M A R A 1 TI 17nP-XT

SCHNlTGER ORGAN (1696)

NOORDBROEK J.S. BACH

VOLUME 111

W BACH CIRCLE Volume III Harald Vogel, organist

Schnitger Organ ( 1696) Noordbroek, The Netherlands

Pmambulum in d-minor

Ein kuqer Dmatz

Magnificat in the 3rd Mode q V a l

3l verse I Verse3 Verse 4 Verse 5a

Verse 5b Verse 6

Prelude and Fugue in C-Major (BWV 545)

Prelude 1111 Fugue

E.N. Ammethch

Partita: Sd ge-set, Jesw giitig (BWV 770)

Chorale 1131 Variation 1

PI Variation 2 [151 Variation 3

Variation 4

[171 Variation 5 r18) Variation 6

Variation 7 Variation B Variation 9 Variation 10 Variation11

Fantasy and Fugue in c-minor (BWV 537)

Fanmsy Fugue

Fantasy and Fugue in c-minor

J.S. Bach

G.A. Homilius

Total time: 6623

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The Bach Circle

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the compositions of Johann Sebastian Each have been a focal point of organ music. This focus naturally leads to the question of what the ideal Bach organ would be.

In his well-known writings un "German and French Organ Building and Organ- Playing Styles" (Leipzig 1906), Albert Schweitzer presented the opinion that the organs of Cavaille-Coll, which were constructed with slidercheso, mechanical action and the aid of the Barker System tu lighten the touch, were superior to the highly technical German organs with non- mechanical action and cone chests. Thus, Schweitzer was one of the first to understand that in the area of organ - buildlng the old technology was superior to the new.

Schweitzer's opinion was based on his knowledge of organ building in the late 19th and early 20th cenruries. Fmm his point of view, historical organs should also be tested for their usefulness by playing the

organ works of J.S. h c h . Obviously, the first of these historical instruments to be recognized were from the best+known families of organ builders from the time of Bach - Silbermann and Schnitger.

As more of these instruments were adequately restored, however, the following became clear: when playing Bach's organ pieces problems arise from limited manual compasses and old tuning systems. Most Schnitger organs have a short octave in the manuals (without G, B, m, and G#) and a broken octave in the pedal (without C# and D#). Silberrnann organs exclude the C# in the manual and C#, c#', and d d in the pdal. The original tunlng systems on most Silbermann and Schnitger organs were usually meantune, with pure or almost pure thirds and with diwnant Intervals in the distant keys, especially l% major, 0 major, and Ab major.

The organ works uf Bach use C* uccasionally, and st:, preclude the use of a short octave. They demand a well*

tempered tuning system - one that allows use of all keys. Playing the works of Bach on Silbermann and Schnitger organs, therefore, requires some rewriting and much transposition.

Documents about Bachb organ playing report exclusively on his improvisatiom. As for his surviving organ compositions, Bach cuuld have performed these on only a few organs of his time, at least in the form that they have been handed down to us. This suggests that a considerable amount of his music is forward-looking and was continuously nurtured and appreciated after Bach's death. In contrast to the compositions of Bach's predecessors and contemporaries, his organ works were the first repertoire that was never forgotten.

There are few ideal instruments from Bach's lifetime which are suitable for the performance of his organ works. These organs fall into two categories: instruments with sufficient manual and pedal compasses and tuned in a well-tempered tuning system, or organs that were rebuilt in the 18th or early 19th centuries. The

Treuhnann organ in Grauhof, built in 1737, belongs in the first category. This organ was featured in Volume 2 of this series The Buch Circle. It is one of the largest and most completely preserved organs from Bach's lifetime that has the necessary manual and pedal compasses and the necessary tuning system.

Among the preserved Schnitger organs, Nmrdbroek occupies a special position. This instrument was rebuilt in the Schnitger tradition (1768 by A. A. Hinsch and 1809 by H. H. Freytag) and therefore belungs in the second category. The organ in Noordbroek is the only Schnitger organ with sufficient manual compasses from the 18th century and a well+tempered tuning system. These characteristics are necessary for the performance of the organ works of Bach. Even more important is the unusually g o d condition of the voicing; the organ experienced no intrusive rebuilding or incorrect restoration in rhe 20th century.

About the Music

The program begins with the Prueudulum in d-minor by Vincent Liibeck, a claw friend of Arp Schnitger. This work includes virruosic pedal passages that are typical of North German compositions of the late 17th century. The piece uses a multiple choir style, emphasizing different families of stops, which can be heard in Nkrdbroek with the alternating plenums of the manuals and the pedal. The Fugue with its repeated+note subject includes the trumpet in the pedal. The piece increases in intensity at the end with triplet rhythms.

