Saxon musical landscapes in the 16th and 17th centuries
Nr. 5
Paysages musicaux de Saxe au XVIe et au XVIIe siècle
Civitas Lipsiarum
Early music from ancient Leipzig /
Musique du vieux Leipzig
Christine Maria Rembeck, Constanze Backes, Alexander Schneider, Michael Schaffrath, Ingolf Seidel, Marek Rzepka
Ensemble „Alte Musik Dresden“
Conductor: Norbert Schuster
Sacred music from the city of Leipzig by Seth Calvisius, Jacob Weckmann, Johann Schelle, Johann Hermann Schein, Johann Rosenmüller, Tobias Michael, Sebastian Knüpfer, Heinrich Isaak and Werner Fabricius
The rich musical life in the city of Leipzig of the 16. and 17. century before the era of Bach is much less recognized. The CD „Civitas Lipsiarum“ attempts to bring into mind musical masterpieces of that times which are performed only rarely.
In contrast to the musical culture at court in most other towns Leipzig´s music was always influenced by the “civitas lipsiarum”, the citizenry of the town.
Norbert Schuster and his ensemble have chosen wonderful pieces of the cantors at St. Thomas’ which represent the different sides of this music.
Beginning at early monastic music Norbert Schuster and his ensemble have revived alluring pieces of Seth Calvius, Johann Hermann Schein, Johann Schelle and Sebastian Knüpfer, all of whom cantors at St. Thomas. The vocal pieces range from the jubilantly Christmas music and a smooth, mournfulness lamentation to a motete-like Choral concert about the christening song written by Martin Luther. The sonorous voices of the six singers harmonize marvellously with the dulcian and the historical string instruments and rebuild the authentic sound of the early baroque. Complemented by two instrumentals, paduanes by Werner Fabricius played on historical instruments the recordings give a good overview of various facets of the lifely musical life in the city of Leipzig in the 16th and 17th century.
The recordings have been made at St. Lucas church in Dresden.
