Only a relatively small quantity of Buxtehude’s writing for harpsichord
survives, none of which was published during the composer’s lifetime.
What we have amounts to some nineteen suites and some sets of
variations. Much of what survives does so in a single manuscript,
only rediscovered in 1939, a long-standing family possession of
the postmaster of Nykøbing Falster in Denmark. The music was transcribed
by the organist Emilius Bangert
and first published in 1942. The manuscript is now in the Royal
Library in Copenhagen. Since then, appreciation of Buxtehude’s
achievement as a writer for the harpsichord – something for which
discerning contemporaries praised him - has grown. There are fine
recordings by, amongst others, Ton Koopman (on Challenge Records)
and Lars Urik Mortensen (originally on Da Capo now being reissued
on Naxos) – these are complete or on their way to completion.
On this present CD
Colin Booth presents a selection of Buxtehude’s writing for the
harpsichord, played on a copy of an instrument of 1681 by Jean-Antoine
Vaudry of Paris. The original is in the Victoria and Albert Museum
in London, where it has been since 1975. It was ‘modernised’ in
1710 and probably again later in the Eighteenth Century: there
is a fascinating – and well-illustrated – article by Derek Adlam
(‘Restoring the Vaudry’) on the original instrument and its restoration
after its purchase by the V and A (Early Music, 4:3, 1976,
pp.255-65). The suitability of a French instrument may, I suppose,
be debated, but there is little value in getting hung up on such
issues. In any case, there are very few surviving German instruments
of the period. The bottom end of Booth’s copy (made in 2005) of
the Vaudry instrument is particularly pleasing and the sound as
a whole is well nourished and clearly articulated.
Booth plays with lucidity
and intelligence throughout. At its best his playing has a pleasing
fluency, though just occasionally I find his playing a little
on the stiff side rhythmically speaking. Much of the time, however,
he articulates very attractively the quasi-improvisational quality
of some of Buxtehude’s sarabandes and allemandes, with their broken
chords. In Buxtehude’s suites the ensuing movements are, essentially,
generated by the opening allemande; this is clearly the case in
the very attractive Suite in F major, a piece full of dignified
yet intimate music, exuding an air of thoughtful private music-making
to which the listener has privileged access. Booth is heard at
something like his best here. The suite in A major begins with
a particularly lovely allemande, music with, as it were, a smile
on its face; the courante which follows trips along very pleasantly
and the closing sarabande and gigue keep up the prevailing good
humour. There is, then, a good deal to enjoy here. But there is
one major disappointment, one substantial fly in the ointment.
Buxtehude’s set
of variations known as La Capriciossa is one of the major works
in the period’s repertoire for harpsichord. Apart from its own
substantial qualities, it is important historically. As Colin
Booth reminds us in his booklet notes, it is probable that this,
Buxtehude’s most substantial set of variations, was designed
to rival (and surpass) his contemporary Reincken’s set of variations
on ‘La Meyerin’ and was surely, in turn, an influence on the
Goldberg Variations. It isn’t coincidence, surely, that there
are the same number of variations in each and that each is in
the key of G major. While Buxtehude’s work – unsurprisingly
– won’t quite stand up to comparison with Bach’s – it is a very
fine piece, full of sustained invention and technical skill.
It deserves to be heard in full and the listener’s appreciation
of it is much enhanced when it is so heard. It is, therefore
very disappointing that Booth chooses to play only parts of
the work (for the record, he includes the opening statement
of the aria and the closing repeat, plus variations 1-3, 6-8,
10, 12-13, 15, 21, 23, 24, 26 and 29-32). Good as much of Booth’s
playing is, this is an unpleasant truncation of a major work
– a work which well sustains the listener’s interest at its
full length of 30 minutes or so. I, at least, would have been
content to sacrifice some of the other music on the disc for
the sake of having a full performance of BUX WV 250.
In pretty well every
other respect this is a thoroughly enjoyable programme.
Glyn Pursglove
Colin Booth
(harpsichord)
