Tweet
What would the suggested registration be for Buxtehude's Ciacona in C Minor, BuxWV 159? Are these pieces to be treated similarly to fugues, with registration at Principals 8, 4, 2 and pedal Principals 16, 8, 4? It seems that the recordings I've found use a much gentler registration.
-
-
Re: Ciacona Registration
I would agree with a much gentler registration. I'm of the opinion that when playing Buxtehude, registration should be light and lively as opposed to thick and heavy. </P>
I feel with Buxtehude, (and Bach too),a steady controlled tempo is important. While I am more familiar with Buxtehude's Preludes and Fugues, with a Ciacona, I would generally saythat as with other works by Buxtehude, one shouldensure that adding or subtracting stops coincides naturally with the phrasing of the music. Add stops on the points of rhythmic stress, subtract on a weak beat without breaking a phrase. Stay away from oboe, clarinet, celestes, tibia, or a diapason that sounds tubby. Save the reeds for a moment where the piece climaxes, or if you got a really nice pedal entry coming in, you could use, say, a 16' trombone but preferably if it is near the end of the piece. Stay away from the expression pedals and avoid the romantic effects that you would use for music by Reger or Franck. You don't need to change stops very much. </P>
You can use Principals 8, 4, 2 and pedal principals 16, 8, 4 as you have mentioned, but feel free in my opinion, to make use of contrasted flues. If you do that, depending on the type of organ you've got you can make use of the contrast in pitches and colors of the flues. You could start off with with some 8' and 4' flues and put a light 16' reed in the pedal division. Maybe you can carefully experiment with some couplers. For example, if you want a distinct but light 16' stop, use a Gemshorn 8',with the unison off and the subcoupler. </P>
Anyway, just some thoughts. Hope you find it useful. </P>
<P mce_keep="true"></P> -
Re: Ciacona Registration
You will find a theme that is constantly repeated in it. And that should be clear as cristal to the listener and it should be as constant as possible (articulation, phrasing and tempo).
The recording I have starts with:
HW: Prest8, Oct4
Ped: subbas16, HW/P
OW: ged8, rohrfl4, flute2
Then they mess a bit with adding and removing stops but mostly in the same families, never more than 2 added and never less than what they start with.
Comment
Comment