COMPLETE HARPSICHORD AND ORGAN MUSIC

Alejandro Casal (harpsichord/organ)

Johann Krieger (1652-1735) was an important composer of the German keyboard school, and together with Buxtehude, Böhm, Muffat, Pachelbel, Kuhnau and Lübeck he paved the way for the great Johann Sebastian Bach.

Krieger was for most part of his life the organist of Zittau in Saxony. Two printed collections of his keyboard music survive: Sechs musicalische Partien (1697), containing six partitas for the harpsichord, and Anmuthige Clavier-Übung (1699), with nine preludes, five ricercares, seven fugues, a fantasy, two toccatas and a chaconne. Mattheson confirmed Johann Krieger’s reputation in Der Vollkommene Capellmeister (Hamburg, 1739): “This man merits being remembered at the forefront of the best and most thorough contrapunctists of the century”.

Alejandro Casal plays on a copy of a Christian Vater (1738) harpsichord. The organ pieces were recorded at Faro Cathedral (Portugal). The organ was built by Johann Heinrich Hulenkampf, disciple of famous Arp Schnitger, and was devised in the way of the North of Germany, around 1715-16. It was remodelled in 1767 by Pasquale Gaetano Oldovini, who enlarged it. Daniele Boccaccio is one of Italy’s foremost keyboard players. A scholar as well, he did extensive research into historic sources. He plays 3 different historic organs and a copy of a Flemish harpsichord.

Alejandro Casal already made an impressive recording of keyboard works by Sebastián de Albero for Brilliant Classics.

Krieger, J:
 Fantasia and Partita in C
 Fantasia in D minor
 Fuga
 Giacona in G minor
 Partita I
 Partita II
 Partita III
 Partita V
 Partita VI
 Praeludium in A minor
 Ricercar in A minor
 Toccata in D major