musica Dei donum
CD reviews
"Money Power(s) Music - Music for the Fugger family"
Johannes Weiss, tenora
bFive Recorder Consort
rec: August 5 - 8, 2010, Schloss Seehaus (D)
Coviello Classics - COV 21105 (© 2011) (59'34")
Liner-notes: E/D; lyrics - translations: E
Cover & tracklist
Petrus ALAMIRE (c1470-1536)
Tanndernac;
anon:
Doise espoier;
Douleur me bat super O vos omnes;
Gagliarda - Saltarello (Hess, 76);
Gaillarde 1 - Gaillarde 2 (Hess, 132);
La sol mi fa mi (Cantus de anglia);
On a mal dit de mon amy;
Pavane (Hess, 132);
Pro chasser fait;
Qui vult aymere, il faut estre joieux;
Tanz (Königs Ferdinandus tantz) (Hess, 93);
Tanz - Nachtanz (La rote de rode) (Hess, 94);
Tanz - Nachtanz (Hess, 122);
Tanz - Nachtanz (Hess, 137);
Tanz - Nachtanz (Hess, 153);
Tanz (Kyng Harry the VIIIth Pavyn) (Hess, 86);
Benedictus APPENZELLER (c1480/88-after 1558):
Je my levay ung matin;
Noel BAULDEWEYN (c1480-1530):
Ach got wem sol ichs clagena;
Antoine BRUMEL (c1460-1512/13):
Lamentatio: Languentis miseris/clamor meus ad te veniat;
Tandernac;
Heinrich FINCK (1444/45-1527):
Greiner zanner;
Paul HOFHAIMER (1459-1537):
Fro bin ich dein;
Greyner zannera;
JOSQUIN DESPREZ (c1450-1521):
Douleur me bat;
Hans NEUSIDLER (c1508/09-1563):
Gassenhauer;
Jean RICHAFORT (c1480-1547):
D'amour je suis;
Ludwig SENFL (c1468-1542/43):
Die prünlein die da fliessena
Markus Bartholomé, Katelijne Lanneau, Thomas List, Silja-Maaria Schütt, Mina Voet, recorder
It isn't always that easy to find a correct title for a disc. The subtitle of this recording says "Music for the Fugger family". That is definitely not correct: the music on this disc wasn't written for the Fuggers, but rather collected by them. And that is not the same. Another problem is that a title in one language can't always be translated in another language without losing some of its meaning. And that is the case here as well. The German title says: "Geld Macht Musik". These three words are nouns, meaning "Money Power Music". But "Macht" can also be a verb, and than the title says: "Money Makes Music". And that is exactly what the money of the Fuggers did.
They were one of the wealthies and therefore most influential families in southern Germany in the 16th century. They were of middle-class origin but entered the ranks of the aristocracy thanks to their wealth. As merchants and bankers they were "as tough as nails", Markus Bartholomé writes in his liner-notes. They were not afraid to use their wealth for political reasons, as Emperor Charles V experienced. When a change of law was considered which would have had a negative effect on their business activities Jakob Fugger reminded the emperor: "It is well-known that Your Imperial Majesty could not have acquired the Roman crown without my help..." And that was the end of discussion.
At the same time the Fuggers played an important role in the cultural life of their time, and especially in music. Young members of the family were sent abroad, not just to broaden their horizon as businessmen and extend their network but also to experience the music scene elsewhere. Markus Fugger the Younger sang regularly with Flemish musicians during his stay in Antwerp. Raymund Fugger the Younger is especially interesting in regard to music, as he collected almost 400 musical instruments. And the playing of the music on this disc with a consort of recorders is justified by the fact that the catalogue of the instrument collection of 1566 lists 26 wind consorts. Moreover the inventory mentions "a large case containing 27 recorders, large and small, made in England".
The Fuggers collected not only instruments but also music. The programme of this disc consist of pieces from three collections. These are likely the result of Raymund Fugger the Younger's passion for music, and are preserved in the National Library in Vienna. They show which music was played at the time. It doesn't come as a surprise that composers from the Franco-Flemish school - which dominated the music-scene in Europe until the mid-16th century - are particularly well represented. The largest part of the music lacks a text, despite its clear vocal origin. In fact these are arrangements of vocal items for a consort of instruments. These collections give us a good insight into the repertoire of consorts of recorders or other instruments. One of the collections also contains some so-called Tenorlieder. These are polyphonic pieces with a cantus firmus which is to be sung by a tenor. Ludwig Senfl is the most prolific composer of such pieces, and he is represented with Die prünlein die da fliessen. This collection also contains some purely instrumental music, like the settings of Tandernaken. The third source contains dance music from all parts of Europe, including Spain and England. It is the earliest known printed dance music and was published by Bartholomäus and Paul Hess in 1555. The dances in the programme come from this collection, and the practices of the time suggest that players were used to perform them with considerable freedom.
The musicians have made a very fine selection from these three sources which guarantees a maximum of variation. That is also due to the scope of the music, ranging from transcriptions of vocal pieces to dance music. The members of B-Five use a number of recorders - all copies of historical instruments - in various combinations. Unfortunately the track-list doesn't give the scoring of the various tracks. The playing is of the highest order, technically immaculate - which is anything but easy with a consort of recorders, especially in regard to intonation - and shows much flair and imagination. Recordings with such music can be a bit short-winded as most pieces are rather short, but the artists keep things going and make the most of everything. Johannes Weiss has a nice voice and has found the right approach to the vocal items.
This disc is highly entertaining, thanks to both music and performance.
Johan van Veen (© 2011)
Relevant links:
bFive Recorder Consort