The next piece is by Elias Nicolaus Ammcrbach. Arnrnel-Lac11 worked at St. Thomas' Church in Leipzig more than 100 years before Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece is a dance setting and is played on the Quintadena, the Vox Humana and the Spitzflote (Speelfluit). This unusual combination of stops was typical for the style uf the late Renaissance. I t is noteworthy that this early sound could still be heard in an instrument by Arp Schnitger. Even more intercscing is the - - .. . .

5

fact that these sounds were still preserved in an instrument rebuilt by the Schnitger School.

Samuel Scheidt's M@jkat in the 3rd Mode shows another regirtratiun typical uf the late Renaissance or early Baroque. Samuel Scheidt, one of the most important students OF Sweelinck, published hk Tabtahtura now in 1624, the largest collection of organ music in Germany in the 17th century. For the first nf the seven vetses of this Magnificat the wonderfully preserved Trornpet, tuned in rneantone (using pure thirds) is played. With this tuning one can hear the expressive ~ l u u ~ i r a ~ i c passagcs typical uC

17 th+century compositions. The regismtions of succeeding verses show off many typical individual stops in Noordbroek and also provides the listener with an impression of the relationship of thc stops to the acoustics of the room. In the last verse, the Gtegurian melody of the Magnificat is in the top manual voice and is doubled in the pedal wlth the Cornet 4'.

To move from Scheidtb Magnificar to the Prelude and Fzrgue in C-Mujm (BWV 545) by Bach is a big step. Bach's piece is heard on the weighty 16' plenum with the Posaune and the Trompet in the Pedal. Since the organ in Noordbrock was rebuilt between 1768 and 1855, the plenum can include manual and pedal couplers. With the couplers included, the fundamental pitch sounds stronger and the registration allows an astunishingly full sound.

In the partita Sei gegrlisset, ] e m giitig welcome, gracious Jesus], Bach extends his use of the different forms of chorale- based works that he had already used as a very young man. This partita is a mini- compendium of cornpos~tional styles based on chorales which Bach developed in Tnuringia, and is at the same time a complete collection of the influences that Bach absorbed as a young musician. The opening chorale is a fuur+voice setting similar to many other chorale settings by Johann Scbastian Bach. This one, however, contrasts with opening churale settings in his other partitas. There, as in 0 Gotr, fromm~r Gott, [O God, benevcllent God], the harmonization is wt

in the tradition of che MiddleGerman school of organis# and of Georg Boehm. The primary characteristic is the use of full &or& with a variable number of voices. In Sei g e w s e t , Jesu glltig, the opening setting is played on the Principal 8' in the f a ~ a d e of the Great. This registration accentuates the vocal characteristics of this chorale harmonization with its wonderful voice kading.

The first variation is a duo. h o s are often played with a string stup in the bass, a sound represented in this recording with the principal. Two flute stops are used for the upper voices. The concept of this variation i s based on instrumental pieces and shows the elegance of Johann Sebastian Bach's chamber works.

The second variation is written in harpsichord style, therefore using many slurred notes and legato forms. A second duet follows, but nut in the elegant style of chamber music. T h i s second duet is a Bicinium in the solemn style of the 17th century. It is registered with the Principal stops on the main r n a n ~ ~ n l and the Quintadend 16'. The fourth variation

again shows features typical of harpsichord music. This variation is played on the wonderful Fluit 4' in the Rugwerk. :

Variation five is composed in the French style of a Bmse de Tmpette, and leads us into a completely different world of organ playing. The lowest voice is played on the Trornpet and the higher voices are played on the Gedackt 8' (the Flute douce) and the Principal 4' in the fa~ade of the Rugwerk. This variation is followed by a setting using the 16' plenum and then by a trio. The trio is played with the Fluit 4' (Spitzf16u) in the Rugwerk for the highest voice, together with the Speelfluit in the Great, and the Octave 4' in the pedal. It sounds like a duo between two flutes accompanied by Gamba in the lowest voice. The expressive character is enhanced by the tremulant.

The variation also shuws an unusual compositional form in alternating free figuration wlth an unornamented melody. T h e melody is heard with a solo registration using the Trompet, the Octaaf, and the Quint. The Mixtuur is added for the sections with the unornamented

melody. This variation is one of the most beautiful chorale settings by Johann Sebastian Bach and its expressive harmonies have an especially wonderful effect in Nmrdbroek. The last variation is a solemn five-voice chorale setting with figurations. It is played on the full plenum with the Posaune in the Pedal.

