COMPOSERS: Graupner
LABELS: Analekta
ALBUM TITLE: Graupner
WORKS: Partita n A minor, GWV 150; Partita in E, GWV 106 & 199; Partita in C, GWV 109 & 126
PERFORMER: Geneviève Soly (harpsichord)
CATALOGUE NO: AN 2 9118
With her fifth volume of Partitas, the Canadian harpsichordist, Geneviève Soly completes her survey of Graupner’s solo harpsichord music. Soly is performing a valuable service in editing, performing and in other ways rehabilitating the reputation of this important contemporary of Bach and Telemann. As well as the five discs of harpsichord music she has recorded three others which feature vocal and instrumental pieces by Graupner who, as Darmstadt’s court Kapellmeister, composed prolifically for half a century in almost every sphere of musical entertainment.
As I have remarked in previous reviews of this series, Graupner’s keyboard style is predominantly French, but with a mild cosmopolitan seasoning which brings to mind the harpsichord Fantasias of Telemann. Graupner’s alliance with Couperin’s harpsichord style is sometimes strong and this can be felt above all in the allemandes, courantes and sarabandes. Nevertheless, he has his own distinctive manner which characterises with great charm, for instance, the Allemande of the Sixth Partita in E major and the Menuets of the C major Partita. Soly plays with stylistic authority but avoids being merely academic. Hers is an approach which by eschewing empty rhetoric or anything in the way of vacuous extravagance ensures lasting rewards. May her Graupner project continue to flourish. It deserves to.
Nicholas Anderson