.
The Trio: Christi Tod,
der Todes Tod, also by Bachofen was a far more enjoyable experience both in
terms of the composition and the sounds produced by the singers. There was a
much closer and more sympathetic blend between the voices with variety of tone
and colour far more in evidence. Similarly, the singers of the Aria é due: Wo
ist Jesus meine Liebe? Displayed much sensitive interweaving of vocal line
and the echo effect was beautifully rendered.
The organ continuo
playing throughout is of a very good standard and particular mention must be
made of the controlled and unobtrusive accompaniment to the final recording on
the disc – Schmidlin’s Magnificat anima mea Dominum. Here, the organist
plays in a controlled and unobtrusive manner whilst at the same time providing
excellent vocal support – a truly enjoyable conclusion. This recording is well
worth listening to and the simple clarity of much of the music is most
refreshing. JW
Neue Zürcher
Zeitung – 3.9.2003
Vergessene Söhne
Alte Ziircher Komponisten auf CD
Die Kirchenmusik in Zürich musste
infolge der Reformation bis ins frühe 19. Jahrhundert hinein ohne Instrumente
auskommen. Lange Zeit glaubte man deshalb, dass das Feld der
instrumentalbegleiteten geistlichen Musik in früheren Zeiten gänzlich
brachgelegen habe. Neuere Forschungen haben nun gezeigt, dass da, doch einige,
wenn auch bescheidene Pflänzlein gewachsen sind. Aufgeführt wurde diese Musik
nicht in den Kirchen sondern in den Häusern der vornehmen Bürger, was ihre
durchgehend kleine Besetzung erklärt. Einen wichtigen Anstoss zu diesen
Entdeckungen gab und gibt die Zentralbibliothek Zürich, welche die einschlägigen
Drucke und Manuskripte aufbewahrt.
Die beiden CD-Einspielungen, die neulich beim Label „Guild“ erschienen sind,
konzentrieren sich auf geistliche Vokalmusik aus dem 18. Jahrhundert. Die eine
von ihnen vereinigt geistliche Lieder von Johann Caspar Bachofen, Johannes
Schmidlin, Johann Jakob Walder, Johann Heinrich Egli und Franz Meyer von
Schauensee. Der Grossmünster-Kantor Bachofen (1695-1755) zählte damals zu den
tonangebenden Persönlichkeiten des musikalischen Lebens in Zürich. Sein Duett „Schäfelein,
wo bleibst du doch“ für Sopran, Bariton, Streicher und Basso continuo ist in
einem äusserst schlichten Stil geschrieben und vereinigt die beiden Stimmen erst
in der Schlussstrophe. In Schmidlins „Magnificat“ wechseln homophone
Ensembleteile mit etwas ausgeschmückteren Soloteilen ab. Die Sängerinnen und
Sänger des College-Chors aus Cambridge, die sowohl die chorischen wie die
solistischen Partien singen, entsprechen diesen schnörkellosen Musikstücken mit
ihren geraden und affektarmen Stimmen auf das Beste.
Die zweite CD vereinigt drei Zürcher Kompositionen, die textlich auf der
Versdichtung „The Seasons“ des schottischen Autors James Thomson beziehungsweise
auf der deutschen Übersetzung von Barthold Heinrich Brockes fussen. Das Wirken
Gottes zeigt sich hier, ganz im Geist der Aufklärung, als ein den Naturgesetzen
gehorchender Ablauf der Jahreszeiten. Die interessanteste der drei Kompositionen
stammt von Hans Jakob Ott (1715-1769), der Mitglied des Zürcher Grossen Rats und
der Gesellschaft für Physik und Wirtschaft war. Das Werk ist in kleine
Abschnitte eingeteilt, in denen der Chor und die beiden Solosopranistinnen in
wechselnden Kombinationen zum Zug kommen. Die instrumentale Begleitung
konzentriert sich auf Orgel, Cello und Theorbe. Im Unterschied zu Bachofen lehnt
sich Ott an den ornamentalen italienischen Stil an. Dem entspricht auf der
Interpretationsebene der im Vergleich zum College-Chor Cambridge etwas saftigere
und vibratoreichere Klang der von Mark Ford geleiteten Purcell Singers.
Thomas Schacher
Sacred Vocal Music from 18th Century Switzerland.