The F a n t q and F u p in c-minur (BWV 537) expresses a completely different character than the P x l d and F w in C- Majm (BWV 545). In the Fanmy each line has a rneldic quality as opposed to the large gestures of the Prelude in C- Major.

The stylistic breadth of the organ in Nuordbrmk is heard in the works of two h c h students. The expressive chorale setting by Homilius uses sounds much in contrast to those already heard in this recording. The Quintadena and the Vox Humana, played in the melody, were both built in 1768 by Albert Antunius Hinsch and date from the time when Homilius worked in Dresden. Gottfried August I lu~uilius was appointed u~ganist at thc Frauenkirche in 1742 in Dresden, where

six years earlier, Gottfried Silberrnann had built a three-manual instrument with 43 stops.

The famous Fmtasy in cmiw by C.P.E. Bach concludes this recording. This Fantasy is a bold piece whose harmonies are very similar to those used in the 19th century. In this piece, it is easy to hear how far the roots of the 19th-century styles reach back into the 1700's. Because the organ was tebuilt a t the beginning of the 19th century and because of the extraordinary acoustics of the space, the Fmmy in c-minor appears to be tailor- made for the organ in Wuordbrock.

Tms.Flatirm: Elizabeth H m i s o n

About the Instrument

The organ in Noordbroek was built by Arp Schnitger in 1695-96 for a medieval church of astonishing size. The church itself was built in the early Gothic style of the 13rh century with vaulted ceilings and a cruciform shape. The resulting acoustics are excellent. Every visitor is impressed by the appearance of the building, inside and out, which has an effect of a small cathedral. The historic building stands at the edge of the farming village of Noordbroek in the Dutch province of Groningen.

The west gallery was erected in 1696 with, and for, the organ. This gallery offers enough space fur the necessary parts of a two-manual organ with a fcee+standing pedal and a Rugwerk (Riickpositiv) un the balustrade of the gallery. Although the space was available, Schnitger did nor bulld thc pedal in separate pedal towers, bur rather, like in Uithuizen (Province Groningen), Cappel (near Bremerhaven), and Grasberg (near Bremen), behind the main cast.

The organ in Noordbroek was the first large work of Arp Schnitger in the province of Groningen except for the organ in the Martinikerk in the city of Groningen, which Schnitger earlier rehuilt and expanded. Today nine more well+ preserved instruments by Schnitger can be found in the city and province of Gmingen, more than can be found in any other region of the same size.

The organ in Noordbroek originally included 20 stops on the Great, Kugwexk, and Pedal. Schnitger's usual organ design for village organs had specified a short Dctave in the manuals (without 0, D#, F#, and G#) and a broken octave in the pedals (withuut Ca: and D#). Because organists were taught with very high standards of performance in the province of Groningen in the 18th century, the wish existed for a full octave in the bass of all the keyboards. This high performance level for organ playing in Gmningen was described by many authors, including Joachim Hess in his coIlcctiun of organ dispositions published in 1774.

In 1768 Albert Antonius Hinsch, who had taken over the Schnitger workshop in Groningen from Franz Caspar Schnitger, built new wind chests in the Great and the Rugwerk, to enlarge the keytxlard compass to 49 notes (from C to c"'). In addition, he expanded the disposition of the instrument. Hinsch worked on almost all of the organs in the area oFGroningen and built over 60 instrumentF between 1731 and 1785 in the Netherlands. Eight organs remain from the original twenty-three of his newly-built insttumentg in Groningen.

One further alteration occurred to the organ in Noordbroek between 1806 and 1809, and was implemented by the organ builder Heinrich Hermann Freytag. Freytag, who like Schnitger and Hinsch came from Hamburg, took over Hinsch's workshop. This workshop still existed in Groningen as late as 1869. Freytag's classically influenced fa~ade designs and his very musical voicing belonged to the highest organ building achievements in Europe around 1800. Shortly before his work in Noordbroek, he rebuilt the well- preserved early 17th.century urgan in Noordwulde near Groningen. There,

I Freyiig was able to study the quality of sound that was typical of early Bamque organs in Groningen. The vocal voicing

! quality and the solid building construction techniques of the f a ~ a d e pipes in Noordwolde must have influenced him.

