J.S. Bach: Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599-644 arranged for Piano 4-hands by Bernhard Friedrich Richter

J.S. Bach: Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599-644 arranged for Piano 4-hands by Bernhard Friedrich Richter
Composer Johann Sebastian Bach
Artist Chiara Corona & Andrea Coen piano
Format 1 CD
Cat. number 97430
EAN code 5028421974309
Release December 2024

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About this release

Innumerable transcriptions of Bach’s music were made in the 19th and 20th centuries, and many of them bear the signatures of both well-known and lesser-known composers. Among the former are Bruno G. Seidhofler’s notable piano 4-hands version of The Art of Fugue (1937) and the splen- did transcription of the Orgel-Büchlein by Bernhard Friedrich Richter (1902) that is featured on this recording. Before the advent of the phonograph, piano duo transcriptions made music of all sorts accessible to vast audiences outside the concert hall, in the intimacy of their own homes. They also allowed for repeated listening ‘on demand’, facili- tating a more detailed study of a work’s intricacies.

The artists’ approach here – in an advanced vein of historically informed performance –takes inspi- ration from well-established Bach performance practice and then filters that through two specific media: the chosen instrument of an early 20th- century upright piano and the set of performance indications scrupulously laid down by Richter, which range from tempo indications assigned to each chorale and numerous (yet not too intrusive) agogic signs, to the octave doubling he often added in the soprano and/or bass.

In the words of Harnoncourt, ‘Each period has precisely the instrumentarium best suited to its own music. In their imagination, composers hear the instruments of their own time […]’.

And the great Baroque oboist Bruce Haynes wrote: ‘Instruments can be seen in terms of Darwinian adaptation. They are constantly chan- ging in small ways to make it easier for musicians to perform the music currently in fashion. There is an immense pressure on instruments to be as well-adapted as possible to the music of their time.

Instrument makers are very receptive to the demands of players, and these demands are the immediate cause of mutations.’ The 1912 Kaps piano played here, with its many technical innovations for its day, comes precisely from the time of Richter’s interpretation of the Orgel- Büchlein.

The piano was preserved in perfect condition, with original strings and hammers, and its restoration afforded a scupulous reconstruction of every mechanism and resonator. Ernst Kaps obtained a number of patents on the inventions he applied to his instruments, among them double over- stringing (1865) employing three bridges (bass, tenor and treble), which provided even smaller instruments with greater power of sound.

Other information:
Recorded September 2023 in Rome, Italy
The artists play a piano by Ernst Kaps (Dresden, c.1915) restored by Dario Aufiero
Booklet in English contains a note on historically informed performance by Andrea Cohen, a note on piano 4 hands arrangements by Chiara Corona and a note on the piano by restorer Dario Aufiero

This new recording presents a beautiful four hands piano version (with significant interventions) of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Orgelbüchlein, transcribed by Bernhard Friedrich Richter (1850-1931), who was Bach’s (1685-1759) successor as Kantor at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. It is performed on a late 19th century German piano built by Ernst Kaps, and perfectly captures the sound and character of 19th century “Hausmusik”, when the great masterworks of the past were modified for domestic use and practice.

Played by Early Music specialist Andrea Coen and Chiara Corona. Andrea Coen is an orga- nist, harpsichordist, and fortepianist, who has studied with such distinguished artists as Ton Koopman and Alan Curtis, and has collaborated with such figures as Christopher Hogwood and Monica Huggett. His recordings of Baroque and early-Classical keyboard repertoire for Brilliant Classics have attracted glowing reviews. Coen recorded the “Kleine Kammermusik” (BC 95683) and made the first complete recording of Telemann’s Fantasias (94228). According to MusicWeb International: ‘Coen, an experienced, insightful instrumentalist with a profound knowledge of historical performance practice and a sackful of important recordings under his belt, could make Telemann sound special even on a typewriter.’

