Johann Georg Künstel: Markuspassion

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Plangent choruses and dulcet chorales benefit from Polyharmonique’s sophisticated harmonic shaping and crystalline diction… Numerous brief arias, duets or other ensembles are sung with stylistic... — Gramophone Magazine, June 2019 More…

Release Date: 3rd May 2019
Catalogue No: CHR77435
Label: Christophorus
Length: 2 hours 18 minutes

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Johann Georg Künstel: Markuspassion

Work length2:18:13

Album only

Philipp J. Kaven (bass), Joowon Chung (soprano), Sören Richter (tenor), Alexander Schneider (alto), Torsten Voigt (baritone), Hans Jörg Mammel (tenor), Magdalene Harer (soprano), Piotr Olech (alto), Felix Rumpf (baritone), Johannes Gaubitz (tenor), Cornelius Uhle (bass)
Ensemble Polyharmonique, L'arpa festante

"Gründonnerstag-Vormittag": Nos. 1-14

Track length18:40

$4.00

$5.15

"Gründonnerstag-Vormittag": Nos. 15-22

Track length11:53

$3.00

$3.85

"Gründonnerstag-Nachmittag": Nos. 23-28

Track length14:37

$3.00

$3.85

"Gründonnerstag-Nachmittag": Nos. 29-30

Track length14:48

$3.00

$3.85

"Karfreitag": Nos. 39-56

Track length17:11

$4.00

$5.15

"Karfreitag": Nos. 57-68

Track length14:26

$3.00

$3.85

"Karfreitag": Nos. 69-92

Track length25:27

Album only

"Karfreitag": Nos. 93-99

Track length21:11

Album only

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The 17th Century composer Johann Georg Künstel is one of the forgotten persons in history. He lived at Franconia in South East Germany where he is mentioned as a schoolmaster and court organist. His inclusion in Johann Gottfried Walther’s Musicalisches Lexicon of 1732 provides clues about his significance.

The St Mark Passion can be considered to be his most significant work; records show that it was frequently performed in Coburg even after the composer’s death.

The work’s substantial length of nearly two and a half hours - outstanding for this time - is due to the fact that the complete performance was divided between several church services between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

The music is remarkably pleasant; the long recitatives of the Evangelist are formed with pleasing melodies and are continuously accompanied by strings. Most of the text is narrated by the vocal consort or parts of it, often interrupted by instrumental intermezzos.

On first glance, the St Mark Passion seems to be straightforward, everyday music ideally suited for choirs but a closer examination reveals that the work is actually a sophisticated, through-composed musical drama.

From the introductory sonata to the concluding chorale, Künstel creates an enthralling musical arc, immediately drawing the audience into the passion of Jesus.

Reviews

June 2019

Plangent choruses and dulcet chorales benefit from Polyharmonique’s sophisticated harmonic shaping and crystalline diction… Numerous brief arias, duets or other ensembles are sung with stylistic acumen and fluency. The 11 solicitous singers are experts… From the evidence offered by this masterful performance, the solemn Italian-infused Lutheran style of Künstel’s music brings to mind Buxtehude.

Offer,Johann Georg Künstel: Markuspassion

2 CDs

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