Customer Reviews

Johann Joseph Fux: Requiem / Clemencic

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD has been a pleasant surprise. I had heard about Fux because he was quoted in Hindemith's Craft of Music, and then read in Mozart's bio that W.A. studied from Fux's book on counterpoint. So I wanted to hear some of his music.

With this CD, the price is right of course, and the organ soundfiles really caught my ears. After having this for about 4 weeks, I have been listening to it non-stop. If all you have heard from Baroque is the usual suspects (Bach, Vivaldi, Teleman, Handel) you owe it to yourself check this recording out, there is a lot to it that is not in these other composers.
Fux is quite a writer of counterpoint. I especially like the trombone ensembles. The performing group gives a very heartfelt first rate performance. I definitely am going to track down more recordings from this ensemble.

Sometimes for reasons unknown a
composer is banned from posterity
in an unfair manner, sometimes
they are remembered for one work,
a handful of works, or sometimes
they are not remembered at all.
The case of Johann Joseph Fux(1660-1741)
there is no difference. Fux wrote
other works that are not well known.
The work in this recording is the
"Kaiserrequiem" or "The Emperor's Requiem".
This is the world premiere recording of
the piece. It is recorded her by Rene
Clemenic and his Clemenic Consort, they
play on period instruments, Mr. Clemenic
is an autority on early music performance
and practice. For me the recording is great,
any friend of early music performance and
practice will agree.Indeed a five star!!!!

I am making a full score of the Requiem à 5 of Johann Joseph Fux and I was inspired to do that because of this recording. Fux was a great composer - J. S. Bach considered him to be the greatest living composer, according to Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Bach took his son, Johann Christian, I believe, to see the performance of Fux's magnificent opera, "Costanza e Fortezza" (ah! if only there was a recording of THAT work!).

René Clemenic's recording of the Requiem is very good, although the disc is very short on the details of the recording. The work is scored thus:
SSATB in concerto
SSATB in ripieno
Cornetto muto I
Cornetto muto II
Trombone I
Trombone II
Fagotto
Violino I (solo e ripieno)
Violino II (solo e ripieno)
Viola (solo e ripieno)
Violoncello (solo e ripieno)
Violone (solo e ripieno)
Organo

Well, I have no idea if mute cornetts were used in this recording! The solo voices are not mentioned by name, either. However, the performance is expressive and quite satisfying anyway.

If you're interested in hearing a Requiem midway between those of Biber and Mozart's famous Requiem, then this is one to consider. Like in the works of Mozart and Biber, Fux uses strings, trombones and organ continuo as the fundamental basis of his instrumental ensemble.

Monsieur Clemencic fills up his disc with some very attractive chamber works by J. J. Fux, including two charming works for 2 trombones and basso continuo, clearly ecclesiastical works, too.

I have returned to this very expressive and colourful recording often and I recommend it to all.

I am just a little perplexed about who was playing the cornetto muto parts and if these instruments were used or if regular treble cornetts were employed instead! Maybe someone can enlighten me?