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Promoting Historically-Inspired Performances of Early Music and Baroque Opera

Reinhard Keiser (1674-1739)

Links

Keiser, Octavia - Chrysander score (pdf)

Recordings

Reinhold Keiser. Passion Music. cpo (1 CD, April 2010). Thomas Ihlenfeldt, Capella Orlandi Bremen. Eeva Tenkanen, soprano; Doerthe Maria Sandmann, soprano; Olivia Vermeulen, mezzo-soprano; Knut Schoch, tenor; Julian Podger, tenor; Raimonds Spogis, bass. Motet: "Ich liege und schlafe ganz mit" & fragment of the Lukas Passion "Wir gingen alle in die Irre". US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Reinhard Keiser. Markuspassion. Chrismon 2035 (1 CD, February 2010). Details. Ralf Popken, Capella Sancti Georgi, Musica Alta Ripa. Georg Poplutz, tenor. Possibly by Nikolas Bruhns rather than Keiser. UK | FR | DE

Reinhard Keiser. Fredegunda (Hamburg 1715). Naxos 8.660231/32 (2 CDs, January 2009). Review of the February 2007 performance. Christoph Hammer, Neue Hofkapelle München. Fredegunda: Dora Pavliková, soprano; Galsuinde: Bianca Koch, soprano; Bazina: Katja Stuber, soprano; Chilperich: Tomi Wendt, baritone; Sigibert: Michael Kranebitter, baritone; Hermenegild: Tomo Matsubara, tenor; Landerich: Tobias Haaks, tenor. A fine opera marred by heavy vibrato in some of the best arias, suppression of the harpsichord in numerous arias, and a live recording of an idiotic modern staging that had the singers running around and performing stunts while trying to sing. No printed libretto is included, and the online libretto (pdf) is in German only. It's unfortunate that the money wasted on glossy color photos of the ridiculous modern staging could not have been spent on libretto translations. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Handel. Love in Arcadia - Duets & Trios. Plectra Pl 20802 (1 CD, November 2008). Details. / Booklet (pdf). Karen Flint, Brandywine Baroque. Laura Heims, soprano; Julianne Baird, soprano; Tony Boutté, tenor; Sumner Thompson, baritone; Douglas McNames, cello. Includes "Caro autor di mia doglia" from Keiser's Divertimenti serenissimi (Hamburg, 1713), formerly attributed to Handel (HWV 183). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Reinhard Keiser. Dialogus von der Geburt Christi (Christmas Oratorio); Graupner, Magnificat. Carus 83.417 (1 CD, October 2008). Details. Jürgen Ochs, director & tenor, Rastatter Hofkapelle. Beate Spaltner, soprano; Ursula Benzing, soprano; Judith Ritter, contralto; Matthias Lucht, countertenor; Raimund Sturm, tenor; Johannes Happel, bass; Claus Temps, bass. The libretto of the Keiser oratorio is virtually identical to the libretto of Mattheson's Die Grösste Kind. Keiser's version is shorter and less opulent than Mattheson's, but still quite worthwhile in this well-recorded, OVPP performance. Graupner composed the Magnificat apparently in support of his application for Thomascantor in Leipzig in 1722, the position that ultimately went to J.S. Bach when Graupner was unable to accept it. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Musik der Hamburger Pfeffersäcke. Raumklang RK 2703 (1 CD, May 2008). Details. Elbipolis Barockorchester Hamburg, Yeree Suh, soprano. Telemann, Ouverture & arias from Omphale (c.1723); Keiser, Suite from Hercules und Hebe (1699); Handel, Sinfonia & violin concerto (c.1706/07). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Reinhard Keiser, G.F. Handel, Georg Caspar Schürmann, Philipp Heinrich Erlebach & Johann Christian Schiefferdecker. Ouvertüren für die Hamburger Oper. Harmonia Mundi HMC 901852 (1 CD, March 2005). Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Reinhard Keiser. La Bella Cantatrice. cpo 999 956-2 (1 CD 2004). Susanne Rydén, soprano. Capella Orlandi Bremen. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Reinhard Keiser. In Arkadien - Kantaten und Instrumentalmusik. Ambitus AMB 97965 (1 CD 1998). Details. Sabine Paßow, soprano. Thomas Ihrenfeldt, Capella Orlandi Bremen. Mainly opera arias and overtures. UK | DE | FR

Reinhard Keiser. Beati omnes / Dialogus von der Geburt Christi. (1 CD 2001). Details. Gerhard Ropeter, Kantorei St. Mauritius Hardegsen, Telemannsiches Collegium Michaelstein. Konstanze Maxsein, soprano; Truike van der Poel, contralto; Max Ciolek, tenor; Jörg Gottschick, bass.

