CPO’s rediscovery of Church Music from Hamburg (1600-1800) continues with a concert, broadcast live on Deutschlandradio Kultur, featuring rediscovered works by Reinhard Keiser. Only three oratorios by Reinhard Keiser exist in full. Many shorter pieces, fragments, and works of uncertain authorship still lie unpublished in archives and libraries.
This luxurious set containing 39 CDs, 3 DVDs, 1 CD-Rom and four detailed booklets will tell you the full story of Baroque opera in Italy, France, England, and Germany. No fewer than 17 complete operas (including two on DVD) and two supplementary CDs (the dawn of opera, Overtures for the Hamburg Opera) provide the most comprehensive overview of the genre ever attempted! The finest performers are assembled here under the direction of René Jacobs and William Christie to offer you 47 hours of music. An opportunity to discover or to hear again the masterpieces of Baroque opera, some of which have been unavailable on CD for many years.
Regarded in his day as equal to Handel and Telemann, Reinhard Keiser composed more than one hundred operas, of which Fredegund , set partly in German and partly in Italian, was one of the most popular. It explores the politically volatile relationships between the sixth century Frankish king, Chilperich, whose ambitious mistress Fredegunda is prepared to use magic to become his queen, although Chilperich is betrothed to Princess Galsuinde and Fredegunda also has a secret relationship with Langerich. This important and entertaining German Baroque opera abounds in melodious, often ravishingly orchestrated, music.
The Brockes-Passion can be considered the archetype of the German Passion oratorio. As such, it served as a model and source ofinspiration for famous later masterpieces, enjoying uninterrupted popularity throughout the 18th century when no less than 11 composers, including Handel and Telemann, set it to music. The superb version by Reinhard Keiser (1674-1739) is not only the first but also adheres most closely to the great rhetorical power and rich changes of affects of the poets text. In German literary history, Barthold Heinrich Brockes (1680-1747) is known above all for his innovative role during the second quarter of the 18th century.
Musik der Hamburger Pfeffersäcke, The term "Pfeffersäcke" was a derogatory name for the spice merchants who provided the financial support for the arts in Hamburg. The compositions on this CD are all known to have been sponsored by the Hamburg merchants. Soprano Yeree Suh joins the Elbipolis Baroque Orchestra Hamburg in these lively and dedicated performances.
Reinhard Keiser war eine schillernde Musikerpersönlichkeit. Zahlreiche Anekdoten wurden über sein ausschweifendes Liebesleben und seine finanziellen Experimente überliefert, wenngleich die meisten davon in das Reich der Legenden zu zählen sind. Heute steht sein umfangreiches Opernschaffen im Zentrum der wissenschaftlichen Auseinandersetzung, galt er doch als der herausragendste Vertreter der Barockoper in Deutschland. Opernhaft erklingt auch seine ausladende Markus-Passion mit hochdramatischer Textausdeutung, mannigfaltigen Arien in italienischer Manier und einem farbigen Orchesterapparat.
Is another baroque opera–in this case by composer Reinhard Keiser (1674-1739)–really worth hearing in its entirety? After a completely conventional overture, the opening scene pits the legendarily rich king of Lydia, the titular Croesus (who incidentally lived in the fifth century B.C.), against the Athenian philosopher and lawgiver Solon. On account of his immeasurable wealth, the complacent Croesus believes himself to be completely secure and unassailable; Solon mocks his riches and points out how ephemeral all earthly goods are. This exchange of words via recitative is perfectly built up–both as a composition and as performed here. From his very first notes, Roman Trekel's Croesus carries conviction, while Kwangchul Youn (a role originally intended for tenor but justifiably and effectively transcribed by conductor René Jacobs for bass) is no less impressive.
The recordings for this release were made in the middle of the pandemic under difficult conditions. The hope of the artists involved is to make their contribution so that culture will emerge from this crisis not weakened, but strengthened. "Art is a daughter of freedom, and from the necessity of spirits, not from the necessity of matter, it wants to receive its prescription" (Schiller). Reinhold Friedrich, a prolific performer on major stages around the world, is a professor of trumpet at Karlsruhe, a sought-after lecturer for master classes, honorary professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid and also in Hiroshima. Many of his recordings were awarded international prizes and got high press acclaim.