HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Baroque Christoph Graupner

Christoph Graupner was born on 13 Jan 1683 in Hartmannsdorf, Germany. Playing multiple instruments like harpsichord and oboe, he had been an exceedingly prolific composer, leaving about 2000 pieces of surviving work, nigh three quarters of which are spiritual cantatas. One instrument for which he composed was flute, that largely replacing the recorder, which had become so popular 'midst the Renaissance, during Graupner's period. As for Graupner, one will never see his likeness on a billboard or in Facebook since there are no known portraits of him, this due that, being a modest Lutheran, he'd not sit for such the vanity. Though his works have been well-documented, recordings of his works are yet relatively few. That reflected at YouTube places this presentation a little in the quantum realm with no great abundance to hear from him comparative to other composers. Find herein a fuzzy glance less at approximately Graupner than somewhere in the vicinity.

GWV numbers in Graupner are per the thematic 'Graupner-Werke-Verzeichnis' of 2005, edited by Oswald Bill and Christoph Grosspietsch [see Christoph Graupner Gesellschaft (CGG), Heyerick, IMSLP, Wikipedia]. This directory begins with fifty pieces for harpsichord GWV 101-150. It continues with sonatas for chamber GWV 201-219. Concerti are numbered GWV 301-344. His overtures, also called orchestral suites, are listed GWV 401-485. Symphonies are indexed GWV 501-612. Works uncertain are GWV 701-750. Operas are compiled GWV 1001-1015. His many sacred cantatas are listed GWV 1011/12-1300/19. Secular cantatas of which he authored 24 begin with GWV 1051. This is a remarkably thorough verzeichnis which tends to be chronological by category with exceptions. Despite modern scholarship, Graupner's own autographs and presence in manuscripts otherwise, just when he composed a great portion of his catalogue is simply unknown.

James Reel at All Music has Graupner studying singing with organist, Nikolaus Kuster, as early as age eight. He attended the University of Leipzig to study law first, then music, before joining the orchestra of the Hamburg Opera in 1705 to play harpsichord. Young Georg Handel played violin in that orchestra at that time as well. Graupner's first of fifteen catalogued operas was 'Dido, Konigin von Carthago' GWV 1001 arriving in 1707. After 'L’Amore Ammalato' the same year Graupner collaborated in Hamburg with Reinhard Keiser on the singspiel, 'Der angenehme Betrug oder Der Carneval von Venedig' ('The Pleasant Fraud or The Carnival of Venice') GWV 1003 [monograph of 1723] which appeared in 1707. This is curious, as Johann David Heinichen's eponymously titled 'Der angenehme Betrug oder Der Carneval von Venedig' is said to have possibly appeared as early as 1705, other sources citing 1707 or 1709. I'm guessing that Heinichen may be credited less for composing the opera itself than contributing an aria or so to Keiser's [Opera One]. Find references for this curiosity below. Presently, let's leave the matter and move on with Graupner's 'Dido':

'Dido, Königin von Carthago' GWV 1001 Singspiel by Christoph Graupner

'Dido, Queen of Carthage' Premiere spring 1707 in Hamburg

Libretto by Heinrich Hinsch Wikipedia

Elbipolis Barockorchester / Florian Heyerick Konzerthaus Berlin 15 April 2010

In 1709 Graupner left for the court of Hesse-Darmstadt, becoming hofkapellmeister in 1711. He there worked until going blind in 1754, ceasing to write music at that time as well. Graupner's early cantata, 'Wache auf meine Ehre' GWV 1101/12 arrived in 1712 [Mus-Ms-420-33]. His earliest works for harpsichord arrived in 1718, among them 'Partien auf das Klavier' GWV 101, appearing in Mus-Ms-466 in 1720. Another was 'Monatliche Clavir Früchte – Januarius' GWV 109 in 1718 as well, that the first for all the months after and published in 1722 [IMSLP]. Pieces for all four seasons followed in 1733. "Clavir," "clavier," or "klavier" in Graupner titles refer to the harpsichord. Though these are terms for piano, Graupner neither played nor composed for that instrument. It took about a century from Cristofori's invention of the piano in 1700 to develop into an instrument that could replace the harpsichord ("cembalo" in Deutsch). In the Germany of Graupner's day these terms referred to stringed keyboard instruments in general.

