Booklet CHR77355
Booklet CHR77355
22 23
describes Kühnel as being an accomplished to Hamburg. He was probably born around scholars and friends of Bach’s played the lute; one of the above-mentioned arrangers of Bach’s
player of the viola da gamba and the lute. Ac- 1670, and was still alive in 1728. we also know some of the arrangers of his com- music. His hand can be recognized in the tabu-
cording to Baron, Kühnel first worked in Berlin Joachim Domning positions for lute. Bach himself wrote the pieces lature manuscript of the G-minor fugue BWV
before going to Weimar and Dresden and later Translation: Mathias Roesel & Patricia M. Davies down in normal staff notation, and then arrang- 1000. Falckenhagen probably arranged several
ers would transcribe his compositions into the others of the works today conserved at Leipzig.
fingering notation known as tablature which
CD 3 Encounters in Bach’s house Adam Falckenhagen was born in Grossdaltzig,
how lute music was generally notated.
close to Leipzig. At eight he arrived in Knau-
In the summer of 1739, a relative of Johann tion, he also asked for the music of a composer Silvius Leopold Weiss was born in 1686 into a thayn where his uncle, who was the Pastor,
Sebastian living in the Bach household wrote, from Danzig (Gdansk) whose name he had for- family of musicians in Silesia. His father was a became his teacher. The family of Dieskau,
“Something extraordinary is happening in mu- gotten, but whose music he had heard on a visit lutenist and he educated all his children well recognized in musical history and for whom
sic; my cousin from Dresden (Wilhelm Friede- to Leipzig in the Gottsched household. as musicians. While the father and his brother Bach wrote his ‘Peasant Cantata’, served for his
mann Bach) who has been staying here for 4 Sigismund found employment at the Palatinate “courtly refinement”. The course of Falckenha-
Johann Sebastian Bach, born in Thuringia in
weeks together with the two famous lutenists, court in Düsseldorf and later in Mannheim, Sil- gen’s life led him via Merseburg, Weissenfels
1685, first received an education as a church
Herr Weiss and Herr Kropffgans, has let us hear vius travelled for a time throughout Germany and Weimar to Bayreuth in 1733.
musician. The course of his life led him on to
them play on several occasions”. What was ac- and spent several years in Italy before he ob-
Lüneburg and to the famous organ masters Jan Ernst Gottlieb Baron, born in Silesia in 1696,
tually played in the Bach household on that oc- tained one of the most highly paid musical ap-
Reinken and Vincentius Lübeck. Weimar and arrived in Berlin in 1729 following a number of
casion, and whether Bach himself took part, we pointments of his time at the Polish-Saxon court
Arnstadt were further way stations, before he posts in various places in Thuringia, to work as
do not know. But it takes little imagination to in Dresden. He remained there until his death
arrived at the court of Köthen as concertmas- a lutenist and theorbist at the court of Frederick
visualize this great moment of musical history. in 1750. He was famous not only as a musician
ter. Here Bach’s musical skills developed, and II. On his death in 1760 he had become one of
but to a similar degree as a teacher, and thus
The musical world of Leipzig met either at the many of his secular compositions were writ- the most renowned of lutenists, and left behind
many lutenists went to him for instruction.
Bach household or at the family home of Profes- ten in his Köthen period. In 1723 he became a compendium about this instrument for future
sor of Literature, Gottsched, whose wife, Adel- choirmaster and organist at St. Thomas’ Church In the last decade of the 17th century, the two generations, which, is frequently referred to today
gund, was among the admirers and scholars of in Leipzig. Until his death in 1750 he was not teachers’ sons Johann Christian Weyrauch and for clarifying questions on the subject of the lute.
