musica Dei donum
CD reviews
"Variations on Silbermann"
Daniel Beilschmidt, organ
rec: Sept 23 - 25, 2024, Burgk, Schloß Burgk
Querstand - VKJK 2504 (© 2025) (77'47")
Liner-notes: E/D
Cover & track-list
Spotify
Johann Sebastian BACH (1885-1750):
Partita No. 2 in d minor (BWV 1004) (ciaccona, arr by Pieter-Jan Belder/Daniel Beilschmidt);
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759):
Chaconne in G (HWV 435);
Johann Caspar KERLL (1627-1693):
Toccata III;
Johann KUHNAU (1660-1722):
Suonata II 'Der von David vermittelst der Music curirte Saul';
Johann PACHELBEL (1653-1706):
Prelude in d minor;
Werde munter, mein Gemüte, chorale partita;
Alessandro SCARLATTI (1660-1725):
Toccata per Cembalo d'ottava stesa;
Matthias WECKMANN (c1616-1674):
Fantasia ex D
Source:
Johann Kuhnau, Musicalische Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien, 1700
Gottfried Silbermann was one of the main organ builders in Germany during the first half of the 18th century. He was the younger brother of Andreas Silbermann, the first organ builder of this dynasty. Gottfried built most of his organs in Saxony. His first large project was the building of the organ in the cathedral of Freiberg, where he established his workshop. His last organ was also his largest, in the Hofkirche in Dresden, which after his death was completed by his pupils Joachim Wagner and Zacharias Hildebrandt. Some organists believe that Silbermann's organs are the ideal instruments for the performance of Bach's organ works. One of them was the late Ewald Kooiman, who started a complete recording of his organ works on Silbermann organs (Aeolus); this project was interrupted by his death, and completed by some of his pupils. However, that view is not universally shared. Jan Katzschke, in the liner-notes to his recording on another Silbermann organ in Freiberg, states that "the idealised partnership of Bach and Silbermann is a myth of the 20th century" (Ambiente ACD 2017, 2008). We don't know that much about Bach's opinion of Silbermann's instruments, but Katzsche mentions his criticism of Silbermann's tuning which he found "too idiosyncratic".
In comparision to some of Silbermann's large organs, such as that in Freiberg Cathedral, the organ that Daniel Beilschmidt chose for the recording which is the subject of this review, is little-known. It is probably also one of his smallest instruments: it consists of one manual with eleven stops and a pedalboard with one stop (Subbass 16'). It is in the chapel of Burgk Castle in Thuringia, which dates from around 1403 and today is a museum. In 1739 Silbermann was commissioned to build an organ, which was to replace a positive organ of 1639, built by Caspar Kerll. By Easter 1743 the new instrument was consecrated. In the course of time some repairs have taken place, which sometimes included changes, for instance a retuning to equal temperament in the 1860s. In 1939 a switchable mechanical pedal coupler was installed. More recently the organ has been restored to its original state, including the modefied meantone temperament intended by Silbermann.
The temperament may have been one of the reasons that Bach takes a minor place in the programme. Beilschmidt explains his selection of pieces thus: "The CD program Variations on Silbermann is a homage to this late-period gem of Silbermann's craft consecrated in 1743 - both as a masterwork of organ building and as a vessel for the music of 17th- and 18th-century composers who either hailed from Central Germany (Weckmann from Niederdorla near Mühlhausen, Kerll from Adorf in the Vogtland, Kuhnau from Geising in the Ore Mountains, Handel from Halle, and Bach from Eisenach) or were active there (Pachelbel in Eisenach, Gotha, and Erfurt). A broader musical horizon is suggested by the inclusion of the Neapolitan Alessandro Scarlatti, whose groundbreaking contributions to keyboard music have all too often been eclipsed by the fame of his son Domenico Scarlatti – one of the three renowned '1685ers' alongside Bach and Handel."