1 This influence can be seen in his new front pipes in Noordbroek.

By 1800 Schnitger's tin fa~ade pipes in Noordbroek were severely damaged by corrosion and needed to be replaced. The new front pipes in Nnordhroek are made of lead with the typical bayleaf lip, in the early 17th century style. Thus, shortly after 1800, Freytag cnpisd an earlier style.

At the same time, Freytag also expanded the fapde to include pedal towers, erected directly on the sides of Schnitger's main case. The structure of low-placed pedal chests also existed in Noordwoldc. The resulting structure of the main case is now similar to the structure of the fa~ade in the Schnitger organ in the Aa+kerk in Groningen. Furthermore Freytag modernized the case with newly-carved pipe shades, new side carvings for the cases of the Great and the Rupwerk, and with new vases and urns on top of the case - all

- .- . .-

in the style of the time around 1800. The appearance of the organ with these new carvings together with the rich carvings dating from 1768 under the Ruckpositiv gives the organ a multi-stylistic character. However, the clear building style of Schnitger still dominates.

In place of Schnitger's pedal division behind the organ, Freytag had space to build four new wedge-shaped bellows. The bellows still remain in this position, and the sound quality that they give is one of placid breathing. Freytag kept almost all of the available existing stops, and in addition to the new Capde pipes he built only a new Gedakt 8' in the pedal in place of Schnitgcr's Mixmre.

Only one change was made to the organ in the 19th century. In 1855, the wutkshop of P. van Oeckelen in Groningen replaced the three high-pitched registers in the Rugwerk a d added a p d a l coupler. Since then, the organ hm remained basically unaltered except for the replacement of three srops in thc Rugwerk in 1958. P. van Oeckelen possibly raised the wind pressure to 82mm. The organ in Noordbroek

a largely original sound - not in - . -- --

10

the sense of the original sound of Arp Schnitger, but as a document of the continuous style of the khnitger school of organ builders. In order m present the character of the old sound of the organ, this recording does not use the stops from 1958, whith the exception of the Octaaf 2' in the Rugwerk, which is used only very ~ccasionally.

Organ specification

This specification provides a concise uverview of the present cundition of the instument desctibed for each piece performed.

The stop namea refer, whenever possible, to that of the original consoles, or to the terms found in contracts or other records of the time. In the absence of adequate source material, neutral orthography is used. Thus, "principal" and "octave" are spelled with "c," as was the norm until the end of the 19th century.

Pitch indications are indicated by the usual Arabic numerals (8'= eight foot), and compound stops are indicated by Roman numerals. The practice of indicating 2.213' as 3' and 1.113' as 1-112' was customary well into the 19th century.

Names of divisions are given in their original forms. It is striking to note &at one seldom encounters the term "Hauptwerk" before the 19th century. Roman numerals before the name of the division indicate position of the corresponding manual on the console (1 =

lowest manual, I1 = the second lowest manual, etc.)

Compasses are indicated from bwest pitch 1 ro the highest. Where pitches arc absent. I individual pitches are given until the point

1 at which the compass becomes chromatic (for example, CDEFGA representg the short octave, in which C#,D#,F# and G# are not present).

Symbols: The primary builder or period of construction is indicated by an "0," or by "oo" if more than one builder was involved. Earlier phases of constmction, which are partially still represented (by pipes, windcheso, cases, or bellows), are given in chronological order and indicated by '#" or "&'. Additions from later times are made clear by the symbols "+,++, or +++". Restoration or reconstruction is shown by "r". If several phases of alteration tnok place in the 20th century one after another by various builders, this is indicated by "nlr".

Old stops are frequently expanded during a rebuilding or a restoration. For a detailed specification of original instruments where additions and recunstrucrinns are - .-

described in detail, a much larger document with extremely detailed descriptions is needed. More complex still is an exact description of technical layouts, because, even in exstensively preserved instruments, vital details must frequently be reconstructed (for example, wind rrunks or bellows).

A stop is given one symbol when it is completely or predominately from one priod. If it consists of equal or almast equal parts, two or even three symbols are given, of which the first is most important.

The order of stops on these specifications does not correspond exactly to the windchests. Instead, the specifications attempt to present the best systematic overview: first the respective facade pipes, then the flue pipes in the order of lowest to highest, then the mutation stops, and finally the reeds. In the North German building style this corresponds largely to the order of the stops on the windches~.

Stop knobs that do not function have usually been added in order to obtain a symmetrical look to the key desk. These are labeled "Varat," "Noli me tangere," etc.

I and are not included in the specification Abbte~ations: lists. W d e n pipes are identified only when they were built before the end ot the H, = ~~~~~~l late 18th century. After this time, the use R~ = ~~~~~k of wood pipes increased and these pipes pd = p h i were not considered to be exceptionaI.