Weiss and whom the Master together with his only active as a church musician, but also as Adam Falckenhagen were born in small villages
The only lutenist presented here not belonging
lutenist colleagues Kropffgans and Falckenhagen a teacher of countless young musicians among south of Leipzig. They grew up together in Knau-
to the circle of Saxon-Silesian musicians is Karl
visited on many occasions. In October 1738 Fal- whom were several lutenists such as Rudolf thayn and were educated there. In the ‘Musical
Kohaut, born in Vienna in 1726. He lived in
ckenhagen sent Adelgund Gottsched one of his Straube. The long and often heated discussion Lexicon’ published by Johann Gottfried Walther
Paris for a while and did not compose only for
works along with the words: “Revered nobles on whether Bach himself played the lute is of in Leipzig in 1732 there is a reference to Adam
the lute. He died as a court musician in Vienna
will not consider it amiss that I am burdensome secondary importance today. More important Falckenhagen, “where he practised for 8 years in
in 1782.
with the present lines, and I take the liberty of is the certainty that Bach knew this instrument letters and music, particularly on the keyboard,
offering a concert of my humble composition as a natural part of his environment, in a musi- and in the latter years on the lute.” We can as- Joachim Domning
in the customary manner..”. In this communica- cal world where it was highly regarded. Many sume it was similar for Weyrauch, who became Translation: Peter Cains
22 23
CD 4 Influences times afterwards. In 1747, Christian Wilhelm sitions, music for the lute or ensemble with lute
Brandt, Hamburg, published “XVI auserlesene has survived almost exclusively in a manuscript
The position and the impact of lute music on style of composition, as demonstrated by the Lautenstücke” [Selected Lute Pieces] by Kell- collection that has been preserved at the Staats-
the historical development of music have not prelude BWV 997. Introductory broken chords ner. Many of his compositions seem to be lost, und Stadtbibliothek of Augsburg. There is a sin-
been explored sufficiently until today. Studies are followed by slow parts with melodious runs as is suggested by a series of occasional poems gle composition in standard staff notation in a
in the field of music history may touch upon the and rhythmical variations. Although they were by him, which were probably also set to music. lute book in Nuremberg and another work for
lute, but in practical terms only developments written as a single piece, indications of tempo His supposedly close ties to Johann Mattheson, violin and harpsichord in a collection of music
of keyboard instruments and in ensemble mu- and changes of rhythm within the compositions Hamburg, which were apparently established in Bayreuth. Hagen’s works point strongly to the
sic have been considered fully. Thus, for exam- show that they actually consist of short works by a female relative, were apparently impor- forthcoming classical period. The sonata of the
ple, W. Fischer writes in Guido Adler’s textbook of several movements which are nevertheless tant, as was his contact with Silvius Leopold present recording starts with a very emotional
on the history of music (Instrumentalmusik von intended to be played without break, attacca. Weiss in Dresden. It must be considered a run, leading to an expressive, fiery theme. Fre-
1600 bis 1750) concerning the development of These compositions, which are otherwise rarely credit to him that two of his compositions are quent use of triplets is typical of Hagen as for
fugal composition, that there were only single heard, are masterstrokes of lute music. listed under the name of Weiss in a lute book in the other Bayreuth musicians, giving distinction
recercars for keyboard instruments in Southern Kellner’s eventful vita may serve as a show- the Munich Library. to the rhythmical course of the music. The ra-
Germany as compared with numerous recer- case of how people’s fates were affected by tionale to Hagen’s music can be found in the
cars and fantasies for the lute. He doesn’t elab- the warfare of this period. Kellner was born The composer and lutenist Bernhard Joachim contemporary German literature of Sturm and
orate, however, as to what impact lute music around 1670 in the neighbourhood of Leip- Hagen belonged to the last generation of great Drang of the kind that is documented in the
actually had. Fortunately, we can listen to this zig. In his youth, he followed his brother to the lute musicians. Born around 1720 in Northern young Goethe’s writings.
