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Geoffrey Webber
Buxtehude instrumental music
This group of CDs contains chamber music, organ music
and harpsichord music from Ton Koopman’s ongoing
recording of all of Buxtehude’s music, the ‘Opera Omnia’,
together with new recordings by other musicians of works
in the same categories. Readers may wish to refer back to
earlier reviews in this journal covering this repertory since
much of what is discussed here follows on from earlier
observations by Peter Holman (Early Music, xxx/3 (2007),
pp.385–96), Robert Quinney (Early Music, xxxvii/3 (2009),
pp.501–2) and myself (Early Music, xxxvii/1 (2009),
pp.132–5).
Koopman’s project continues to bring up surprises
and challenges to our understanding of Buxtehude’s
oeuvre. The principal controversy raised by his two new
CDs of chamber music, Opera Omnia XII: Sonatas from
manuscript sources (Challenge Classics cc72251, rec 2010,
59) and Opera Omnia XIII: Trio sonatas opus 1 (Chal-
lenge Classics cc72252, rec 2010, 60) is that he uses three
instruments for the continuo part—harpsichord, organ
and lute—and generally two together, one keyboard
instrument and the lute. Although there is some evidence
that Buxtehude used the organ for some performances of
his chamber music, there is nothing to suggest that he
may have desired more than one harmony instrument at
any one time. In the recording of op.1 from the Purcell
Quartet, VII Suonate, Op.1 (Chandos chan 0766, rec
2008/9, 57), only the harpsichord is used, as stated on the
front page of Buxtehude’s publication of c.1694. Peter
Holman’s sleeve notes for this recording mention the
possibility of using an organ, but the Purcell Quartet
performs as a trio throughout, with the two violinists of
the quartet taking turns to play the violin parts in differ-
ent sonatas, alongside the gamba and harpsichord.

early music  february 2012  1 45


Few observers would censure Koopman out of hand on a plausible alternative composer, Antonio Bertali, though
account of his liberal approach, but his choice is bound this is not discussed in the liner notes.
to divide opinion when it comes to assessing the success Although several complete recordings of Buxtehude’s
of his decision. One advantage is that it lends greater organ music have been undertaken, Koopman’s ‘Opera
variety when listening to a whole CD in one sitting, and Omnia’ contains the first complete recording of the
indeed to individual sonatas (since the performers often harpsichord music. This spreads over four CDs, the
vary the scoring between and even within the sections), last pair of which are considered here: Opera Omnia
but the recurring disadvantage is that Buxtehude’s music VI: Harpsichord works 2 (Challenge Classics cc72245, rec
too often becomes submerged in the complexities of the 2007, 97). The last CD is only 35 minutes long, and three

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organ/lute or harpsichord/lute textures, especially on CDs would have sufficed but for Koopman’s excellent
account of Koopman’s typically free and florid realiza- decision to include some of the works long published
tions at the keyboard. He reports in the sleeve notes that amongst his organ works, such as the Toccata in G
‘the musicians improvised abundantly and to their hearts’ buxwv165. Even some of the more contrapuntally con-
content’. My own heart sank when I read that, but in fact ceived works are included, such as the Canzona in D
there were only a few moments when I felt a line had been minor buxwv168, and this certainly produces attractive
crossed, usually by Koopman himself. It is fortunately play-lists. Colin Booth’s new release, Buxtehude: Suites
only in the free sections that Koopman and his team and variations (Soundboard sbcd 207, rec 2007, 78),
attempt to open things up significantly, but these sections achieves variety by alternating variations and suites,
are amongst the most interesting parts of the sonatas, and though some may not like his decision to cut down the
not everyone will like what happens to them here. The Variations in G buxwv250 ‘La Capricciosa’ into his own
concern must be that when a group of players is encour- shortened version. Koopman uses three instruments by
aged to improvise and embellish their parts simultan- Willem Kroesbergen: a Ruckers harpsichord and virginal
eously, the individuals will have less capacity to listen to and an Italian harpsichord after Stefanini, whilst Booth
each other, and so less attention is paid to the effect of uses his own instrument built in 2005 after a French
the whole, and also that in the slow sections the tempos harpsichord of 1681 (Antoine Vaudry), and both use
become too slow in order to allow the extra passagework. unequal temperaments. Perhaps the French instrument
To take a simple example, at the end of the Adagio in op.1 partly governed Booth’s decision to use notes inégales in
no.1, the two string parts both have tied notes leading to many movements of the Suites. The genre itself is of
a 6/4 suspension and resolution. In Koopman’s recording course French, and his decision to play in such a French
the string parts both crescendo through their notes, as manner makes sense, but Koopman’s (in this case) stricter
one would expect, but at different times, the violin first rhythmic interpretation seems to me better suited to the
and then the gamba; however, in the Purcell Quartet’s nature of these works. The difference between these two
performance they both crescendo at the same time, work- approaches should not be underestimated; listening to
ing together to produce a good harmonic effect clearly the Allemande from the Suite in F buxwv239 on both
prompted by the written notes. recordings it is hard to believe one is listening to the same
Successful accounts of these sonatas depend to a large piece, especially given Koopman’s addition of a flattened-
extent on achieving a good balance between the sound of 7th cadence at the conclusion. But for those who do not
the instruments themselves. In both recordings this is mind their Buxtehude inégale Booth’s recording has
achieved well in terms of volume, but there is a greater many delights, and his playing is every bit as lively as
clarity in the gamba part, especially in lower registers, on Koopman’s but without the liberties. Koopman’s set is
the recording by the Purcell Quartet, giving it a distinct particularly significant on account of its comprehensiveness
advantage. A further difference between the two recordings (and broad approach to what constitutes the harpsichord
is that the string players in the Purcell Quartet tend to use repertory), and his playing of the deceptively simple
a greater variety of bow and finger effects. In Koopman’s suites in particular is very persuasive.
performances the emphasis seems again to be on adding Robert Quinney (as noted above) understandably
notes rather than thinking of how to bring variety and paid little attention to the first volume of Christopher
colour to the notes the composer left us. Koopman’s Herrick’s complete recording of Buxtehude’s organ works
recording of the manuscript sonatas includes both sonatas since it was recorded on a 1960s instrument in equal tem-
considered to be of dubious authorship by many, buxwv268 perament (albeit in Helsingør, where Buxtehude spent
and buxwv Anh.5, and the second of these now even has part of his youth). But for these next two volumes, The

