SKU: BR.EOS-8047-15

ISBN 9790004789735. 8.5 x 11.5 inches.

Among Campra's Latin works, the ,Messe de mort' is perhaps one of the more successful and today it is one of the more frequently performed. It is also the most enigmatic score of his entire output. Despite extensive researches, no evidence of any sort has yet been brought to light to document its origin, purpose, date of composition, first performance or reception. A stylistic analysis indubitably supports the contention that the ,Messe de mort' is a late work, composed perhaps between 1722 and 1729.
The present edition is based on the manuscript from the Bibliotheque Nationale de France (Paris). It it the oldest known source of the work. The very few errors have been corrected.
(Jean-Paul Montagnier) Vokalensemble Stuttgart und den Kammerchor des Kopernikus-Gymnasiums Wasseralfingen. Fur diese beiden ganz unterschiedlichen Chorformationen hat Martin Smolka 2012 auch gezielt seine Partitur angelegt. Biografisch ist das Agnus Dei eine Art kleines Requiem fur seinen kurz zuvor verstorbenen Vater. Das liturgische Agnus Dei rahmt den deutschen Text Eh das Madchen entschlief ... der bei Auffuhrungen in anderen Landern durch eine Ubersetzung ersetzt werden soll.

Der SWR-Redakteur Hans-Peter Jahn schreibt dazu im Programmheft: Die fur Smolka typischen minimalistischen Taktzellen schaffen eine archaische Sinnlichkeit. Eine einfache und zugleich streng gebaute Vokalmusik mit Tiefenwirkung.

Nach der Urauffuhrung war die Esslinger Zeitung hellauf begeistert: Smolka ist ein Meister der Stimmbehandlung und der chorischen Klanggestaltung. Im Zentrum des Stucks gerat die Musik zum Stillstand: im leisen gleichmassigen Summen uber dem plotzlich fortissimo ein tschechisches Kinderlied erklingt eines das der Vater seinen Kindern haufig vorgesungen hat. Das alles war sehr beruhrend. Und eigentlich noch mehr als das. My father PhDr. Jaroslav Smolka (1933-2011) was a leading Czech musicologist author of books Czech Cantata and Oratorium Fuga in Czech Music Smetana's Orchestra Music Smetana's Vocal Music monography of Jan Dismas Zelenka and many others. He was a legendary teacher of Music History at Prague Music Academy critic recording producer composer; for almost 50 years he was an important and highly respected personality of Prague musical life.
My father devoted a lot of time and energy to musical education and activities of my sister and me using often quite original methods such as teaching of intervals and counterpoint through Bartok's Microcosmos ear training filling all imaginable moments of everyday life or lessons of harmony analysis starting with Overture to Tristan and Musorgsky's Catacombs. The Martinu song Wondering Maiden was his solo number in our home vocal productions which he used to sing with amazing devotion while his huge voice was audible in several neighboring streets.
My Agnus Dei is closely bound to all this history e.g. by using canon and preferring beauty of dissonant seconds like Bartok or quoting Martinu and his refined neoclassical harmony. Father would be probably a bit critical about the minimalistic monotony of the main body of the piece. Nevertheless firstly he would improvise a short lecture of history of Agnus Dei in Requiem in Czech Music naming by heart many dates and all examples of changes of order of the traditional text by composers. Examples would be sung probably.
(Martin Smolka).

SKU: CA.1002706

ISBN 9790007181345. Text language: German.

The collection Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica of 1619 is rightly regarded as the high point in Michael Praetorius's output. It combines Solennische Friedt- und Frewden-Concert: which Praetorius as a travelling musician had composed largely for festive occasions - he writes of Kayser: Konig: Chur: vnd Furstlichen zusammen Kunfften - and also for furnehme Capellen vnd Kirchen. In these chorale concerti the highly modern, Italian style and the Protestant chorale combine and form a symbiosis which showed the way forward for the history of German music. The chorale settings draw on influences from Venetian polychoral music, use ritornelli and employ obbligato instruments in a way which is beyond compare, even in contemporary Italy. Here we see a quite different side of the master from the composer of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. And above all, Praetorius always remains a practical musician who ensures that these breathtaking choral concerti can also be effectively performed with smaller forces, sometimes considerably reduced ones. Praetorius gives the verses of the well-known Easter hymn Christ ist erstanden to the concertists (soloists or small choir), who can perform these in alternating scorings. At the beginning, between the verses, and at the end, a magnificent Halleluja occurs as a ritornello, which can be performed by up to 5 choirs - ad lib, of course. Score available separately - see item CA.1002700.

SKU: CA.1002714

ISBN 9790007189358. Text language: German.

