Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Gottfried August Homilius, Georg Friedrich Kauffmann, Johann Ludwig Krebs, Christian Gotthilf Tag
Performer: Austral Harmony, Jane Downer, Peter Hagen
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Chandos
Catalogue: CHAN0809
Release: 2015
Size: 256 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Krebs: Fantasia in C Major on Wachet auf (arr. for oboe, trumpet and organ)
Krebs: Jesu, meine Freude
02. Praeambulum
03. Krebs: Chorale Prelude, “Jesu, meine Freude” (arr. for oboe, trumpet and organ)
04. Bach: Fantasia super Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 713a (arr. for oboe d’amore and organ)
Krebs: Jesu meine Freude
05. Choral alio modo
06. Homilius: Chorale Prelude, “Nun freut euch, lieben Christen gemein” (arr. for oboe, trumpet and organ)
Homilius: Oboe Sonata in F Major, HoWV XI.1
07. I. Adagio
08. II. Allegro assai
09. III. Amoroso
10. IV. Vivace
11. Krebs: Chorale Prelude, “Nun freut euch, lieben Christen gmein” (arr. for oboe d’amore and organ)
12. Tag: Nun danket alle Gott
Bach: Trio Sonata No. 3 in D minor, BWV527
13. I. Andante
14. II. Adagio e dolce
15. III. Vivace
16. Kauffmann: Chorale Prelude, “Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein” (arr. for oboe, trumpet and organ)
17. Krebs: Fantasia in G Minor
18. Kauffmann: Chorale Prelude, “Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ” (arr. for oboe, trumpet and organ)
19. Kauffmann: Chorale Prelude, “Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern” (arr. for oboe, trumpet and organ)
Harmonische Freude features chamber music by Johann Sebastian Bach and his extended circle, played on historical instruments by Austral Harmony, an ensemble of Australian musicians who specialise in music of the 18th century. The group fosters a particular interest in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, and presents innovatively designed programmes promoting less familiar repertoire. This is its first recording on Chandos.
Using the sustained tone of a small pipe organ alongside baroque oboe and trumpet, the musicians create an impression of intimacy and a pleasing variety of sonority. Inspiration comes from Georg Friedrich Kauffmann’s concept of having an oboist imitate an organ stop by playing from the organ loft. Bach employed Lutheran chorales exhaustively throughout his choral and organ works; his pupils Krebs and Homilius composed chorale adaptations which included oboe and trumpet in a solo role. Four different trumpets and an oboe d’amore lend expressivity to the various hymn tunes which are a focal point of the disc. The musical idiom of other associates and pupils of Bach reflects the progressive and predominantly melodic galant style which ushered in the musical ideals of the Classical era.