1 46  early music  february 2012


complete organ works, volume 2 (Hyperion cda 67809, far from ubiquitous in his playing, and I particularly
rec 2009, 76) and The complete organ works, volume 3 enjoyed the excitement generated through a close control
(Hyperion cda 67855, rec 2010, 76), Herrick has used the of articulation and rhythm in moto perpetuo. Koopman
Ahrend reconstruction of the Joachim Wagner organ of states in his note to volume 1 of Buxtehude’s organ music
Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim (vol.2), which is in a that ‘to do his compositions justice we need a “macho”
modified Werckmeister temperament, and the 2005 playing style and virtuosity’, and that is certainly what one
Hildebrandt-style organ by Aubertin in the church of hears throughout the free works in particular (even to the
St-Louis-en-l’Île in Paris (vol.3), in a temperament by point where the instrument struggles to cope), but he
Young. For the two volumes of organ works by Koopman

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reserves his most dramatic playing for the unexpected bonus
considered here, Opera Omnia III: Organ works 1 of the complete organ works of Buxtehude’s pupil Nicolaus
(Challenge Classics cc72242, rec 2006, 60) and Opera Bruhns as an Appendix to the final CD. The start of the
Omnia X: Organ works 5 (Challenge Classics cc72249, larger Praeludium in E minor is arresting in most perform-
rec 2008, 114), Koopman uses the Coci/Klapmeyer ances one hears of this piece, but here Koopman takes it to
organ of the St Nicolai Kirche, Altenbruch, in modified another level—you have been warned. However, although
Werckmeister III (vol.1), and the Bielfeldt organ in the chorale fantasia ‘Nun komm der Heiden Heiland’ is
St Wilhadi, Stade, in modified Werckmeister II (vol.5). listed here as being played in the ‘original version’ with ‘dim-
Herrick’s recordings were made in more reverberant inutions by Ton Koopman’—i.e. not the highly ornamented
spaces with organs at a=455 and a=440 respectively, version by Johann Walther—his performance is very close in
whilst Koopman’s are in drier, more intimate spaces, and spirit to Walther’s version, and the more spontaneous and
at pitches closer to the norm for Buxtehude’s environ- personal ornamentation (though always remaining essen-
ment, a=478.6 and a=473 respectively. Given the exten- tially 18th century in nature) makes for a very convincing
sive source problems associated with this repertory it is and enjoyable rendition of the work, even if Bruhns may
sensible that neither organist sticks slavishly to one edi- have ornamented the work in a different manner.
tion, though as one might expect, Koopman takes a freer Finally, there is an aspect of interpretation of the non-
approach to the notes than Herrick, either by adding large fugal sections of Buxtehude’s free works which seems to
helpings of ornamentation and other embellishment or me to be under-explored on both recordings: the amount
by his own editorial changes to the inherited material, of emphasis given to dissonance, and suspensions in par-
such as the extended echo passage he adds at the end of ticular. The Toccata in D minor buxwv155 contains a few
the Praeludium in G minor buxwv150. Both organists use examples of the glorious 9–7 double suspension that Bux-
8 stops as well as 16 stops for the lower voices of the fugal tehude probably learnt from contemporary French music,
sections, though Koopman sometimes uses both within but these are almost excised from the score in Koopman’s
a single section, and both top and tail the large-scale performance (vol.5). In bar 59 (or 60 depending on your
free works on tutti-style registrations. Koopman has a edition), he lifts the Tenor note E at the crucial moment,
tendency to find as many echoes as possible, even within and in bar 124 (or 122) the suspension is lost beneath a host
a pedal solo. Herrick has a recurring preference for 8 and of added ornamentation. Similarly, in bars 124–5 of the
2 registrations for lively sections (a technique that is Praeludium in F buxwv145, Herrick similarly releases the
often favoured when playing Baroque music on Romantic- crucial note too early, so that the full affect of the aug-
style organs), and tends to mix stops together even when mented triad is not heard (vol.3). Fortunately, despite the
playing softly in some of the chorale settings, so that there wealth of recordings of Buxtehude’s organ music on his-
is little opportunity to hear the beauty of individual reg- toric instruments in recent years, we are far from exhaust-
isters on his chosen organs. These characteristics may be ing the way we re-create this magnificent repertory.
seen as old-fashioned, and Koopman avoids them entirely,
though the latter does not seem keen to follow the inter- Websites
esting path led by Harald Vogel towards the concept of Challenge Classics www.challenge.nl
consort-style registrations for the fugal sections in par- Chandos www.chandos.net
ticular. Herrick’s articulation is also sometimes prone to Hyperion www.hyperion-records.co.uk
sounding close to the older slur-and-dot school of articu- Soundboard www.soundboard-records.co.uk
lation, used very unexpectedly at the start of the Ciacona
in E minor buxwv160, which I have never heard sound so doi: 10.1093/em/cas009
perky (once again on 8 and 2 stops), but this problem is Advance Access published on February 8, 2012

early music  february 2012  1 4 7

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