music more extensively today in concert halls Baltic States. There, he studied law. Not much Germany, he came to Bayreuth in his youth
and from recordings. It is when describing the is known about his musical education. It must where he was recommended for education by Wolf Jakob Lauffensteiner was born 1676 in
music that one is easily suspected of exaggera- have been good enough, though, enabling the Margrave Frederick and his wife Wilhelm- Steyr, Austria. At first he lived in Graz, but from
tion, particularly if the music is highly praised him to apply for the post of an organist several ine, sister to Frederick II of Prussia, to their direc- 1712 he was employed as lutenist and valet at
as is the case here. times, unfortunately to no avail. Posts were rare tor of music, Kapellmeister Johann Pfeiffer. As the court at Munich. Musicians were frequently
at this time. What followed was a military life. we can tell from the account books, he was not employed as valets or in similar posts because
The fantasies by David Kellner reflect very After much turmoil of war during the conflicts only taught music but also Italian. He was soon that way their salary could be taken from the
closely the high-baroque style. Of course, they between Sweden and Russia, and Sweden and employed as a violinist in the court orchestra. national budget instead of the private purse of
differ from the preludes and fantasies by lute- Denmark, he finally succeeded in obtaining a Not much is known about his life, although he the prince. In 1715 he entered the private ser-
nists of former periods. These were still affiliated post as organist at the German church in Stock- stayed at Bayreuth until the court orchestra was vice of Prince Ferdinand of Wittelsbach. After
to the polyphonic style with its complex texture holm. He died in office on April 6th 1748. dissolved in 1769. Like most of the other musi- the prince’s death, he received a pension which
of several different thematic contributions; later cians, he moved over to Ansbach where he died enabled him to retire in his old age, something
forms of this genre appeared as series of chords Kellner is best known in the field of music his- in 1787. In 1760–1 he visited his brother Petrus not every musician could afford. When he died
in a continuous arpeggio pattern (see e.g. tory for his method for playing thorough bass, Albertus van Hagen in Rotterdam, where they in 1754 in Munich, behind him lay a musician’s
Kropffgans). Kellner rather followed J. S. Bach’s published in 1732 and republished several played several concerts together. Of his compo- life that familiarized him with several European
24 25
CD 4 Influences times afterwards. In 1747, Christian Wilhelm sitions, music for the lute or ensemble with lute
Brandt, Hamburg, published “XVI auserlesene has survived almost exclusively in a manuscript
The position and the impact of lute music on style of composition, as demonstrated by the Lautenstücke” [Selected Lute Pieces] by Kell- collection that has been preserved at the Staats-
the historical development of music have not prelude BWV 997. Introductory broken chords ner. Many of his compositions seem to be lost, und Stadtbibliothek of Augsburg. There is a sin-
been explored sufficiently until today. Studies are followed by slow parts with melodious runs as is suggested by a series of occasional poems gle composition in standard staff notation in a
in the field of music history may touch upon the and rhythmical variations. Although they were by him, which were probably also set to music. lute book in Nuremberg and another work for
lute, but in practical terms only developments written as a single piece, indications of tempo His supposedly close ties to Johann Mattheson, violin and harpsichord in a collection of music
of keyboard instruments and in ensemble mu- and changes of rhythm within the compositions Hamburg, which were apparently established in Bayreuth. Hagen’s works point strongly to the
sic have been considered fully. Thus, for exam- show that they actually consist of short works by a female relative, were apparently impor- forthcoming classical period. The sonata of the
ple, W. Fischer writes in Guido Adler’s textbook of several movements which are nevertheless tant, as was his contact with Silvius Leopold present recording starts with a very emotional
on the history of music (Instrumentalmusik von intended to be played without break, attacca. Weiss in Dresden. It must be considered a run, leading to an expressive, fiery theme. Fre-
1600 bis 1750) concerning the development of These compositions, which are otherwise rarely credit to him that two of his compositions are quent use of triplets is typical of Hagen as for
fugal composition, that there were only single heard, are masterstrokes of lute music. listed under the name of Weiss in a lute book in the other Bayreuth musicians, giving distinction
recercars for keyboard instruments in Southern Kellner’s eventful vita may serve as a show- the Munich Library. to the rhythmical course of the music. The ra-
Germany as compared with numerous recer- case of how people’s fates were affected by tionale to Hagen’s music can be found in the
cars and fantasies for the lute. He doesn’t elab- the warfare of this period. Kellner was born The composer and lutenist Bernhard Joachim contemporary German literature of Sturm and
orate, however, as to what impact lute music around 1670 in the neighbourhood of Leip- Hagen belonged to the last generation of great Drang of the kind that is documented in the
actually had. Fortunately, we can listen to this zig. In his youth, he followed his brother to the lute musicians. Born around 1720 in Northern young Goethe’s writings.
