Donald Macleod explores the life and career of the most revered composers of his age, Michael Praetorius - a key figure in the music of the Reformation. In today's episode, Donald explores Praetorius's early years as the son of a Lutheran pastor and his first steps into the musical world.
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Last edited by Guest; 30-04-17, 09:05. -
Many apologies dover, I pressed "edit" rather than "reply"
I have to thank John Williams for introducing me to Praetorius (excerpts from Dances of Terpsichore, his sole secular work), on the classical guitar, 50 years ago. -
This should be rather good! I think Praetorius is a much neglected composer. So be good to hear his music.Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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The name is old, but the music new to me, and thus far, I'm being utterly blown away - whew!
What a fascinating period that was - moving away for the following 300 years from the old modes towards concentrating on just two of them (diatonic major/minor); moving towards more homophonic (chord direction determining) ways of expectation/resolution construction; anticipations of the fugue; the start of secular-based expanded and instrumental composition as opposed to merely derived from the choral. Almost as exciting as the first 10 years of the 20th century!
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One Praetorius disc absolutely no one should be without https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Christmas...istmas+morning
Christmas morning bright and early, turn the volume well up, open doors and windows and give all your neighbours the best of good cheer!
Seriously, a fantastic, heartwarming disc.I keep hitting the Escape key, but I'm still here!Comment
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Yes, probably my favourite Christmas CD, always gets an airing. The congregational hymns give me goose bumps every time, simply thrilling.Originally posted by LeMartinPecheur View PostOne Praetorius disc absolutely no one should be without https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Christmas...istmas+morning
Christmas morning bright and early, turn the volume well up, open doors and windows and give all your neighbours the best of good cheer!
Seriously, a fantastic, heartwarming disc.Comment
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I really enjoyed today's programme...the first I've been able to listen to all through. So much of MP's music is deceptively simple harmonically and melodically. Hearing it live and in sparkling performance is even more wonderful. Good to hear the Dances from Terpsichore in versions other than the David Munrow/Early Music Consort LP...which I love too, by the way.Comment
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The dance arrangement with xylophone was I thought particularly effective, though I'm pretty certain xylophones didn't exist at the start of the 17th century!Originally posted by ardcarp View PostComment
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Yes, there has been some very good stuff in this week's CotW. The first Praetorius I ever heard was his setting of the carol Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen, which I still think is the most beautiful and moving setting of any carol. It's not just the harmonies, but the sonorities; he seems to have a gift for bringing out the colour and resonance in a particular syllable in choral music, and also creating a very distinctive soundworld in his works using brass and wind instruments.Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
It's a shame there are not more performances of Praetorius' polychoral works in churches or cathedrals using different sections of the choir placed apart, as is not now unusual with the Monteverdi 1610 Vespers.Comment
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This is what I was saying earlier about this composer's music. How neglected he is and should be played more. Shameful I think.Originally posted by aeolium View PostDon’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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It doesn't sound as "Baroque" to these ears as MacDonald seems to be making out, though, compared with Monteverdi's contemporaneous music. I don't hear much of an advance on Tallis - the usual perpetual interchanging between three major into minor tonalities and back. Or were Tallis (and for that matter Byrd) just in advance of their time? What do others think?Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View PostComment
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Sorry SA but quite far removed from Tallis to my ears. Agreed, he uses a fairly simple and direct (i.e. very Protestant) harmonic language, but then so does Schutz, who is generally more widely performed. I suppose we tend to think of 'The Baroque' as being exemplified by the contrapuntal complexity of later composers, the so-called 'High Baroque'. In the sense that Monteverdi was 'heading for the Baroque' then Praetorius's German Magnificat had a fair amount of Italianate decoration...more than Schutz's German Magnificat for instance.
I thought the performance of the final piece today (Ps 116) was especially excellent...the Huelgas ensemble showing us how simple chords can be most beautifully tuned and blended.
Also glad Quem Pastores was included; a track from one of the Ardcarp household's seasonal favourites, Christmas Through the Ages.Comment
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Hence the different styles and influences of Lutheran musical thinking?Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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I think talk of music 'advancing' bespeaks an idea of linear progress (towards nineteenth-century perfection?) that is best not talked of at all!Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View PostComment
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Though they might have said he didn't actually write it - it belongs (doesn't it?) to that body of increasingly-elaborate versions of traditional tunes the Germans were so fond of.Originally posted by ardcarp View PostComment
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