Listening

Track list

Disk 1

  1. Johann Sebastian Bach: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 599: I. Allegro non troppo (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  2. Johann Sebastian Bach: Gottes Sohn ist kommen, BWV 600: I. Moderato assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  3. Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Christ, der einge Gottes Sohn, BWV 601: I. Andante con moto (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  4. Johann Sebastian Bach: Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott, BWV 602: I. Andante maestoso (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  5. Johann Sebastian Bach: Puer natus in Bethlehem, BWV 603: I. Allegro assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  6. Johann Sebastian Bach: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV 604: I. Andante (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  7. Johann Sebastian Bach: Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich, BWV 605: I. Allegro moderato (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  8. Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel hoch da, komm ich her, BWV 606: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  9. Johann Sebastian Bach: Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schaar, BWV 607: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  10. Johann Sebastian Bach: In dulci jubilo, BWV 608: I. Vivace (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  11. Johann Sebastian Bach: Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich, BWV 609: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  12. Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 610: I. Largo (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  13. Johann Sebastian Bach: Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 611: I. Adagio (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  14. Johann Sebastian Bach: Wir Christenleut, BWV 612: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  15. Johann Sebastian Bach: Helft mir, Gottes Güte preisen, BWV 613: I. Lento assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  16. Johann Sebastian Bach: Das alte Jahr vergangen ist, BWV 614: I. Adagio (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  17. Johann Sebastian Bach: In dir ist Freude, BWV 615: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  18. Johann Sebastian Bach: Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin, BWV 616: I. Adagio (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  19. Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf, BWV 617: I. Allegro assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  20. Johann Sebastian Bach: O Lamm Gottes unschuldig, BWV 618: I. Adagio (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  21. Johann Sebastian Bach: Christe, du Lamm Gottes, BWV 619 : I. Allegro tranquillo (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  22. Johann Sebastian Bach: Christus, der uns selig macht, BWV 620: I. Andante con moto (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  23. Johann Sebastian Bach: Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund, BWV621: I. Andante (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  24. Johann Sebastian Bach: O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß, BWV 622: I. Adagio assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  25. Johann Sebastian Bach: Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 623: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  26. Johann Sebastian Bach: Hilf Gott, dass mirs gelinge, BWV 624: I. Andante con moto (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  27. Johann Sebastian Bach: Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 625: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  28. Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesus Christus, unser Heiland der den Tod überwand, BWV 626: I. Allegro moderato (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  29. Johann Sebastian Bach: Christ ist erstanden, BWV 627: I. Vers. 1 (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  30. Johann Sebastian Bach: Christ ist erstanden, BWV 627: II. Vers. 2 (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  31. Johann Sebastian Bach: Christ ist erstanden, BWV 627: III. Vers. 3 (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  32. Johann Sebastian Bach: Erstanden ist der heilge Christ, BWV 628: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  33. Johann Sebastian Bach: Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag, BWV 629: I. Allegro assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  34. Johann Sebastian Bach: Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn, BWV 630: I. Allegro (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  35. Johann Sebastian Bach: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist, BWV 631: I. Allegro moderato (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  36. Johann Sebastian Bach: Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 632: I. Allegro moderato (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  37. Johann Sebastian Bach: Liebster Jesu wir sind hier, BWV 633: I. Andante cantabile (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  38. Johann Sebastian Bach: Dies sind die heilgen zehn Gebot, BWV 635: I. Allegro non troppo (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  39. Johann Sebastian Bach: Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV 636: I. Andante tranquillo (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  40. Johann Sebastian Bach: Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, BWV 637: I. Lento assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  41. Johann Sebastian Bach: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, BWV 638: I. Allegro non troppo (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  42. Johann Sebastian Bach: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639: I. Andante con moto (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  43. Johann Sebastian Bach: In dich hab ich gehofft Herr, BWV 640: I. Andante con moto (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  44. Johann Sebastian Bach: Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein, BWV 641: I. Adagio (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  45. Johann Sebastian Bach: Wer nur den lieben Gott last walten, BWV 642: I. Lento assai (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  46. Johann Sebastian Bach: Alle Menschen müssen sterben, BWV 643: I. Andante serioso (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)
  47. Johann Sebastian Bach: Ach wie nichtig ach wie flüchtig, BWV 644: I. Allegro non troppo (Arr. by Bernhard Friedrich Richter)