Johann Baptist Anton Vallade, Preambulum I

Johann Baptist Anton Vallade was born circa 1720 in Ingolstadt and lived till presumably 1780 in Mendorf. Not much is known about his life. He must have been educated in or around Ingolstadt. In 1747 he first appears as an organist at the small church of Mendorf, a position he apparrently held untill he disappears from history around 1780. His music was well known throughout Bavaria for its pedagogical work. He published sets of preludes and fugues for keyboard, including one, that encompasses all 24 keys. Two other sets clearly had an educational purpose: “Dreyfaches Musicalisches Exercitium” (Augsburg: Johann Jacob Lotters seel. Erben, 1755) and “Der praeludierende Organist” (Augsburg: Johann Jacob Lotters Erben, 1757).

According to the preface in the original edition of the “Dreyfaches Musicalisches Exercitium” the work was meant for beginners as a basis to learn to improvise preludes and how to learn figured bass. For this last purpose every prelude was followed by its figured bass.

The Preludes and Fugues however can even today be used in education of beginning organists. They are relatively easy to play, and as such form an accessible introduction to the playing of preludes and fugues. There are 7 ‘Preambulae’ in total. This is the first, and in next few days I’ll post the other 6 as well.

The recording was done with the sampleset, made by Organ Art Media, of the Arp Schnitger organ in Steinkirchen.

Score
Vallade, Preambulum und Fuga I

MP3

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