Reinhard Keiser. Opera Arias & Instrumental Works. Opera Arias and Instrumental Music. MDG 505 1037-2 (1 CD, 2001). La Ricordanza with Elisabeth Scholl, soprano. Scenes from Claudius, Nebucadnezzar, Adonis & La forza della virtù, with additional instrumental music. Includes Handel sources, including the aria from Claudius that Handel turned into "Combatti" in Rinaldo. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Reinhard Keiser. Croesus (Hamburg 1711). Harmonia Mundi HMC 901714-16 (3 CDs 2000). René Jacobs, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. Elmira: Dorothea Röschmann, soprano; Atis: Werner Güra, tenor; Croesus: Roman Trekel, baritone; Orsanes: Klaus Häger, bass; Cyrus: Johannes Mannov, bass; Eliates: Markus Schäfer, tenor; Clerida: Salomé Haller, soprano; Solon: Kwangchul Youn, bass; Halimacus: Graham Pushee, countertenor; Trigesta: Brigitte Eisenfeld, soprano; Elcius: Kurt Azesberger, baritone; Nerillus: Johanna Stojković, soprano; Hauptmann: Jörg Gottschick, bass. Outstanding opera and recording! In this serious libretto with the comic overtones favored in Hamburg, Atis is mute and communicates through gestures via his comic servant Nerillus. He suddenly acquires the ability to speak (and sing) during a battle at the end of Act I, then masquerades as a servant who happens to bear a striking resemblance to Atis. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Reinhard Keiser. Der geliebte Adonis (Hamburg 1697). cpo 999636-2 (3 CDs 2001). Thomas Ihrenfeldt, Capella Orlandi Bremen. Venus: Marietta Zumbült, soprano; Adonis: Ralf Popken, countertenor; Eumene: Susanne Rydén, soprano; Dryante: Mona Spägele, soprano; Philistus: Jan Kobow, tenor; Gelon: Knut Schoch, tenor; Proteus / Mars: Raimonds Spogis, bass. US | UK | DE | FR

Reinhard Keiser. Brockes Passion (Hamburg 1712). cpo 999852-2 (2 CDs 2000). Kenneth Montgomery, Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra & Choir. Nancy Argenta & Dorothee Mields, sopranos; Adrian Thompson, Mark Padmore & Carlo Allemano, tenors; Jasper Schweppe, baritone; Klaus Mertens, bass. This recording was withdrawn and recalled from record stores due to a copyright dispute. Consequently, the Keiser Brockes Passion remains little known, and this CD is a valuable collectible. UK | DE | FR | CA

Reinhard Keiser. Markus Passion. Accord 205312 (2 CDs 1995). Michel Laplénie, Le Parlement de Musique, Ensemble Vocal Sagittarius. Monique Zanetti, soprano; Kai Wessel, countertenor; Evangelist: Gerd Türk, tenor; Petrus: Bruno Renhold, tenor; Pilatus: Samuel Husser, tenor; Jesus: Jacques Bona, bass. Possibly by Nikolas Bruhns rather than Keiser. DE | FR
To be reissued on cpo (January 2010).

Reinhard Keiser. Markus Passion. "Jesus Christus ist umb unserer Missethat willen verwundt." Christophorus CHR 77143 (1 CD 1993). Christian Brembeck, Parthenia Baroque, Parthenia Vocal. Evangelist: Bernhard Hirtreiter, tenor; Tanja d'Althann & Petra Geitner, sopranos; Melinda Paulsen, contralto; Jochen Elbert, tenor; Hartmut Elbert, bass. Possibly by Nikolas Bruhns rather than Keiser. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Reinhard Keiser. Masaniello Furioso (Hamburg 1706). cpo 999110-2 (2 CDs 1993 - recorded 1989). Thomas Albert, Fiori Musicali, Chor des Forum Alte Musik Bremen. Duca d'Arcos: David Cordier, countertenor; Don Velasco: Wilfried Jochens, tenor; Don Antonio: Harry van der Kamp, bass; Don Pedro: Hein Meens, tenor; Mariane: Barbara Schlick, soprano; Aloysia: Dorothea Röschmann, soprano; Masaniello: Michael Schopper, bass; Perrone: Jelle Dreyer, baritone; Bassian: Winfried Mikus, tenor. Texts in German only. Fine recording, but unfortunately heavily cut to fit on 2 CDs. US | UK | DE | FR | CA

Reinhard Keiser. Die grossmüthige Tomyris. EMI CDS 7494662. Hans-Martin Linde, Linde-Consort.