Schnitger Organ ( 1695 -96) Hewom& Kerk, Noordbroek, Groningen province, The Netherlands

1695-1696 o ApSchnitger * elder

1768 + Albert Antonius Hinsch 1809 ++ Hemrich Hermann Freymg 1855 +++ P, van Oeckelm 1958 n C.H. EdsBtes / S. Graafhuis

Organcase: o/++

Disposition: I. ManuaaII C+cl"

hestant Quindena Holpijp Octaaf Speelfluit @-lint Octaaf M~xtuur Tromper Vox Humana

11. Rugwerk / C-c'" Prestant Flult h u e Fluit iktaaf hquia l t era Scherp Dulciaan

Restant Bourdon Gedakt Octaaf h r n Trompet Comet

Wmdchestrr

6 wedge beIlows Keyboards

Manual wplers Pedal couplet +++ Windpressure: 8Zmm/WS

Pitch: ca. 112 step above normal

Temperamenlt: Unequal (Werckmeister)

Organ Registrations

Vincent hbeck (1656.1740) Praeambulum in d+minw 01 mOl Hw Q16, P8,04, Q3, M +

Rp Fd8, P4,OZ m03 Pd B16, Bs16, PB, Tr8,04 + Hw m57 Rp Fd8, P4,02, (Fugue) m64 Pd + Hw, PS,TrS, 0 4 , 0 2 m1.13 Hw th.andPdsameasm64 m140 Hw tQ16, +M,

Pd +&16 m144 Hw -Q16, -M

Pd -&I6 m148 same as m140 (man.) ml54 same as 144 (man.) m160 same as m01, +Hw Tr8

Elias Nicolaus Arnmerbach (157111583) Ein kumr Dantz

02 Hw 416, Vh8, Spf4 Hw -Vh8 (repeats)

Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654) Magnificat in the 3rd M d e

03 V1 Hw Tr8 (meantune) 04V2 Hw Q16

Pd C4 (c.C.1 05 V3 Rp Fd8, F4

Pd C4, W (c.f.1 06 V4 Hw Vh8

Pd 0 4 (c.f.) 07V5a Hw Ql6,vhs

Rp M8,F4 08 V5b H w SpM

Rp F4 Pd O1,Ticm.

09 V6 Hw Q16, Pa, 0 4 , Q3 + Rp M8, P4,OZ Pd C4 (c.f. additional)

Johann Sehtian Bach (1685-1750) Prelude and Fugue in C-Major IBWV 545)

10 Prel. H w 01 6 , PS, 0 4 , Q3, 02, M + Rp Fd8, ~ 4 , 0 2 - Pd h16, TrB, P 8 , 0 4 +

1 1 Fume H w -Q16< +Tr8

Padta: Sei gegriiSet, Jesu Hiihg ( B W 768) Fantasy and Fugue in c-minor (BWV 537) 12 ChoralHw P8 24 Fant. Hw PB 13 V1 Hw PB (1.Hd.) Pd B16,F%,G8

Up Fd8,FQlrh.) 25 Ftque Hw P8,04,Q3.02 + 14V2 Rp Fd8,W Rp Fd8, P4 15 V3 Hw 416, P8.04, Q3,02 Pd B16,P8,Td3.04+ 16 V4 Rp F4 17 V5 Hw Tr8,04,

Rv Fd8. P4

&I Phillpp Emanwl k h (1714.1788) Pantaay snd Fugue in c-minor

27 Fant. H w (216, PB. 04, Q3,02, M + Rp M% P4,OZ Pd B16 Bs16, P8. T& 04 +

Fugw Hw +T&

Harald Vogel

Harald Vogel is recognized as a leading authority on the performance of North German organ music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. He is the Director of the North German Organ Academy, an institution which he founded in 1972. The Academy5 mission is to further the cause of historical playing techniques and performance practice on original instrumenw.

As Superintendent of Church Music and Organ Advisor for the Reformed Church, he is q n s i b l e for a large portion of Northwest Germany's historical organs.

Hamld Vogel is Professor of Organ at the HochschuIe fiir Kunste in Bremen. His extensive career as concert artist and teacher in Europe, the United States, and Japan spans over three decades.

Of his many recordings, those made between 1961 and 1975 for Radio Bremen rank among the m a t imporrant sound documents of their kind.

1t1 1981, Vcrgel founded the Dollart Festival: the first bbnational early music festival in Europe.

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