Kornpositionen von Johann Caspar Bachofen, Johannes Schmidlin, Johann Jakob
Walder, Johann Heinrich Egli und Franz Josef Leonti Meyer von Schauensee. The
Choir of Gonville & Caius College Cambridge, The Cambridge Baroque Camerata,
Leitung: Geoffrey Webber. Guild GMCD 7248 (1 CD).
The Seasons in Zurich. Choral Music from the 18th Century.
Kompositionen von Hans Jakob Ott, Johannes Schmidlin und Johann Caspar Bachofen.
The Purcell Singers, Leitung: Mark Ford. Guild GMCD 7255 (1 CD).
Choir and Organ July 03
THE SEASONS IN ZÜRICH:
CHORAL MUSIC FROM THE 18TH CENTURY
The
Purcell Singers / Mark Ford (dir)
Guild
GMCD 7255
***
SACRED VOCAL MUSIC FROM 18TH CENTURY SWITZERLAND
The Choir of
Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge (Geoffrey Webber, dir) / The Cambridge
Baroque Camerata (Jonathan Hellyer Jones, dir)
Guild
GMCD 7248
***
Two Guild CDs give an airing to neglected music by 18th-century Swiss composers
working, often in private, around the constraints on music imposed by the Swiss
Reformation. Names common to both CDs are Johannes Schmidlin, a pastor and music
teacher, and Johan Casper Bachofen, sometime cantor of the Zürich Grossmünster.
The Purcell Singers under Mark Ford are assigned these gentlemen's settings (and
a third by Hans-Jakob Ott) of a popular contemporary poem eulogising God in
creation. The disc is a cascade of solos, duets, trios and choruses, with
vigorous continuo work from Clareth Deats (cello) and Fred Jacobs (theorbo).
A disc from
the Choir of Gonville and Caius College and the Cambridge Baroque Camerata
vividly exposes Bachofen’s compositional inferiority to Schmidlin in the tedious
repetitiveness of a sheep-seeking pastorale and a 'desperately seeking Christ'
duet. Some of conductor Geoffrey Webber's solo voices echo the artlessness of
the music, the woman generally carrying it off better than the men. Canticles by
Schmidlin and a Haydnesque Te Deum by Francisco Meyer provide meatier fare, and
are attractively performed. In both CDs the German pronunciation needs more
work.
Graeme Kay
Musicweb Friday March 07 03
Sacred Vocal
Music from 18th Century Switzerland.
Franciscus Josef Leonti MAYER
(1720-1789), Hymno Ambrosiano: Te Deum laudamus (1763).
Johann(es)
SCHMIDLIN (1722-1772).
Gloria in excelsis Deo
(1758),
Magnificat anima mea Dominum (1758).
Johann Jacob WALDER (1750-1817)/Johann
Heinrich EGLI (1742-1810), Drittes Morgen-Lied.
Solo: Auf meines Gottes treu
Johann Casper
BACHOFEN (1693-1755), Trio: Christi Todes, des Todes Tod,
Wo ist Jesus meine Liebe? Arie à due: Schafelin wo bleibst du doch?
Sonata and second, unnamed, Arie à due all undated.
The
Choir of Gonville and Caius College Cambridge/Director Geoffrey Webber
The Cambridge Baroque Camerata/Director, Jonathan Hellyer Jones.
Recorded in the Chapel of Queens College Cambridge, 10th-12th
December 2001
GUILD
GMCD 7248 [60.20]
In reviewing ‘Voices
of Africa’
for this site, I suggested that Guild, which already enjoys an enviable
reputation amongst specialist collectors of cathedral choral music, was
spreading its net ever wider to encompass a varied and eclectic repertoire. This
is furthered on this very enjoyable and stimulating disc financed with the help
of the ‘Zentralbibliothek Zurich; Switzerland being also Guild’s home base. The
disc and its companion (GMCD
7255)
adds to a previous duo of Swiss music issued by Guild (GMCD 7175 and GMCD 7177).
