The Lochamer Songbook – Part 3

Description

In its role as a collection of songs, the Lochamer Liederbuch is already extremely important for early German-language music, but the instrumental part, which in analogy to the famous Buxheim Organ Book deserves to be perceived separately as the Lochamer Orgelbuch, increases the importance of the manuscript considerably. So far, all treatments of the Locham Songbook have focused on the song section.

With part 3 of the new edition, the instrumental part is now to be brought into focus. There, vocal pieces, i.e. songs, as found in the first part of the songbook, are arranged for a keyboard instrument.

Not all of these 32 tablatures, which are in the instrumental part, have a counterpart in the song part for some the vocal original is lost, others can only be found in parallel manuscripts. In addition to some lesser-known songs from the song section of the manuscript, this third volume of the edition series contains mainly instrumental pieces.

Where possible, these tablatures are accompanied by their vocal models, some of which were also taken from other manuscripts. Thus, among the ten edited pieces in the new volume were included, for example, the popular Anavois (often found under the title En avois due to incorrect reading), Mein herz in hohen freuden ist and the beautiful Paumgartner.

English:

Even with regard to the song collection alone, the ‘Lochamer Liederbuch’ is of utmost significance for early German music – the chapter on instrumental music, however, which might deserve, in analogy to the famous ‘Buxheimer Orgelbuch’ to be perceived separately as ‘Lochamer Orgelbuch’, considerably increases the importance of this manuscript. In all previous editions of the Lochamer Liederbuch, the songs were the main focus of attention.

With Volume 3 of our new edition we want to place more emphasis on the instrumental music in this collection. There, vocal pieces like those in the first part of the songbook, are arranged for a keyboard instrument.

Not all of the 32 tablatures in the instrumental chapter have a counterpart in the song chapter – the vocal originals for some are lost, others can only be found in parallel manuscripts. In addition to some less known songs from the song chapter of the manuscript, the present, third volume of this edition contains mainly instrumental pieces.

Wherever possible, the tablatures have been combined with their vocal originals, which had to be recovered from other manuscripts in certain cases. The ten arranged pieces of this new volume include for example the popular “Anavois” (frequently entitled “En avois” because of a misreading), ‘Mein herz in hohen freuden ist’, and the wonderful ‘Paumgartner’.

The CD to go with this book: CD ‘Das Lochamer-Liederbuch’, recorded by Ensemble Dulce Melos and Martin Hummel (NAXOS).