Winter Journeys
Works by Hammerschmidt, Schein, Senfl et al
Hanna Herfurtner (soprano), David Erler (alto) et al; Lautten Compagney Berlin/Wolfgang Katschner
DHM 19439934032 67:46 mins
Winter Journeys explores the universal themes of wandering and longing, joy and faith in the pit of Winter. Traditional Germanic songs interlard art works by Praetorius, Schütz, Schein and less well-known composers like Heinrich Erlebach and Andreas Hammerschmidt.
Since its founding in 1984, the Berlin-based Lautten Compagney has developed a reputation for its creative programming which often crosses boundaries between folk and art, early and contemporary music. On their latest album, traditional German tunes and songs are realised in eclectic arrangements by cellist-composer Bo Wiget, whose influences embrace jazz, pop, minimalism and film music. Wiget practically orchestrates these works, exploiting the colouristic and textural effects of different combinations of bowed strings, harpsichord, organ, dulcian, sackbut, cornett, recorder, lute, chitarrone, colascione and a battery of percussion instruments that tingle and tangle and tap incessantly. Woven into such busy textures, these traditional works lose their simplicity and tend to sound more like film music than folk.
To my mind, the most successful performances are the Renaissance and Baroque works where the ensemble’s sumptuous colours are more fitting. Erlebach’s lament ‘Meine Seufzer, meine Klagen’ is sung with haunting pathos by soprano Hanna Herfurtner; Hammesrchmidt’s ‘Jesu, mein Jesu’ and ‘Sey willkommen, Jesulein’ are aptly tender and intimate, while Senfl’s ‘Ach Elslein, liebes Elslein mein’ is yearningly beautiful (though the added percussion seems unnecessary). The vocal numbers are punctuated by movements from an instrumental suite by Schein, ebulliently played. In sum, you’re likely to love or loathe the freedom and inventiveness of these renditions. Kate Bolton-Porciatti