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CD reviews
David POHLE (1624 - 1695): Liebesgesänge
Benjamin Lyko, Alex Potter, alto
e.g.baroque
Dir: Clemens Flick
rec: Sept 28 - Oct 1, 2021, Berlin-Oberschöneweide, Christuskirche
Audite - aud 97.803 (© 2023) (61'19")
Liner-notes: E; lyrics - no translations
Cover, track-list & booklet
Spotify
Johann Philipp KRIEGER (1649-1725):
Sonata I in d minor, op. 1,1;
David POHLE:
Zwölf Liebesgesänge (Des kleinen Schützen heiße Bolzen; Geht, ihr meine Tränen, geht; Wollte sie nur, wie sie sollte; Liebste, die du's wahrlich bist; Mein Leben, ich bin angezündet; Ein getreues Herze wissen; Anemone, meine Wonne; Es ist umsonst das Klagen; Muß sie gleich sich itzund stellen; Aurora, schlummre noch; Will sie nicht, so mag sie's lassen; Ihr Gift der Zeit, ihr Pest der Jugend
Sources:
Johann Philipp Krieger, 12 Suonate, op. 1, 1688
Simon Borutzki, recorder;
Irina Granovskaya, Anne Marie Harer, violin;
Lea Rahel Bader, cello;
Bernhard Reichel, lute, guitar;
Clemens Flick, harpsichord, organ;
Peter Kuhnsch, percussion
In the 17th century many secular songs were written across Europe. England had its lute and consort songs, later followed by the theatrical songs by Henry Purcell, France its airs de cour. These are well represented on disc, but German songs of the 17th century are almost completely neglected. Over many years of reviewing, only a few recordings of this kind of repertoire have crossed my path. One of the composers who contributed to this genre was Johann Erasmus Kindermann, to whom CPO devoted a disc a few years ago. Julian Prégardien included some German songs in his recital devoted to the mythological singer Orpheus. The disc under review is the first which includes a set of songs by David Pohle, a composer from the second half of the 17th century.
Pohle was a pupil of Heinrich Schütz in Dresden, where he also worked some time at the court. Afterwards he worked at several places, like Kassel, Weissenfels, Zeitz and Merseburg. In 1660 he was appointed Kapellmeister in Halle, and during the 1670s he also worked for other courts. From 1678 to 1682 he was Kapellmeister at Zeitz, and from 1682 until his death he held the same position in Merseburg. Although these were important positions, none of his works were published during his lifetime. Partly due to this much of his oeuvre has been lost, for instance a complete cycle of cantatas for the church year - just one of them has survived - and at least seven Singespiele.
The Zwölf Liebesgesänge date from 1650, when Pohle was in the service of Landgrave Wilhelm VI of Hesse-Kassel, to whom he dedicated the songs. They are settings of poems by Paul Fleming, one of the main German poets of the 17th century. He was a pupil at the Thomasschule in Leipzig, and then enrolled at the medical faculty of the University. He entered the service of Duke Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf as physician and accompanied his employer on missions to, among others, Russia and Persia. In 1640 he earned a medical doctorate in Leiden and planned to settle as a doctor in Reval. On his way to there he died of pneumonia, at the age of 30.
The Liebesgesänge bear witness to a movement in Germany which tried to innovate poetry and to prove that the German language was perfectly suited to write poems. One of its main exponents was Martin Opitz, whose poems were set by, among others, the above-mentioned Kindermann and by Heinrich Schütz. What makes these poems by Fleming stand out is that they are strongly autobiographical, which was quite unusual at the time. In 1635 he fell in love with a woman, Elsabe Niehus, who decided to marry her tutor instead. He then became engaged to her sister Anna (but before the wedding he died). These events inspired Fleming to write a number of odes. When Pohle became acquainted with them, he selected twelve of these poems. "His selection of texts revolves around the themes of love, loss and pain, but also of happiness and determination, and finally of abstinence. The two sisters are named by way of elegant pseudonyms: 'Salibene' stands for Elsabe and 'Anemone' or 'Korile' for Anna." (booklet)
The scoring is also remarkable: all twelve poems are set for two equal voices, two violins and basso continuo. "It is very likely that, by doubling the voice part, Pohle
wanted to emphasise the torn nature of the persona, whilst the two constantly intertwined instrumental parts represent the sisters Elsabe and Anna", Bernhard Schrammek states in his liner-notes. All the poems are strophical; in six the stanzas have identical music, and are separated by instrumental ritornellos. In four songs the stanzas are set to different music, but with an identical basso continuo part, whereas in the remaining two the stanzas have been given different music. Six songs are in a major key, six in minor. As one may expect, Pohle did not fail to illustrate words in his setting. Schrammek mentions several examples.
He does not mention for which kind of voices these pieces are scored. As I have no access to the scores, I can't check whether Pohle has indicated any voice type. If the choice of two male altos is a decision on the part of the musical director of the performance, Clemens Flick, this is historically perfectly legitimate, and works out very well. Alex Potter is a well-known name in the early music scene, who works with the main ensembles and has an impressive discography to his name. I did not know Benjamin Lyko, but he is quite experienced in early music, as his biography shows, and the two voices blend pretty well. Their interpretation of the various songs is spot-on and fully explores the character of each individual song.
The playing of the instrumentalists is excellent, but I am not very happy with the decision to add percussion in some of the songs. I don't see the need, and it seems that it is not in line with the nature of these songs. In a few songs Simon Borutzki plays the recorder. He does so well, but again I fail to see the reasons for the participation of a recorder. These are little blots on an otherwise fine production.
The songs have been grouped into two sequences of six each. In between is a trio sonata by Johann Philipp Krieger. In a way he is connected to Pohle: in 1680 his former employer, Duke August, died, and his successor moved the court from Halle to Weissenfels. As Kapellmeister he appointed Krieger. He is another composer, whose extant oeuvre is hardly known. The Sonata in d minor performed here is from a set of twelve, which was printed as his Op. 1 in 1688.
This disc is an important contribution to our knowledge of German secular song repertoire of the 17th century, a genre that needs to be thoroughly explored. It is also musically captivating, thanks to the quality of texts and music and the level of performance. It is a shame that the booklet omits English translations of the poems.
Johan van Veen (© 2023)
Relevant links:
Benjamin Lyko
Alex Potter