music more extensively today in concert halls Baltic States. There, he studied law. Not much Germany, he came to Bayreuth in his youth
and from recordings. It is when describing the is known about his musical education. It must where he was recommended for education by Wolf Jakob Lauffensteiner was born 1676 in
music that one is easily suspected of exaggera- have been good enough, though, enabling the Margrave Frederick and his wife Wilhelm- Steyr, Austria. At first he lived in Graz, but from
tion, particularly if the music is highly praised him to apply for the post of an organist several ine, sister to Frederick II of Prussia, to their direc- 1712 he was employed as lutenist and valet at
as is the case here. times, unfortunately to no avail. Posts were rare tor of music, Kapellmeister Johann Pfeiffer. As the court at Munich. Musicians were frequently
at this time. What followed was a military life. we can tell from the account books, he was not employed as valets or in similar posts because
The fantasies by David Kellner reflect very After much turmoil of war during the conflicts only taught music but also Italian. He was soon that way their salary could be taken from the
closely the high-baroque style. Of course, they between Sweden and Russia, and Sweden and employed as a violinist in the court orchestra. national budget instead of the private purse of
differ from the preludes and fantasies by lute- Denmark, he finally succeeded in obtaining a Not much is known about his life, although he the prince. In 1715 he entered the private ser-
nists of former periods. These were still affiliated post as organist at the German church in Stock- stayed at Bayreuth until the court orchestra was vice of Prince Ferdinand of Wittelsbach. After
to the polyphonic style with its complex texture holm. He died in office on April 6th 1748. dissolved in 1769. Like most of the other musi- the prince’s death, he received a pension which
of several different thematic contributions; later cians, he moved over to Ansbach where he died enabled him to retire in his old age, something
forms of this genre appeared as series of chords Kellner is best known in the field of music his- in 1787. In 1760–1 he visited his brother Petrus not every musician could afford. When he died
in a continuous arpeggio pattern (see e.g. tory for his method for playing thorough bass, Albertus van Hagen in Rotterdam, where they in 1754 in Munich, behind him lay a musician’s
Kropffgans). Kellner rather followed J. S. Bach’s published in 1732 and republished several played several concerts together. Of his compo- life that familiarized him with several European
24 25
countries and their music, allowing him to ac- music collection of the library of the Austrian As for the ambi-
quire a comprehensive knowledge of the music Harrach family was sold after World War II – ance of this music,
of his time. this collection is currently held in New York – one should keep
some books which were then overlooked have in mind that pub-
His music is still strongly affiliated to traditions recently emerged, two of them containing com- lic concerts were
of baroque music, nevertheless showing traits positions by S. L. Weiss. Of particular interest is rare in those days.
