Ruth Ziesak
continues her excellent series of recordings
with one that, once more, shows off
her strengths in baroque works; here,
specifically, German cantatas. Nearly
all the composers were active in the
North of the country or in the areas
bordering the Baltic Sea; several travelled
- Baltzar made a famous splash in London,
astounding most listeners with his violin
virtuosity - though none were court
composers with the partial exception
of Baltzar who became a member of Charles
II’s band.
Much here is influenced
by prevailing Italianate currents and
orthodoxies. Geist’s very attractive
Vater unser, der du bist im Himmel
for example has a cantus firmus
that adds gravity and the grandeur of
inevitability though the vocal line
is very Italian in its flourish and
declamation. Interspersed we have Buxtehude’s
Sonata in B flat major, a lively, strongly
etched work that offers contrapuntal
drive and a more relaxed lyricism as
well. Reincken’s Suite is a most attractive
sonata di chiesa. Ebart’s Miserere,
Christe, mei is multi-sectional,
attractively scaled and has a real purity
about it – but also powers in projection,
not least in the concluding Amen. Tunder’s
Ach Herr, lass deine lieben Engelein
exemplifies this sense of lyricism
and alternating gravity, one that pervades
the disc, and one realised so well by
Ziesak. And Bernhard’s Aus der Tiefe
rufe ich zu dir shows the influence
of Monteverdi in its melismas and fluid
vocal virtuosity. Baltzar is rightly
represented by a solo violin work, his
Airs (the title given by Capriccio –
isn’t this one of the pieces grouped
together in The Division Violin
and published by Playford after the
composer’s death?) Those expecting proto-Paganinian
or at least Biber-esque fireworks should
be warned that this is a much more temperate
work – expressive, melancholy and technically
eloquent. I’m assuming it’s played here
by Georg Kallweit of the excellent Berliner
Barock-Compagney. We started with Geist,
a noble representative of the North
German school and we end with his Wie
schön leuchtet der Morgenstern,
a splendidly conceived work over
a cantus firmus, something of a feature
of these works.
The booklet has translations
into English and French and some biographical
details. Recorded sound is clear.
Jonathan Woolf
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Ruth Ziesak (soprano) 