The collection Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica of 1619 is rightly regarded as the high point in Michael Praetorius's output. It combines Solennische Friedt- und Frewden-Concert: which Praetorius as a travelling musician had composed largely for festive occasions - he writes of Kayser: Konig: Chur: vnd Furstlichen zusammen Kunfften - and also for furnehme Capellen vnd Kirchen. In these chorale concerti the highly modern, Italian style and the Protestant chorale combine and form a symbiosis which showed the way forward for the history of German music. The chorale settings draw on influences from Venetian polychoral music, use ritornelli and employ obbligato instruments in a way which is beyond compare, even in contemporary Italy. Here we see a quite different side of the master from the composer of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. And above all, Praetorius always remains a practical musician who ensures that these breathtaking choral concerti can also be effectively performed with smaller forces, sometimes considerably reduced ones. Praetorius gives the verses of the well-known Easter hymn Christ ist erstanden to the concertists (soloists or small choir), who can perform these in alternating scorings. At the beginning, between the verses, and at the end, a magnificent Halleluja occurs as a ritornello, which can be performed by up to 5 choirs - ad lib, of course. Score and part available separately - see item CA.1002700.

SKU: CA.1002712

ISBN 9790007189334. Text language: German.

The collection Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica of 1619 is rightly regarded as the high point in Michael Praetorius's output. It combines Solennische Friedt- und Frewden-Concert: which Praetorius as a travelling musician had composed largely for festive occasions - he writes of Kayser: Konig: Chur: vnd Furstlichen zusammen Kunfften - and also for furnehme Capellen vnd Kirchen. In these chorale concerti the highly modern, Italian style and the Protestant chorale combine and form a symbiosis which showed the way forward for the history of German music. The chorale settings draw on influences from Venetian polychoral music, use ritornelli and employ obbligato instruments in a way which is beyond compare, even in contemporary Italy. Here we see a quite different side of the master from the composer of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. And above all, Praetorius always remains a practical musician who ensures that these breathtaking choral concerti can also be effectively performed with smaller forces, sometimes considerably reduced ones. Praetorius gives the verses of the well-known Easter hymn Christ ist erstanden to the concertists (soloists or small choir), who can perform these in alternating scorings. At the beginning, between the verses, and at the end, a magnificent Halleluja occurs as a ritornello, which can be performed by up to 5 choirs - ad lib, of course. Score and part available separately - see item CA.1002700.

SKU: CA.1002713

ISBN 9790007189341. Text language: German.

The collection Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica of 1619 is rightly regarded as the high point in Michael Praetorius's output. It combines Solennische Friedt- und Frewden-Concert: which Praetorius as a travelling musician had composed largely for festive occasions - he writes of Kayser: Konig: Chur: vnd Furstlichen zusammen Kunfften - and also for furnehme Capellen vnd Kirchen. In these chorale concerti the highly modern, Italian style and the Protestant chorale combine and form a symbiosis which showed the way forward for the history of German music. The chorale settings draw on influences from Venetian polychoral music, use ritornelli and employ obbligato instruments in a way which is beyond compare, even in contemporary Italy. Here we see a quite different side of the master from the composer of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. And above all, Praetorius always remains a practical musician who ensures that these breathtaking choral concerti can also be effectively performed with smaller forces, sometimes considerably reduced ones. Praetorius gives the verses of the well-known Easter hymn Christ ist erstanden to the concertists (soloists or small choir), who can perform these in alternating scorings. At the beginning, between the verses, and at the end, a magnificent Halleluja occurs as a ritornello, which can be performed by up to 5 choirs - ad lib, of course. Score and part available separately - see item CA.1002700.

SKU: CA.1002709

ISBN 9790007189310. Text language: German.

The collection Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica of 1619 is rightly regarded as the high point in Michael Praetorius's output. It combines Solennische Friedt- und Frewden-Concert: which Praetorius as a travelling musician had composed largely for festive occasions - he writes of Kayser: Konig: Chur: vnd Furstlichen zusammen Kunfften - and also for furnehme Capellen vnd Kirchen. In these chorale concerti the highly modern, Italian style and the Protestant chorale combine and form a symbiosis which showed the way forward for the history of German music. The chorale settings draw on influences from Venetian polychoral music, use ritornelli and employ obbligato instruments in a way which is beyond compare, even in contemporary Italy. Here we see a quite different side of the master from the composer of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. And above all, Praetorius always remains a practical musician who ensures that these breathtaking choral concerti can also be effectively performed with smaller forces, sometimes considerably reduced ones. Praetorius gives the verses of the well-known Easter hymn Christ ist erstanden to the concertists (soloists or small choir), who can perform these in alternating scorings. At the beginning, between the verses, and at the end, a magnificent Halleluja occurs as a ritornello, which can be performed by up to 5 choirs - ad lib, of course. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.1002700.

SKU: BT.HU-4349-250

9x12 inches. German.

