Johann Caspar Kerll
The late 17th-century composer Kerll left a large body of organ works, many recorded here for the first time by organist and harpsichordist John O'Donnell.
This two-disc survey gathers the complete keyboard music: eight toccatas, six canzonas, four harpsichord suites, and the freestanding Capriccio sopra il Cucu, Battaglia, Ciaccona, Passacaglia and Ricercata.
The organ works were recorded on the 1731 Egedacher organ at Stift Zwettl in Austria. The suites and the plainsong versets of the Modulatio Organica were recorded in Melbourne, with male voices of Ensemble Gombert.
Reviews
John O'Donnell has used his own edition of this music for this welcome addition to Kerll's sparse discography.… His harpsichord playing, confident but more muted that we generally expect for seventeenth-century German harpsichord music today, emphasises the music's dignity and grace. The rest of the works are played on the wonderful 1731 Egedacher organ of Stift Zwettl, whose choice O'Donnell explains was dictated by its well-tempered tuning. It is a stunningly beautiful instrument, brighter (and more crisply recorded) than the meantone-tuned 1642 Freundt organ at Klosterneuburg used by Haselböck… His playing of even the showier works is more thoughtful than that of his Austrian colleague. This makes his performance of the Modulatio organica (a massive and serious contrapuntal investigation of the Magnificat tones) particularly satisfying. The plainsong versets are sung attractively by O'Donnell's Ensemble Gombert – although the voices, recorded in Melbourne eight months after the organ music, sound a little too close in relation to the organ.
Artists
John O'Donnell
John O’Donnell, Director of Ensemble Gombert, studied at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music in Sydney and at the University of Durham. After performing Bach’s complete organ works in 1974, he built an international reputation as an organist and harpsichordist.
Johann Caspar Kerll
Johann Caspar Kerll (1627–1693) was a German Baroque composer and organist, acclaimed in his lifetime for keyboard mastery and contrapuntal craft.
Tracks
- Toccata I Johann Caspar Kerll 3:35
- Toccata II Johann Caspar Kerll 3:26
- Toccata III Johann Caspar Kerll 4:42
- Toccata IV Johann Caspar Kerll 4:28
- Toccata V Johann Caspar Kerll 3:26
- Toccata VI Johann Caspar Kerll 3:25
- Toccata VII Johann Caspar Kerll 2:50
- Toccata VIII Johann Caspar Kerll 3:33
- Canzona I Johann Caspar Kerll 2:25
- Canzona II Johann Caspar Kerll 2:27
- Canzona III Johann Caspar Kerll 2:56
- Canzona IV Johann Caspar Kerll 2:16
- Canzona V Johann Caspar Kerll 2:30
- Canzona VI Johann Caspar Kerll 2:58
- i. Allamande 2:42
- ii. Courante 1:09
- iii. Sarabande 1:46
- iv. Gigue 1:53
- i. Allamande 2:13
- ii. Courante 1:01
- iii. Sarabande 1:34
- iv. Gigue 1:16
- i. Allamande & Partita 4:02
- ii. Courante & Partita 2:16
- iii. Sarabande & Partita 3:05
- i. Allamande & Partita 4:08
- ii. Courante & Partita 2:41
- iii. Sarabande & Partita 3:49
Suite in D Johann Caspar Kerll
Suite in F Johann Caspar Kerll
Suite in A Johann Caspar Kerll
Suite in G Johann Caspar Kerll
Disc 2
- Capriccio sopra il Cucu Johann Caspar Kerll 2:32
- Battaglia Johann Caspar Kerll 6:23
- Ciaccona Johann Caspar Kerll 2:42
- Passacaglia Johann Caspar Kerll 6:15
- Ricercata Johann Caspar Kerll 3:16
- Magnificat Primi Toni 5:53
- Magnificat Secundi Toni 6:35
- Magnificat Tertii Toni 5:35
- Magnificat Quarti Toni 6:00
- Magnificat Quinti Toni 5:32
- Magnificat Sexti Toni 5:44
- Magnificat Septimi Toni 6:22
- Magnificat Octavi Toni 5:48
Modulatio Organica Johann Caspar Kerll
Performers
- John O'Donnell · organ, harpsichord
- Ensemble Gombert · male voices · disc 2 tracks 6–13
Contributors
Instrument Builder (1731 organ, Stift Zwettl)
Johann Ignaz Egedacher
Harpsichord (after Jean Couchet)
Marc Nobel
Where to listen
Johann Caspar Kerll is available for streaming through Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.
Johann Caspar Kerll is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.
Product details
- Catalogue number
- TP121
- Total playing time
- 147 minutes 9 seconds
- Producer
- Belinda Webster
- Recording Engineer
- Belinda Webster
- Co-Producer
- Belinda Webster
John O'Donnell - Venue
- Stiftskirche Zwettl, Austria
Xavier College Chapel - Credit
- Johann Ignaz Egedacher
Marc Nobel - Release date
- 24 May 1999
- Label
- Tall Poppies
- Musical work
copyright - © 1999 Tall Poppies Records
- Sound recording
copyright - ℗ 1999 Tall Poppies Records
- Category
- Great Classics
- Genres
- Baroque, Organ
- Barcode
- EAN 9399001112128
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