Wilhelm Karges, François Roberday, Capricio E vel A
Following the series of Caprici, based on composition by Sebastian Anton Scherer, manuscript Am.B. 340 contains several caprici based on compositions by Francois Roberday. I already published one of them, the Capricio in g.
The capricio E vel A is based on Francois Roberday’s “Caprice sur le mesme suject de Fugue 8me”. Roberday’s original contains three episodes, all based on the same theme, that Karges follow rather faithfully in his adaptation (though he adds a bar near the end of the third episode). The real deviation is that Karges provides two different conclusions to the piece, one in A and one in E. Hence the title. Karges probably did this so he could choose an appropriate ending to his playing, depending on what followed in the service.
The recording was done with the Hauptwerk software and the sampleset, made by Sonus Paradisi, of the Hinsz organ in the Reformed church in the Midwolda (http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organs/netherlands/midwolda-surround-sample-set.html).
Score
Karges, Capricio E vel A
Performance
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Hi, just a general remark abour Karges/Roberday: this is an interesting gathering between two (rather little known) composers that I was not aware of.. With regard to Roberday, it should be reminded that such pieces rarely if ever use pedals in France at that period, contrary to liturgical pieces which present the cantus firmus in tenor or even higher voice (see e.g. Louis Couperin) by way of the pedal. 8′ or 4′
Yes, I know that in France the pedal was not used in these pieces. Nevertheless, it is a German adaptation and in Germany the pedal was indeed used. Further more, in some of these pieces Karges (if he was indeed the sribe of the manuscript) indicates “Ped” and “Ma” next to the bass voice in several places. In this particular piece some phrases of the bass voice are indicated as “Ma.”, suggesting that the other phrases are to be played with the pedals. A further indication of the use of pedals is that there are places where the bass voice is notated an octave lower than it is in the original.
Hence my supposition that in most pieces of this manuscript Karges intended the use of pedals
Hi, thank you for having taken the time and effort to answer my remarks, I understand now better the uses of pedals that you envision in these German adaptations. As a (last!) query, would you say that perhaps sometimes eight foot stops could be used in the pedal instead of 16 or that,on the contrary, the “octave-lowering” indcates that indeed 16 feet stop should be used (of course a 16 foot basis could also be used in manuals in that case, as appears in classical French registrations such as ” fond d’orgue” or “plein-jeu” as you know, but which are so to speak never used for fugues.
No, I won’t say that a 16 foot stop in the pedals is required. Karges was organist in the cathedral of Berlin. The organ there as known to Karges had been installed in about 1557 by the Antwerp builder Anthonius Mors. It was only in 1718 replaced by something larger. As far as I know the exact dispostion on the Mors organ is not known. The Mors organ had probably about 30 stops, two manuals and perhaps an independent pedal division or pull-down pedals sharing the stops of the main manual. So there could be one or two 16 feet stops available for the pedals, either as seperate stops or as shared stops. Either way, playing it with only 8 feet stops for the pedals is probably equally ‘authentic’ as playing it with a 16 stop for the pedal.
You chose what you like best! 🙂