The poetry on which this composition is based is the Ballad of External Life (the Ballade des äußeren Lebens) from the pen of Viennese author Hugo von Hofmansthal (1874-1929). He is known for, amongst other things, his libretti for the works of Richard Strauss (Der Rosenkavalier, Ariadne auf Naxos, Elektra) and as founder of the Salzburg Festival. Von Hofmansthal was one of the last of the German Symbolists. Central to this literary movement was the unification of the internal and external worlds. The search for meaning was a cornerstone of this fin-de-siècle movement.In the Ballade des äußeren Lebens (Ballad of External Life), the meaninglessness ofexistence is expressed in restricting, oppressive metaphors—an ambience that is reflected in the music. Ultimately, man is capable of establishing order from seeming chaos. The poet expresses this powerfully in a non-rhyming line of poetry: ‘And yet, he who says “evening” says much, A word, from which profundity and sorrow flow’.This composition follows the overall structure of the ballad, which is written in terza rima—interlocking three-line rhymes.The choral work can be performed by a chamber choir, but also by a much larger ensemble. The parts are mainly in four voices (SATB), although there are also six parts (SAATBB). One chord is arranged for eight voices.The composer conducted this work at its première, to open the 2013 International Choir Biennial in Aachen. The choir was comprised of four chamber choirs: Aachen Youth Choir, Carmina Mundi, Aachen Chamber Choir and Aachen Madrigal Choir.

Het dichtwerk waarop deze compositie is gebaseerd, de Ballade des äußeren Lebens (Ballade van het uiterlijke leven), is geschreven door de in Wenen geboren schrijver Hugo von Hoffmansthal (1874-1929), die onder meer bekend is als librettist van Richard Strauss (Der Rosenkavalier, Ariadne auf Naxos, Elektra) en medeoprichter was van de Salzburger Festspiele. Von Hoffmansthal behoorde tot de laatste vertegenwoordigers van het Duitse symbolisme. Deze stroming stelde zich ten doel de innerlijke en uiterlijke wereld met elkaar te verenigen. Zingeving vormde een van de hoofdthematieken binnen deze fin de siècle-cultuur.In de Ballade des äußeren Lebens wordt dezinloosheid van het bestaan verwoord in beklemmende metaforen - een atmosfeer die in de muziek wordt weerspiegeld. Uiteindelijk blijkt de mens toch in staat te zijn orde te scheppen in de schijnbare willekeur. De dichter benadrukt dit in zijn enige versregel zonder rijm: Und dennoch sagt der viel, der “Abend” sagt. De compositie volgt in hoofdlijnen de structuur van de ballade, die in terzinen is opgebouwd.Het werk kan worden uitgevoerd door kamerkoor, maar ook door een veel grotere bezetting. De zetting is voornamelijk vierstemmig (SATB), maar er zijn tevens zesstemmige delen (SAATBB). Een enkel akkoord is zelfs achtstemmig.Het werk ging onder leiding van de componist tijdens de Internationale Chorbiennale Aachen 2013 als openingswerk in première. Het koor was samengesteld uit vier kamerkoren: Der Junge Chor Aachen, Carmina Mundi, Aachener Kammerchor en Der Madrigalchor Aachen.

Die Dichtung, auf welcher diese Komposition basiert, ist die Ballade des äußeren Lebens aus der Feder des gebürtigen Wiener Schriftstellers Hugo von Hoffmansthal (1874-1929), der unter anderem als Librettist von Richard Strauss (Der Rosenkavalier, Ariadne auf Naxos, Elektra) und Mitbegründer der Salzburger Festspiele bekannt ist. Von Hoffmansthal gehörte zu den letzten Vertretern des Deutschen Symbolismus. Diese literarische Richtung machte sich zur Aufgabe, die innere und die äußere Welt miteinander zu vereinen. Sinngebung bildete eine der Hauptthematiken innerhalb dieser Fin-de-Siècle-Strömung.In der Ballade des äußeren Lebens wird die Sinnlosigkeitdes Daseins in beklemmenden Metaphern formuliert - eine Atmosphäre, die sich in der Musik widerspiegelt. Letztendlich scheint der Mensch doch imstande zu sein, Ordnung in der scheinbaren Willkür zu schaffen. Der Dichter betont dies nachdrücklich in der einzigen Verszeile ohne Reim: Und dennoch sagt der viel, der Abend“ sagt. Die Komposition folgt in ihren Hauptzügen der Struktur der Ballade, die in Terzinen geschrieben ist.Das Chorwerk kann von einem Kammerchor, aber auch von einem viel größeren Ensemble aufgeführt werden. Der Satz ist hauptsächlich vierstimmig (SATB), aber es gibt auch sechsstimmige Teile (SAATBB). Ein einzelner Akkord ist gar achtstimmig.Das Werk ging unter der Leitung des Komponisten während der Internationalen Chorbiennale Aachen 2013 als Eröffnungswerk in Premiere. Der Chor setzte sich aus vier Kammerchören zusammen: Der Junge Chor Aachen, Carmina Mundi, der Aachener Kammerchor und der Madrigalchor Aachen.