Layout Table~~~~544~544~~

Christoph Graupner~~~~544~1637~~

Blurb~Christoph Graupner (1683-1760) was employed at the court of Hesse-Darmstadt for 50 years. During this time, he wrote an astonishing number of cantatas (of which over 1400 have survived in the State Library at Darmstadt), as well as a sizeable corpus of instrumental pieces. Somehow, he also found time to copy out pieces by other composer - and perform them, too!

We begin our series of cantatas with two which set texts which were later used by J. S. Bach.

~~~544~551~~

Vergnügte Ruh~Graupner's Vergnügte Ruh is scored for solo soprano, instruments and continuo. In the opening aria, recorders are doubled at the octave by violette (copied into the violin part, so possibly small violas), two violas (one in alto, one in tenor clef - both given in alto clef in the score), while the second has solo traverso, 4-part strings and continuo. The final aria returns to the opening scoring. The text by Georg Christian Lehms was later set by J. S. Bach. The pastoral atmosphere of Graupner's setting suggests another Bach cantata...

Click here to see the first page.~~Two scores and parts|GRA052.2|Score|GRA052.1|~544~1998~Graupner, Bach, S, soprano, recorder, flute, viola, violetta~

Mein Herz schwimmt in Blut~This 1712 cantata is also a setting of Lehms, and consists of eight movements: four recitative-aria pairings, the third of which is like a chorale fantasy. The solo soprano is accompanied by strings throughout, with oboes cued for the last movement only.

To see the first page, click here.

~~Two scores and parts|GRA056.2|Score|GRA056.1|~544~2575~Graupner, Bach, soprano, strings, oboe~

Gott will mich auch probieren~~~~544~4376~~

*Jesu frommer Menschen Heerden*~~~~544~4518~~

Ouvertures label~~~~544~2797~~

Ouvertures Blurb~Kim Patrick Clow is methodically working his way through this corpus of fine music from the sources in Darmstadt. As well as a rich diversity of styles, the orchestral suites in particular reveal the composer's interest in different instrumental colours, and show how versatile the court orchestra must have been.

~~~544~2796~~

Ouverture in C, GWV405~~~~544~4036~~

Ouverture in D, GWV421~~~~544~3693~~

Ouverture in D, GWV424~~~~544~3727~~

Ouverture in D minor, GWV426~~~~544~3699~~

Ouverture in E, GWV433~~~~544~3692~~

Ouverture in E, GWV438~~~~544~3695~~

Ouverture in E, GWV440~~~~544~4131~~

Ouverture in F, GWV446~~~~544~3998~~

Ouverture in F, GWV447~~~~544~4037~~

Ouverture in G, GWV457~~~~544~4035~~

Ouverture in G, GWV464~~~~544~4136~~

Ouverture in G, GWV466~~~~544~3698~~

Entrata in G minor, GWV468~~~~544~3700~~

Ouverture in G minor, GWV469~~~~544~4126~~

Ouverture in A, GWV473~~~~544~3997~~

Ouverture in B flat, GWV479~~~~544~3694~~

Ouverture in B flat, GWV484~~~~544~4038~~

Ouverture in B flat, GWV485~~~~544~4141~~

Sinfonias label~~~~544~3721~~

Sinfonias Blurb~Ludwig of Hessen-Darmstadt was apparently partial to the "modern" sinfonia, especially on his birthday - and while he was on hunting expeditions. Kim plans to edit all the surviving works.

~~~544~3722~~

Sinfonia in D, GWV520~~~~544~4117~~

Sinfonia in D, GWV529~~~~544~3729~~

Sinfonia in D, GWV533~~~~544~4157~~

Sinfonia in D, GWV540~~~~544~4113~~

Sinfonia in D, GWV548~~~~544~4156~~

Sinfonia in F, GWV566~~~~544~3696~~

Sinfonia in G, GWV596~~~~544~3697~~

Violin Concerto in A~This three-movement concerto shows that Graupner had quite an ear for timbre - the first movement, with its wide ranging dynamics and bassetto passages, is very original. The rousing final gigue will test most baroque violinists!

Click here for a preview.~~Score and parts|GRA053.2|Score|GRA053.1|Violin 1|GRA053.6|Violin 2|GRA053.7|Viola|GRA053.8|Bass|GRA053.9|~544~2795~violin, concerto, graupner~

Ouverture in E minor~Six dances follow the imposing French Overture that opens this suite: a Rondeau, a Menuet, a Loure, a Gavotte and a Gigue. The oboes di selva were originally written in French violin clef and are F-instruments, meaning that the sound is a fifth lower than the notated pitch.

Click here to see the opening of the Ouverture.~~Score and parts|GRA069.2|Score|GRA069.1|Extra Violin 1 part|GRA069.6|Extra Violin 2 part|GRA069.7|Extra Viola part|GRA069.8|Extra Bass part|GRA069.9|~544~2807~graupner, orchestral suite, ouveture, oboe da selva, oboe da silva~

Ouverture in E flat~Although the title-page reads "Ouverture a 2 Hautb: (oboes), 2 Violin, Viola e Cembalo", this wonderful orchestral suite in six movements also features two flutes (in the Air en sarabande) and bassoon (solos in the final Gavotte en rondeau). There are also movements entitled Pastorelle and La morosità.

Click here to see the first page.~~Score and parts|GRA070.2|Score|GRA070.1|Extra Violin 1 part|GRA070.6|Extra Violin 2 part|GRA070.7|Extra Viola part|GRA070.8|Extra Bass part|GRA070.9|~544~2808~graupner, overture, orchestral suite, oboe, flute~

Ouverture in E~This is another fine overture-suite by Graupner, this time scored for two opboes d'amore, strings and continuo. After the opening movement (click here to see the first page) come Bergerie, Rejouissance, Loure, Menuet, Loure and Menuet.~~Score and parts|GRA071.2|Score|GRA071.1|Extra Violin 1 part|GRA071.6|Extra Violin 2 part|GRA071.7|Extra Viola part|GRA071.8|Extra Bass part|GRA071.9|~544~3206~~