Sacred Vocal Music,
has works set to both Latin text and German words. The Latin setting by
Schmidlin, ‘Gloria’ (tr 2) and ‘Magnificat’ (tr 9) are, to my ears, much leaner
in musical invention than, for example, Bachofen’s ‘Trio’ (tr 6), and
particularly ‘Aria à due’ (tr 8) that I found particularly enjoyable. In the
latter piece Jennifer Dunford and Catherine Bell match each other, phrase by
phrase, with pure tone and legato line including delightful ‘sotto voce’
singing - nearly eight minutes of vocal and musical delight! Indeed it is the
vocal strength of the four soloists in Schmidlin’s long ‘Magnificat’ (tr 9) that
distracts from the lack of musical invention in the piece. Enjoyable too is
Bachofen’s other ‘Arie à due’ included here (tr 3) albeit the melodic invention
is leaner than on track 8 and the voices are soprano and bass. The soprano,
Abigail Boreham sings with eloquence although I would have enjoyed a more
graceful ending to some phrases, whilst the bass (more baritone in timbre) has
clear abbreviated staccato passages early in the piece his tone is rather dry
later on.
The ‘Hymno Ambrosiano’
by Meyer (tr 1) betrays a warm, vibrant, Latin influence probably related to the
composers training in Milan and being Lucerne-based rather than Zurich. The two
sopranos sing here with admirably pure tone. The sleeve-note suggests that it is
music that owes much to the contemporary South German Catholic tradition. The
choir singing here, and indeed throughout, is of a high standard with excellent
balance and articulation.
The recording catches
the voices, soloists and choir in a clear and warm, but not over-resonant
acoustic, whilst the contributions of the Cambridge Camerata and the organ
continuo are supportive not intrusive. The sleeve-note by John Reed Coulter of
the University of Pretoria could gainfully have been somewhat more informative
and discursive. All texts are given with English translation.
The supporters of
Guild’s eclectic repertoire will find much to enjoy in this disc.
Robert J Farr
Classics Today Thursday February 20 03
SACRED VOCAL MUSIC FROM 18TH CENTURY SWITZERLAND
Works by
Franciscus (Franz) Meyer, Johannes Schmidlin, Johann Bachofen, & Johann Walder
Various vocal soloists
Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge
Cambridge Baroque Camerata
Geoffrey Webber
Guild- 7248(CD)
No Reference Recording
In the notes to this
well-performed and often musically intriguing recording, we're reminded that
"sadly, the study of western musical history does not spend a lot of time on the
music of Switzerland." An understatement to be sure, but as this program shows,
at least where church music of the 18th century was concerned, Swiss composers
derived virtually every structural device and stylistic mannerism from creative
sources beyond their borders--Vienna, for instance, along with southern Germany
and Italy. The lack of nationalistic distinction or even of one unique musical
voice assures that the work of these very competent composers will be compared
with that of their far more illustrious and influential contemporaries--Haydn
and Mozart, for starters. Not surprisingly, Meyer, Schmidlin, Bachofen, & Walder
come off most notably as fine technicians who provided their constituencies with
functional, often colorful, even charming works that range from sturdy
liturgical settings (Te Deum and Magnificat) to dramatic dialog.
Franciscus (Franz)
Meyer's Te Deum, as with almost all Te Deum settings, is long and wordy and
employs all the 18th-century church music tricks of the trade, alternating
chorus with a quartet of soloists and working to extend the harmonic
progressions to dispatch the words as quickly as possible while avoiding the
impression of repetitiveness. Bachofen's Aria for soprano and bass (Schäfelein
wo bleibst du doch?) offers the program's most unique concept: nearly 12 minutes
of dialogue between shepherd and lost sheep, complete with the shepherd's
frequent, pleading cries, "Schäf! Schäf! Schäf!" and the sheep's corresponding "Wo!
Wo! Ach!" More straightforward are the two little songs Drittes Morgen-Lied
(Third Morning Song) and Auf meines Gottes treu (God's faithfulness) by Johann
Walder, gentle tunes with organ accompaniment, very prettily sung by Julia
Doyle.
And so goes the program,
continuing with a chorale-like trio and another extended Aria for two voices by
Bachofen and concluding with Schmidlin's substantial (nearly 15 minutes)
Magnificat. This last shows a fair degree of refinement in the vocal writing if
not much in the way of harmonic interest--and ultimately suffers from a dearth
of compelling ideas to sustain its length. The world-class Gonville & Caius
choir, as expected, gives full measure to these works and likewise the uniformly
excellent soloists, all of whom realize that while this isn't great music, it
nevertheless is quite tuneful and easily singable--and with such a sincere,
caring interpretive approach it serves its listeners well. The sound is
pleasingly bright, the acoustic space nicely resonant while conveying an
impressive clarity and vitality to the voices.
--David Vernier
Page revised 09.02.05
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