Reinhard Keiser. Die grossmüthige Tomyris (Hamburg 1717). EMI 157-7-49466-1 (2 LPs) & CDS 7 49466 2 (2 CDs 1988). Hans-Martin Linde, Linde-Consort. Tomyris: Gabriele Fontana, soprano; Meroë: Marianne Hirsti, soprano; Tigranes: Christoph Prégardien, tenor; Policares: Stefan Dahlberg, tenor; Latyrus: Oskar Pürgstaller, tenor; Doraspe: Alan Cemore, baritone; Orontes: Wolfram Krohn, bass. Texts in German only. DE

Music

Reinhard Keiser. Brockes Passion. New edition available from Edition Musica Poetica, edited by Cosimo Stawiarski (June 2007). Details.

Reinhard Keiser. Brockes Passion, Weihnachtsoratorium, Der siegende David, Te Deum Laudamus, Beati omnes. Scores available from St. Mauritius Hardegsen.

Reinhard Keiser. Claudius (Heinrich Hinsch), Hamburg 1703 & Nebucadnezzar (Christina Friedrich Hunold) Hamburg 1704. Handel Sources, volume 3. Material for the study of Handel's borrowings. Edited with introduction by John H. Roberts. Facsimile scores and librettos. Garland, 1986. US

Reinhard Keiser. La Forza della Virtù. Handel Sources, volume 2. Material for the study of Handel's borrowings. Edited with introduction by John H. Roberts. Facsimile scores and librettos. Garland, 1986. US

Reinhard Keiser. Adonis & Janus. Handel Sources, volume 1. Material for the study of Handel's borrowings. Edited with introduction by John H. Roberts. Facsimile scores and librettos. Garland, 1986. US

Reinhard Keiser. Die grossmüthige Tomyris. (Hamburg 1717). Score with facsimiles. Henle 1975. UK

Books

Klaus-Peter Koch. Reinhard Keiser: Leben und Werk. Teuchern 2000. DE

Klaus Zelm. Die Opern Reinhard Keisers: Studien zur Chronologie, Überlieferung und Stilentwicklung. 246 pages. Musikverlag Katzbichler 1975. US | UK | DE

Recent Productions

Keiser. Fredegunda (1715). Christoph Hammer, Neue Hofkapelle München. Munich: February 2007; Karlsruhe: February 2007; Bayreuth: 28-29 September 2007.

Keiser, Brockes Passion (1713). Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques. 6 April 2007: Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris; 7 April 2007: Kölner Philharmonie, Köln.

Keiser. Die durch Großmuth und Glauben triumphierende Unschuld oder Der siegende David. Details. Libretto by Johann Ulrich König. Peter Neumann, Musica Antiqua Köln, ChorWerk Ruhr. David: Stephan Genz, baritone; Saul / Gottliebende Seele: Markus Brutscher, tenor; Eliab: Hans-Jörg Mammel, tenor; Glüubige Seele / Andächtige Seele / Gottliebende Seele: Simone Kermes, soprano; Jonathan: David Cordier, countertenor; Goliath: Johannes Mannov, bass; Abner: Thomas Peter. Recorded in Essen, September 10, 2006. Broadcast: Sunday, March 4, 2007. 20.05-23 WDR3 (Cologne).

La Grandezza D'Animo ossia Arsinoë (1710). Thomas Ihlenfeldt, Capella Orlandi Bremen. Berlin, September 2006. Details.

Der Verführte Claudius (1703). Thomas Ihlenfeldt, Capella Orlandi Bremen. Berlin, October 2006, November 2003. Details.

Der Tempel des Janus (1698). Thomas Ihlenfeldt, Capella Orlandi Bremen. Berlin 2001. Details.

Review

The Financial Times reported on a vulgar and incompetent production of Keiser's Der lächerliche Prinz Jodelet in Hamburg in February 2004: ". . . Prince Frederich's warring family appear decked out as Arab terrorists. There are references to Saddam Hussein and Michael Moore. . . . But the worst shortcomings are musical. It's good that members of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra can try original instruments. . . . But these things aren't easy to play. The idea that anybody can pick up a baroque violin and make it work after a couple of hours is insulting to those who have devoted decades to studying early music. It's also insulting to the audience; there's no excuse for playing as scratchy and out of tune as this. Alessandro De Marchi evidently believes that swinging his hips and hammering out the beat will compensate for poor taste and lack of subtlety in musical direction. Many of the singers are too young and ill-versed in Baroque technique to do justice to the score, but De Marchi draws second-rate singing from even his best principals. . . . If the booing on opening night was anything to go by, little was won for the Keiser cause."