CD 15

Tyrolean Musical Treasures 13

In the 17th century Innsbruck was one of Europe’s centers for  music  publishing.  The publishers Hans Paur, Hans Gäch  and  Michael Wagner issued  a  large  number  of important  printed  editions. Among  them  were  Georg Arnold’s  Canzoni, Ariae et Sonatae, op. 3. Arnold was not a member of the Innsbruck court music ensemble but came from  what  was  the  Lower Austrian town of Feldsberg at the time (today Valtice in the Czech Republic) and attained the  reputable  post  of  court organist of the prince-bishop of Bamberg. His connection to Innsbruck consists in having had several works, mainly of sacred music, published by Michael  Wagner. Arnold’s remarkable opus 3, a collection of 45 very effective and highly original instrumental bagatelles scored for various strings and in part with obbligato bassoon, was enormously popular at the time.  It  is  therefore  all  the more  astonishing  that  only one complete example of this Innsbruck edition should have survived (as far as we know), namely in Uppsala University Library. The term canzon is ideally suited to the concept and intention of most of the pieces in this collection. It refers to an entertaining piece without higher artistic aspirations, of the kind that musicians liked to intersperse in performances of more ingenious compositions to  lighten  the  atmosphere. Amusing  pieces  in  various moods, Arnold’s canzoni are usually  shaped  like  songs. Their expression and structure, however, are not obviously superfi cial but demanding and accomplished  in  style. The complete collection, including an especially striking capriccio, is fi rst class 17th-century light music.

Track 25, 3:50
Capriccio Nr. 13
Georg Arnold
(1621-1676)

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