One of the notable features of this recording is that the largest part consists of works that were not intended for the organ, but rather for strung keyboard instruments: the harpsichord or the clavichord. That does not mean that they can't be played on the organ, but from a historical perspective one wonders under what circumstances they may have been played on the organ. Some aristocrats had organs in their chapel; these may have been used for other than liturgical music. However, large organs in churches were usually only played during the liturgy, and none of the harpsichord pieces on this disc could have found a place in it.
That includes the Suonata II by Johann Kuhnau, one of six such works in which scenes from the Old Testament are illustrated. Kuhnau added that they are "Auff dem Claviere zu spielen". The word Clavier usually referred to a strung keyboard instrument, especially the clavichord, which was widespread in the 17th century. The Suonata II focuses on the melancholy of Saul, first King of Israel, which is assuaged by David's playing the harp. It is especially through the use of harmony that Saul's state of mind is depicted in the long opening movement. Here the temperament of the organ fits what Kuhnau wanted to express.
Handel's Chaconne in G is specifically intended for the harpsichord, and although it formally can be played on the organ, for some reasons I don't find this performance very convincing. Beilschmidt changes the registration now and then; that is something to which the organ, with its various stops, invites, but which does not make it any better. The same goes for Alessandro Scarlatti's Toccata per Cembalo d'Ottava stesa, especially in its last section, which consists of variations on La Folia. The changes in registration also tends to undermine a piece's unity. Neither for the organ nor for the harpsichord is the ciaccona from Bach's Partita in d minor for violin solo. It is an iconic piece, which has been arranged and transcribed in many different ways and for different (combinations of) instruments. In this case the performance on the organ is not that much of a problem, as Bach did the same. Beilschmidt plays a transcription for harpsichord by Pieter-Jan Belder, which he slightly adapted for the organ. It does well on the organ, but again I am not happy with the changes in registration, also because neither the original nor the harpsichord transcription ask for it.
The remaining works are original organ pieces. That may be the reason I like them the most. Johann Pachelbel's Praeludium in d minor is a specimen of the stylus phantasticus. It includes a pedal solo, pedal points and broken chords. It has the improvisatory traces of preludes and toccatas of the 17th century. Johann Caspar Kerll's Toccata III is an example of the latter. He worked in Vienna, Munich and Brussels and his oeuvre shows the strong influence of the Italian style. This may be the reason that the Silbermann organ is not the most suitable for this piece.
That is different with the two remaining pieces: the Fantasia ex D by Matthias Weckmann is a typical specimen of the north German organ school. It is in five parts, and consists of two contrasting sections. The only chorale-based piece in the programme is Pachelbel's chorale partita Werde munter, mein Gemüte, which opens with a harmonization of the hynm, which is followed by several variations with the ornamented chorale melody in different voices. The piece closes with a repeat of the harmonization; I don't know whether this is indicated or a decision of Beilschmidt.
As one may have gathered, I am not entirely happy with this disc. I would have liked a programme of genuine organ pieces rather than a number of works for a strung keyboard. I already mentioned the changes in registration. As this organ has only one manual, this is only possible with the help of a registration assistant. Experts are not unanimous whether such assistants existed in the baroque era. In most cases I can't see the need for a change in registration. In some cases they may be necessary, for instance in Kuhnau's sonata, which includes echo effects. This further indicates that these sonatas are intended for a strung keyboard instrument: a harpsichord with two manuals or a clavichord, which allows dynamic contrasts.
Beilschmidt's articulation is very good - that is to say: I would appreciate it in a space with a larger reverberation, to keep the musical discourse as clear as possible. However, I feel that here he is exaggerating a little, as the acoustic is pretty dry and there is almost no reverberation. As a result it damages the natural flow.
It cannot be appreciated enough when a little-known organ is presented in a CD recording. I had never heard this organ, and I wonder whether it has ever been used for a commercial recording. It is certainly worth it, as it is a very fine instrument, and this recording gives a good impression of its qualities. However, although I like Beilschmidt's playing as such, I am not entirely happy with the programme and the way it is played.
On a technical note: there is hardly any space between the various pieces. A space of about 5 to 6 seconds would be preferable.
Johan van Veen (© 2026)