of change to the so-called ‘gallant’ style. This chamber music for two lutes, and for lute with Instead, most per-
distinct style, differently defined by different two bowed string instruments, including all the formances took
authors, abandoned strict forms of composition parts. In all chamber music by Weiss known up place at courts of
and increasingly turned to the Italian fashion to now all but the lute parts have been lost. nobles or in salons
of melody as the guiding principle of composi- of the propertied
tion. Works by S. L. Weiss also exhibit this trend. Nowadays, Weiss has become celebrated as a class. One newspa-
Whilst for the Bayreuth composers the triplet composer, so that he may rightly pass as one per of the first half
was a favourite means of expression, Lauffen- of the heroes of music history like he did in of the 18th century
steiner preferred the sequence, i.e. repetition of his own day. So, J. S. Bach’s biographer Forkel advertised concerts
short melodic formulae on successive ascending praises his “genuine, solid taste”. The line be- by Distel, a lutenist
or descending degrees of the scale. Through the neath his copper-engraved portrait reads, “Only from Gotha, that
most exuberant use of ornaments, his music acts Silvius shall play the lute!” E. G. Baron, court were planned to
out many of its curtsies and compliments. lutenist to Frederick II in Berlin, wrote about be performed in a
Weiss in 1728: “He has been the first to show Nuremberg inn,
The suite in B flat major seems by its order of that more can be done on the lute than would and there is an an-
movements and their designation as dances to have been thought possible.” ecdote concerning
belong entirely to the older tradition, differing 1728. Baron wrote about father and son: “The Ernst Gottlieb Baron, also reporting a musical per-
from Hagen who used only the more modern Johann Michael Kühnel belongs to the older elder was an excellent player of both the viol formance at a similar place. Listeners to this CD
appellations of tempi. generation that abandoned the old traditions, and the lute, and his works, with which he in- can lose themselves in a reverie of the past, ac-
preparing the ground for the last composers of troduced himself to the gallant world, are very cording to their whim. We cannot tell what lute
Even Silvius Leopold Weiss couldn’t entirely lute music. We don’t know for sure which com- recommendable. (…)” In the following passage, music then sounded like, as even questions of the
break away from the traditional dances, al- positions were penned by the father and which however, Baron seems to have Kühnel Junior string materials remain entirely open. Yet it’s us,
though he made use of the gallant style in his by the son, but today most scholars agree that in mind, as he reports that Kühnel was first in modern people, who are to be pleased by the mu-
compositions, and now and then named move- the majority of works were written by Kühnel Berlin, then in Weimar and after that went into sic, and that’s what it will do at any rate.
ments allegro or the like. The suite of the present Junior. Unfortunately, we lack exact dates for service with Field Marshal Flemming, before he
recording is taken from one of the rare strokes both musicians, but we may assume that Kühnel settled in Hamburg. Details of the lives of both Joachim Domning
of luck of musicology. Whilst the major part of Junior was born around 1670 and died around father and son are rare, unfortunately. Translation: Peter Cains
26 27
countries and their music, allowing him to ac- music collection of the library of the Austrian As for the ambi-
quire a comprehensive knowledge of the music Harrach family was sold after World War II – ance of this music,
of his time. this collection is currently held in New York – one should keep
some books which were then overlooked have in mind that pub-
His music is still strongly affiliated to traditions recently emerged, two of them containing com- lic concerts were
of baroque music, nevertheless showing traits positions by S. L. Weiss. Of particular interest is rare in those days.
of change to the so-called ‘gallant’ style. This chamber music for two lutes, and for lute with Instead, most per-
distinct style, differently defined by different two bowed string instruments, including all the formances took
authors, abandoned strict forms of composition parts. In all chamber music by Weiss known up place at courts of
and increasingly turned to the Italian fashion to now all but the lute parts have been lost. nobles or in salons