'Monatliche Clavir Früchte – Januarius' GWV 109 Solo harpsichord by Christoph Graupner

'Monthly Keyboard Fruits' Comp 1718 Pub 1722 Score

Harpsichord: Fernando De Luca

Graupner's last opera, 'Adone', premiered in Darmstadt in 1719. The prologue, GWV 1300/19, to 'M‘invita alla caccia la diva' GWV 1015 was performed that year as well, though Graupner's authorship is cited dubitable and fate of the opera itself is unknown. His 'Concerto' GWV 344 may have been written as early as 1724 [Mus Ms-411-39]. Graupner is thought to have composed his 'Overture' GWV 461 as early as 1727 per CGG, though Grosspietsch (GWV) apparently estimates it to be sometime 1729-1732. Its autograph, Mus Ms-464-75, has nevertheless been dated to 1733. Come his 'Sympfonia' GWV 501 in 1730 [Mus Ms-470-31 as of 1748]. His early 'Concerto' GWV 334 arrived in 1737 [Mus Ms-411-28].

'Concerto' GWV 334 Christoph Graupner

1737 IMSLP

Harmonie Universelle

From 'Lass mein Herz' on Accent ACC 24337 in 2018: All Music Discogs Presto

'Gott sei uns gnädig' GWV 1109/41 Cantata for New Year's Day by Christoph Graupner

'God be gracious and bless us'

Premiere: 1 January 1741 Text: J.C. Lichteberg Mus-Ms-449-01 IMSLP

Composed for SATB, flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 4 timpani, strings, basso continuo

Ex Tempore w the Mannheim Hofkapelle / Florian Heyerick

'Trio a flaut' GWV 219 Chamber sonata by Christoph Graupner

C 1744 Mus-Ms-472-02-1 IMSLP

Composed for flute, violin and cembalo for continuo

ARS Musica Zürich Recorder: Sabrina Frey

This album recorded in Zürich in 2007/2008: Johan van Veen

Graupner's sonata 'Trio a Flaut' GWV 219 surfaced in 1744 [Mus-Ms-472-02-1]. Among his latter symphonies was 'Sinfonia' GWV 612 in 1748 [Mus-Ms-470-17]. Among his later cantatas was 'Bereite dich, mein Geist, zur Freude' GWV 1280/49 in 1749 [Mus-Ms-416-22] with more ensuing to 'Jauchzet ihr Himmel, erfreue dich Erde' GWV 1105/53 in 1753. That was followed by 'Gott der Herr ist Sonne und Schild', premiering on 20 January 1754 briefly before Graupner ceased to compose, having gone blind [Mus-Ms-462-01]. I've discovered no reason that Graupner lost his eyesight, though it's easy to assume it was cataracts, the same which caused J.S. Bach to begin going blind about 1750 and Handel in 1764. Nor have I found mention of Graupner undergoing "couching" as did Bach and Handel, a method of eye surgery at the time which destroyed their vision completely. Ouch upon calls to no small courage and investment of faith. No thanks. One would think couching to be an extreme event that would get documented, but perhaps Graupner preferred to go blind in relative peace, accepting his lot in life as a humble Lutheran while counting the possible cost of too much protest against the way God made things. Gambling isn't, anyway, a Lutheran virtue.

'Jauchzet ihr Himmel, erfreue dich Erde' GWV 1105/53

Cantata for Christmas Day by Christoph Graupner

'Rejoice ye Heaven, rejoice Earth'

Premiere: 25 Dec 1753 Text: J.C. Lichteberg Mus-Ms-461-37 IMSLP

Composed for SATB, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 4 timpani, strings, basso continuo

Ex Tempore w the Mannheim Hofkapelle / Florian Heyerick

Unable to see for the last six years of his life, Graupner died on 10 May 1760 in Darmstadt. Dispute as to ownership of his manuscripts between heirs and the court, heirs losing, saw his work fall into obscurity until a reawakening of interest in the 20th century. Dense scholarship in Graupner aside, it has yet to result in the widespread audience which most other composers in these histories have acquired. Despite his considerable popularity in his day, he remains relatively obscure for all the efforts made to analyze his oeuvre.

Sources & References for Christoph Graupner:

Aryeh Oron (Bach Cantatas)

James Reel (All Music)

VF History (notes)

Wikipedia

Der angenehme Betrug oder der Carneval von Venedig (opera):

Opera credited to Graupner (1707 or 1708):

Christoph Graupner Gesellschaft

Klassika

Plala

Opera Portal

Opera credited to Heinichen possibly 1705 in Weißenfels: