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Partite a 3

Ars Antiqua Austria / Gunar Letzbor

Partite a 3

Format: CD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917238129
Catnr: CC 72381
Release date: 29 April 2011
1 CD
 
Label
Challenge Classics
UPC
0608917238129
Catalogue number
CC 72381
Release date
29 April 2011

"A cosmopolitan mix of national styles is represented."

The Strad, 01-8-2011
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
Press
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DE

About the album

When choosing the selection for our first CD with music by Fux, we came to the conclusion that we would under no circumstances play the church sonatas. They were primarily composed for the Court Chapel, the Hofkapelle, where the music was scored for an exceptionally large ensemble. The choral violins were supported by organ, cello, double bass and bassoon in continuo. ARS ANTIQUA AUSTRIA is first and foremost a chamber ensemble and seldom plays in a larger formation. Our strength lies rather in ensemble music scored for soloists. Thus the partitas positively thrust themselves into our attention. They were composed for the chamber and widely known outside the Hofkapelle as well. Although some partitas have come down to us in choral setting, other sources suggest soloist performance. The greater virtuosity of the individual parts likewise lends credence to a version scored for soloist playing.

So where does the strength of these compositions lie? Let us hearken to the words of the master himself: ““Because the unrestrained composition, even if it is apt as well to tickle the ears of the layman, will in no way ever satisfy the refined taste of the cognoscenti, because the latter demand not only a successful idea, but compliance with laws as well.” The appeal to the connoisseur without disregarding the amateur is the distinguishing characteristic of Fux’s compositional style. Even after many repetitions during rehearsals we were astonished at the skill with which Fux unites both harmony and melody in homophone and counterpoint compositional technique and always retains the correct sense of proportion. Not one note is too many, nor a note too few. The beauty is universal and lies in the interaction all the factors participating in the musical expression. (Gunar Letzbor in the linernotes with the CD)
De grenzeloosheid van Fux gecombineerd met de virtuositeit van Ars Antiqua Austria
Dirigent Gunar Letzbor en zijn ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria wilden onder geen beding, de weliswaar meer bekende, kerksonates van Johann Joseph Fux selecteren voor dit album. Die sonates waren immers gecomponeerd voor de hofkapel van keizer Leopold I van Oostenrijk. En dus voor een groot gezelschap. De kracht van het kamerensemble Ars Antiqua Austria ligt juist in muziek voor solisten. De partita’s van Fux, met de grote virtuositeit en lange indivuele passages voor solisten, zijn dus ideaal voor dit ensemble. Wat duidelijk te horen is in deze prachtige uitvoering. "Letzbor contributes dazzling violin playing in performances that are appropriately sombre yet pleasantly stylish." Gramophone.

De kracht van deze werken ligt, volgens componist Fux zelf, in de grenzeloosheid van zijn composities. Letzbor: "De aantrekkingskracht op de kenner zonder voorbij te gaan aan de amateur is kenmerkend voor de muziek van Fux. Zelfs na vele herhalingen tijdens de repetities, waren we nog verbaasd over de vaardigheid, waarmee Fux harmonie en melodie met elkaar verenigt in zijn compositorische techniek. En hoe hij altijd een juist gevoel voor proportie behoudt. Geen enkele noot is er één te veel of te weinig. De schoonheid is universeel en ligt in de interactie van alle factoren die meespelen in de muzikale expressie."

Het instrumentale ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria werd in 1989 opgericht door de Oostenrijkse violist Letzbor, met als doel het publiek te laten kennismaken met de Oostenrijkse barokmuziek. Dankzij zijn onderzoeken en inspanningen zijn tientallen composities voor het eerst in de moderne tijd uitgevoerd. Ars Antiqua Austria speelt op authentieke instrumenten en geldt als een hoogstaand ensemble in de wereld van de oude muziek. De bezetting van het gezelschap varieert, afhankelijk van het repertoire.

Zügellose Kompositionen von Johan Joseph Fux

Solistisch besetze Ensemblemusik des kaiserlichen Oberkapellmeisters Johann Joseph Fux, die sich neben der Leichtigkeit der Erfindung durch Kühnheit der Harmonie auszeichnet sowie durch eine homophone, liedartige Setzart. Ein Muss für alle Freunde anspruchs- und temperamentvoller Barockmusik!

Artist(s)

Ars Antiqua Austria

Austrian Baroque music takes centre stage in the repertoire of this unusual Baroque ensemble. The music performed at the imperial court in Vienna at this time was initially heavily influenced by the music of Italy, later by that of France; Spanish court ceremonial also had important artistic effects in Vienna. The typical Austrian sound of this era was characterised by the impact of its many royal domains. The political and societal boundaries of Baroque Austria stretched much further than nowadays. Elements of Slavic, Hungarian and Alpine folk music styles had lasting effects on art music, making up its specific sound. But the Austrian sound also reflects the temperament and the character of the people of the time: placed within the...
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Austrian Baroque music takes centre stage in the repertoire of this unusual Baroque ensemble. The music performed at the imperial court in Vienna at this time was initially heavily influenced by the music of Italy, later by that of France; Spanish court ceremonial also had important artistic effects in Vienna. The typical Austrian sound of this era was characterised by the impact of its many royal domains. The political and societal boundaries of Baroque Austria stretched much further than nowadays. Elements of Slavic, Hungarian and Alpine folk music styles had lasting effects on art music, making up its specific sound. But the Austrian sound also reflects the temperament and the character of the people of the time: placed within the melting pot of many diverse cultures, amalgamating Mediterranean zest for life, Slavic melancholy, French formalism, Spanish royal ceremony and the original Alpine elements of the German-speaking region. This mixture of court music and folk music with a dance-like character outlines the typically Austrian sound.
Alongside many concert performances, the early years of the ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria were dedicated to musicological research of Austrian Baroque composers. The abundance of rediscovered works led to several successful premiere recordings: albums featuring the works of R. Weichlein, H.I.F. Biber, F. Conti, G.B. Viviani, G.A.P. Mealli, G. Arnold, A. Caldara, B.A. Aufschnaiter, J.J. Vilsmayr, J.P. Vejvanovsky, J. Schmelzer, G. Muffat, W.L. Radolt, C. Mouthon, J.B. Hochreither, F.J. Aumann and J.S. Bach were met with enthusiastic approbation from the international music press.
Ars Antiqua Austria have been designing their own concert series at the Vienna Konzerthaus since 2002, and at the Brucknerhaus Linz since 2008. The ensemble is leading a cycle of performances arranged over several years entitled “Klang der Kulturen – Kultur des Klanges” (“Sound of the Cultures – Culture of Sound”), consisting of ninety concerts set to be performed in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Bratislava, Krakow, Venice, Ljubljana, Mechelen and Lübeck.
Recent performances include concerts at the Festival de Musique Ancienne de Ribeauvillé, Berliner Tage für Alte Musik, Festival Printemps des Arts de Nantes, Mozartfest Würzburg (an opera production), Tage Alter Musik Herne, Festival de Musique de Clisson et de Loire Atlantique, Folles Journées de Nantes and Tokyo, Musée d’Unterlinden Colmar, Printemps Baroque du Sablon, Festival van Vlaanderen, Festival Bach de Lausanne, MAfestival Brugge, Bologna Festival, Vendsyssel Festival, Concerti della Normale di Pisa, Resonanzen Wien, Klangbogen Wien, Monteverdi Festival Cremona, Bayerische Staatsoper and the Salzburger Festspiele. The ensemble has also been welcomed in the USA and in Japan.
The CD recording with mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink (four cantatas by Francesco Conti) was awarded a Diapason d’or only one week after being issued. Gunar Letzbor and his ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria were presented with the Cannes Classical Award 2002 for their recording of the Capricci Armonici by G.B. Viviani.

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Jan Krigovsky

Jan Krigovsky is a double-bass player, multi-instrumentalist, musical events organiser, promoter, art director, manager, producer, publisher, dramaturge and poet. He is well known and sought after interpreter of various musical styles. As a soloist Krigovsky expresses himself with noble, temperamental and technically perfect performance. As a soloist and chamber double bass, G-violone and Vienner Violine player Krigovsky collaborates with numerous ensembles specialising in historically – developed/learned interpretation of old music. He also performs in the ensembles for contemporary music like Catalá Ensamble Trio, Alea and Collegium Wartberg. As a concert master of double bass group he performed with several orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Moderntimes 1800 and Wiener Akademie. As a soloist, he also worked with orchestras under...
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Jan Krigovsky is a double-bass player, multi-instrumentalist, musical events organiser, promoter, art director, manager, producer, publisher, dramaturge and poet. He is well known and sought after interpreter of various musical styles. As a soloist Krigovsky expresses himself with noble, temperamental and technically perfect performance. As a soloist and chamber double bass, G-violone and Vienner Violine player Krigovsky collaborates with numerous ensembles specialising in historically – developed/learned interpretation of old music. He also performs in the ensembles for contemporary music like Catalá Ensamble Trio, Alea and Collegium Wartberg. As a concert master of double bass group he performed with several orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Moderntimes 1800 and Wiener Akademie. As a soloist, he also worked with orchestras under the baton of Yuri Bashmeta, Leoš Svárovský, Martin Haselbock, Jordi Savallla and Ewald Danel.
Jan presented/introduced himself as a soloist, but also as a member of chamber ensembles performing at some of the leading festivals like Bratislava Music Festival, Melos-Étos, Prague Spring International Music Festival, Wiener Fetspiele, Salzburger Festspiele, Festspielwochen Munchen, Dresdener gen Festspiele, Jehudi Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Boston Early Music Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and others.
He has recorded over 150 CD_DVD titles for companies such as Decca, SDBS production, Supraphon, CPO, WDR, NDR, ZDF, Winter&Winter, ORF, Challenge records, Institut fur Tyroler, Musikforschung Innsbruck, Pan Classics, Arcana Records, Symfonia as well as for radio and television. Among his artistic partners were for example Cecilia Bartoli, Sol Gabetta, Riccardo Minasi, Steven Isserlis, Maurice Steger, Nuria Rial, Avi Avital, Gunar Letzbor, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Jürger Essl, Helene Schmidt, Dalibor Karvay, Stano Palúch, Daniel Buranovský, Martin Babjak.
Jan worked as a teacher at the Conservatory in Žilina, the Conservatory of Dezidor Kardos in Topoľčany, the Church Conservatory in Bratislava, the Masaryk University in Brno and the Janacek Academy in Brno. Since 2002 he has been working at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica. He has built wide base/foundation of amazing/outstanding double bass players in Slovakia, including Roman Patkoló, Vlado Žatko, Ján Prievozník, Filip Jaro, Romana Uhlíková and others. Krigovsky regularly teaches master classes in Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina, USA, Canada and Mexico.
In 2010, he founded together with his students the Slovak Double Bass Club within which were organised master courses called BassFest Banská Bystrica, International Double Bass Competition of Carl Ditters Von Dittersdorf and hundreds of concerts. In 2013, on his initiative, the double bass quartet named Bass Band was created. In 2012 he founded Musica Perennis Iuventutis, music festival held in Senec and Musica Perennis Sancti Benedecti in Hronský Beňadik. Festivals are dedicated to helping and supporting children in material need and children with disabilities in Slovakia and abroad. At his instigation, dozens of musical works were created for solo double bass and chamber ensembles. In 2012 he established his own ensemble known as Collegium Wartberg.

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Hubert Hoffmann

Like most musicians of his generation, Hubert Hoffmann, a member of Austria's leading early music ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria, pursues a wide-ranging career as a continuo player with numerous ensembles performing on period instruments all over the world. His fascination for the unique blend of lute music for the Habsburg Courts is reflected in his solo projects, in which he aims to shed light upon this undeservedly neglected niche in baroque lute music repertoire. His first solo CD of works by the Bohemian Count Johann Antonin Losy was received to wide critical acclaim. The second recording of music from the lute manuscript Ms.1255 in the monastery library at Klosterneuburg for the ORF Edition of Classical Music, the first ever recording...
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Like most musicians of his generation, Hubert Hoffmann, a member of Austria's leading early music ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria, pursues a wide-ranging career as a continuo player with numerous ensembles performing on period instruments all over the world. His fascination for the unique blend of lute music for the Habsburg Courts is reflected in his solo projects, in which he aims to shed light upon this undeservedly neglected niche in baroque lute music repertoire. His first solo CD of works by the Bohemian Count Johann Antonin Losy was received to wide critical acclaim. The second recording of music from the lute manuscript Ms.1255 in the monastery library at Klosterneuburg for the ORF Edition of Classical Music, the first ever recording of Wenzel Ludwig Radolt's important 1701 collection of lute concertos Die allertreueste Freindin for Challenge Classics, and the music of the Vienna lutenist Karl Kohaut, also for Challenge Classics, have now been issued.
In 2012, he was appointed curator of a long-term research project in the fields of lute music, lute playing and lute restoration at Kremsmünster Abbey in Upper Austria, producing an edition of the tablatures for lute and mandora, stored in the music library there. As a part of this work he has recently recorded music of Father Ferdinand Fisher, a lute playing member of this Benedictine Monastery, also for Challenge Classic.
From 2013 to 2015 he was active as chairman of the Austrian Lute Society "ÖLG". As artistic consultant, he is also engaged in establishing a new concert series with music from the Goess Manuscripts in the historic Fronmiller Hall at Ebenthal Castle in Carinthia.
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Gunar Letzbor (conductor)

