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Editorial Reviews
American Record Guide, Peter Loewen, May/June 2009
Johann Philipp Förtsch's career is associated with the founding of the opera in Hamburg.
He arrived in Hamburg some time around 1674, four years before duke Christian Albrecht von Schleswig-Holstein founded the opera. At first he served as a church musician (vocal soloist), but in the 1680s Förtsch (1652-1732) became more intimately involved with the opera, producing five librettos and the music for 12 other operas. They are not extant, alas; we have only their titles. The Roman and Greek subject matter of several of his operas like Xerxes in Abydus (1689) show Förtsch in tune with contemporary operatic tastes in Italy, but the overtly religious subject of Cain und Abel may come as a surprise. Perhaps it attests to the close connection in Lutheran Hamburg between opera and church composition. Indeed, composers often captured the character of operatic composition for the solo voice in their sacred concertos and oratorios. For this reason, Förtsch's sacred concertos, which are preserved, are important as examples of what his operas might have sounded like.
If this is a true reflection, Förtsch's operas were conservative works, at least by Italian standards. Most of his concertos are for one or two solo voices, strings, and continuo. He tends to place the emphasis on text through some rather syllabic text settings. Only his setting of Psalm 130 for solo voice, violin, and continuo impresses the listener with its use of coloratura. Heinrich Schütz, an older contemporary of Förtsch's, tends much more toward coloratura writing in his sacred concertos. On the other hand, the influence of Italian modernism is palpable in Förtsch's predilection for dissonant expression through the use of suspensions. I notice it especially in his setting of Psalm 13 for two sopranos and continuo. It is a lovely recording--an interesting comparison to the music of Schütz and Buxtehude. Notes are very informative and well written. Texts are translated.
He arrived in Hamburg some time around 1674, four years before duke Christian Albrecht von Schleswig-Holstein founded the opera. At first he served as a church musician (vocal soloist), but in the 1680s Förtsch (1652-1732) became more intimately involved with the opera, producing five librettos and the music for 12 other operas. They are not extant, alas; we have only their titles. The Roman and Greek subject matter of several of his operas like Xerxes in Abydus (1689) show Förtsch in tune with contemporary operatic tastes in Italy, but the overtly religious subject of Cain und Abel may come as a surprise. Perhaps it attests to the close connection in Lutheran Hamburg between opera and church composition. Indeed, composers often captured the character of operatic composition for the solo voice in their sacred concertos and oratorios. For this reason, Förtsch's sacred concertos, which are preserved, are important as examples of what his operas might have sounded like.
If this is a true reflection, Förtsch's operas were conservative works, at least by Italian standards. Most of his concertos are for one or two solo voices, strings, and continuo. He tends to place the emphasis on text through some rather syllabic text settings. Only his setting of Psalm 130 for solo voice, violin, and continuo impresses the listener with its use of coloratura. Heinrich Schütz, an older contemporary of Förtsch's, tends much more toward coloratura writing in his sacred concertos. On the other hand, the influence of Italian modernism is palpable in Förtsch's predilection for dissonant expression through the use of suspensions. I notice it especially in his setting of Psalm 13 for two sopranos and continuo. It is a lovely recording--an interesting comparison to the music of Schütz and Buxtehude. Notes are very informative and well written. Texts are translated.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Late 1700's Lutheran Sacred Music,
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This review is from: Fortsch, J.P.: Dialogs, Psalms and Sacred Concertos (MP3 Download)
I discovered this CD during a search for Roland Wilson. It sounded pretty good in the samples, so I purchased it. However, it sat in the stack unloved for a few weeks before I "re-discovered" it. For me, it didn't really sink in how wonderful this recording is until perhaps the 10th listening. Who the heck is Förtsch and why haven't we heard more about him (and his music)? Google him then read the fascinating biography provided in the CD. Some kudos for La Capella Ducale: lately, I've been disappointed to find other baroque recordings with excessive vocal vibrato & tremolo, but not in LCD's presentation. Re: Musica Fiata, there are at least a few woodwind instruments (rackett? and bassoon?) that go uncredited, so the guess is performed by Wilson himself?Note: this CD is part of cpo's "Musica Sacra Hamburgensis 1600-1800" series: 1) Andreas Romberg: Der Messias 2) San Marco in Hamburg 3) Chorale Concertos & Chorale Variations
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