of melody as the guiding principle of composi- of the propertied
tion. Works by S. L. Weiss also exhibit this trend. Nowadays, Weiss has become celebrated as a class. One newspa-
Whilst for the Bayreuth composers the triplet composer, so that he may rightly pass as one per of the first half
was a favourite means of expression, Lauffen- of the heroes of music history like he did in of the 18th century
steiner preferred the sequence, i.e. repetition of his own day. So, J. S. Bach’s biographer Forkel advertised concerts
short melodic formulae on successive ascending praises his “genuine, solid taste”. The line be- by Distel, a lutenist
or descending degrees of the scale. Through the neath his copper-engraved portrait reads, “Only from Gotha, that
most exuberant use of ornaments, his music acts Silvius shall play the lute!” E. G. Baron, court were planned to
out many of its curtsies and compliments. lutenist to Frederick II in Berlin, wrote about be performed in a
Weiss in 1728: “He has been the first to show Nuremberg inn,
The suite in B flat major seems by its order of that more can be done on the lute than would and there is an an-
movements and their designation as dances to have been thought possible.” ecdote concerning
belong entirely to the older tradition, differing 1728. Baron wrote about father and son: “The Ernst Gottlieb Baron, also reporting a musical per-
from Hagen who used only the more modern Johann Michael Kühnel belongs to the older elder was an excellent player of both the viol formance at a similar place. Listeners to this CD
appellations of tempi. generation that abandoned the old traditions, and the lute, and his works, with which he in- can lose themselves in a reverie of the past, ac-
preparing the ground for the last composers of troduced himself to the gallant world, are very cording to their whim. We cannot tell what lute
Even Silvius Leopold Weiss couldn’t entirely lute music. We don’t know for sure which com- recommendable. (…)” In the following passage, music then sounded like, as even questions of the
break away from the traditional dances, al- positions were penned by the father and which however, Baron seems to have Kühnel Junior string materials remain entirely open. Yet it’s us,
though he made use of the gallant style in his by the son, but today most scholars agree that in mind, as he reports that Kühnel was first in modern people, who are to be pleased by the mu-
compositions, and now and then named move- the majority of works were written by Kühnel Berlin, then in Weimar and after that went into sic, and that’s what it will do at any rate.
ments allegro or the like. The suite of the present Junior. Unfortunately, we lack exact dates for service with Field Marshal Flemming, before he
recording is taken from one of the rare strokes both musicians, but we may assume that Kühnel settled in Hamburg. Details of the lives of both Joachim Domning
of luck of musicology. Whilst the major part of Junior was born around 1670 and died around father and son are rare, unfortunately. Translation: Peter Cains
26 27
Deutsche Lautenmusik des 18. Jahrhunderts CHR 77355
German Lute Music of the 18th Century
CD 1
1-7 Paul Charles-Durant (c. Mitte 18. Jh.) Adam Falckenhagen
Sonata per il liuto solo (a-Moll) 9-13 Partita I op. I
8-10 Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht (1722-1794) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Sonata a liuto solo (B-Dur) 14 Fuga (g-Moll) BWV 1000
11-16 Silvius Leopold Weiss (1686-1750) Silvius Leopold Weiss
Sonata (g-Moll n. 30 15 Ouverture (B-Dur)
Adam Falckenhagen (1697-1754 ) Johann Kropffgans (1708 - ?)
17 Fuga (A-Dur) 16-21 Partita (F-Dur)
CD 2 Karl Kohaut (1726-1782)
1-6 Johann Michael Kühnel (c.1670-1728) 22-24 Sonata a liuto solo (D-Dur)
A solo (d-Moll)
CD 4
7-13 Johann Friedrich Daube (c.1733-1797) David Kellner (1670-1748)
Lute solo (A-Dur) 1 Fantasia (D-Dur)
14-17 Rudolph Straube (1717-1780/85) Wolff Jakob Lauffensteiner (1676-1754)
Sonata II a Liuto solo 2-7 Suite (B-Dur)
Johann Friedrich Daube David Kellner
18 Fantasia (d-Moll) 8 Fantasia (F-Dur)
19-21 Sonata (d-Moll) 9 Fantasia (d-Moll)
22-24 Solo per il Liutho (F-Dur)
Johann Michael Kühnel
Rudolph Straube 10-13 Partita 4 (F-Dur)
25-27 Sonata I a Liuto solo
Bernhard Joachim Hagen (1720-1787)
Johann Friedrich Daube 14-16 Sonata a liuto solo (c-Moll)
28-30 Sonata Lute solo (e-Moll)
Silvius Leopold Weiss
CD 3 17-21 Suite (d-Moll)
Silvius Leopold Weiss David Kellner
1 Ciaccona (g-Moll) 22 Fantasia (a-Moll)
Ernest Gottlieb Baron (1696-1760) 23 Fantasia (C-Dur)
2-8 Sonata a liuto solo (Es-Dur) 24 Fantasia (A-Dur)