Gunar Letzbor studied composition, conducting and violin at Linz, Salzburg and Cologne. His encounters with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Reinhard Goebel ignited a deep passion for period instruments and performance practice, leading him to perform extensively with Musica Antiqua Köln, the Clemencic Consort, La Folia Salzburg, Armonico Tributo Basel and the Wiener Akademie.  Gunar Letzbor founded his own ensemble, Ars Antiqua Austria, an instrumental ensemble of varying size dedicated in particular to the exploration of the rich, but neglected, baroque repertoire of his native country and its neighbours. Corollaries of this voyage of re-discovery have been not only the unexpected finds of musical masterpieces otherwise destined to languish in obscurity, but also the articulation of a uniquely central-European instrumental sound and its...
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Gunar Letzbor studied composition, conducting and violin at Linz, Salzburg and Cologne. His encounters with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Reinhard Goebel ignited a deep passion for period instruments and performance practice, leading him to perform extensively with Musica Antiqua Köln, the Clemencic Consort, La Folia Salzburg, Armonico Tributo Basel and the Wiener Akademie. Gunar Letzbor founded his own ensemble, Ars Antiqua Austria, an instrumental ensemble of varying size dedicated in particular to the exploration of the rich, but neglected, baroque repertoire of his native country and its neighbours. Corollaries of this voyage of re-discovery have been not only the unexpected finds of musical masterpieces otherwise destined to languish in obscurity, but also the articulation of a uniquely central-European instrumental sound and its often deeply spiritual inspiration. As a soloist and with Ars Antiqua Austria, Letzbor has made numerous recordings (including several world premieres), featuring works by Mozart, Bach, Biber, Muffat, Aufschnaiter, Viviani, Schmelzer, Weichlein, Vejvanovsky, Vilsmayr and Conti. Particulary remarkable was his world's premiere recording of Sonate for violin solo by J.J.Vilsmayr and J.P.Westhoff.

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Composer(s)

Press

A cosmopolitan mix of national styles is represented.
The Strad, 01-8-2011

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01.
Partita ex b K 319: Introduzione, Allegro
00:46
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
02.
Partita ex b K 319: Contraffattrice, Un poco Allegro
03:15
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
03.
Partita ex b K 319: Menuet ? Trio - Menuet
02:11
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
04.
Partita ex b K 319: Bourrée
00:55
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
05.
Partita ex b K 319: Gigue
01:25
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
06.
Partita ex g K 320: Sonata, Andante
02:23
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
07.
Partita ex g K 320: Allegro
01:50
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
08.
Partita ex g K 320: Sarabande
01:19
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
09.
Partita ex g K 320: Passacaglia
02:35
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
10.
Partita ex G K 321 - Intrada in canone: Allegro
01:01
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
11.
Partita ex G K 321 - Intrada in canone: Largo
01:08
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
12.
Partita ex G K 321 - Intrada in canone: Allegro
01:01
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
13.
Partita ex G K 321 - Intrada in canone: Menuet 1 ? Menuet 2 ? Menuet 1 da capo
02:16
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
14.
Partita ex G K 321 - Intrada in canone: Rondeau, Allegro ma Comodamente
01:46
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
15.
Partita ex d K 322: Ouverture
02:20
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
16.
Partita ex d K 322: Entrée
01:04
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
17.
Partita ex d K 322: Menuet - Trio -Menuet da capo
01:49
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
18.
Partita ex d K 322: Siciliana
01:41
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
19.
Partita ex d K 322: Gigue
00:53
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
20.
Partita ex C K 323: Les Cambattans
01:32
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
21.
Partita ex C K 323: Les vainqueurs
00:55
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
22.
Partita ex C K 323: Perpetuum mobile
01:11
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
23.
Partita ex C K 323: Menuett ? Gavotte ? Menuet da capo
01:33
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
24.
Partita ex C K 323: Rigaudon 1 ? Rigaudon 2 ? Rigaudon 1 da capo
01:34
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
25.
Partita E 64: Capriccio, Presto ? Grave ? da capo
04:36
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
26.
Partita E 64: Vivace
01:44
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
27.
Partita E 64: Menuet ? Trio ? Menuet da capo
02:06
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
28.
Partita E 64: Finale
00:57
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
29.
Partita ex D K 326 - Sinfonia: Vivace
02:39
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
30.
Partita ex D K 326 - Sinfonia: Adagio
01:24
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
31.
Partita ex D K 326 - Sinfonia: Presto
01:56
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
32.
Partita ex D K 326 - Sinfonia: Allemande, Allegro
03:05
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
33.
Partita ex D K 326 - Sinfonia: Sarabande
01:53
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
34.
Partita ex D K 326 - Sinfonia: Gigue
01:22
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
35.
Partita ex C K 331: Turcaria
01:47
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
36.
Partita ex C K 331: Passa Gallia, Andante
03:18
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
37.
Partita ex C K 331: Janitshara
01:22
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
38.
Partita ex C K 331: Posta turcica
01:36
(Johann Joseph Fux) Ars Antiqua Austria, Gunar Letzbor
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