Buxheimer Orgelbuch

Das Buxheimer Orgelbuch, Volume 1
Fifteenth Century Organ Transcriptions
Joseph Payne
Naxos 8.553466

Contents:

  1. Praeambulum super D
  2. Christ ist erstanden (folio 45)
  3. Christus resurrexit (folio 46)
  4. Boumgartner (folio 110)
  5. Der Sumer (folio 23)
  6. Fortune (folio 124)
  7. Min hertz das hat sich ser gefröwet (folio 25)
  8. Benedicite (folio 68)
  9. Vierhundert Jar uff diser Erde (folio 199)
  10. John Dunstable: O rosa bella (folio 104)
  11. Allasamire
  12. Dunstable: Puisque mammor (folio 61)
  13. O Intemerata virginitas (folio 225)
  14. Conrad Paumann: Ich beger nit mer (folio 99)
  15. Allegalea (folio 185)
  16. Ma doulce amour (folio 79)
  17. Die süss nachtigall (folio 108)
  18. Salve Regina (folio 72)
  19. Ad te clamamus
  20. Eia ergo
  21. O clemens
  22. O dulcis Maria
  23. O gloriosa domina (folio 201)
  24. Seyd ich dich hertzlieb (folio 249)
  25. Magnificat octavi toni (folio 77)
  26. Pange lingua gloriosi (folio 163)
  27. Kyrie eleison Angelicum (folio 153-155)
  28. Sanctus Angelicum (folio 156)
  29. Jacobus Viletti: Ein buer gein holtze (folio 115)
  30. Mit gantzem willem (folio 214)
  31. Maria tu solacium (folio 74)
  32. Pulcherrima de Virgine (folio 228)
  33. Con lacrime (folio 139)
  34. Dunstable: Sub tuam protectionem (folio 158)
  35. Johann Götz: Vil lieber Zit (folio 52)
  36. Gloria de Sancta Maria Vergine (folio 151)
  37. Amen (folio 71)

Instrument: Organ at the Berner Münster, O. Metzler & Söhne, Dietikon (1982) after 11th-16th century sources

Playing time: 74'

Recording date: April 1995

The Buxheim Organ Book is easily one of the most famous sources of early organ music. Written out between 1450 & 1470 by at least eight different scribes, it presents a gigantic catalog (more than 250 pieces) of all the organ forms current at the time. This includes largely transcriptions, as well as plainchant fantasies, preludes and teaching examples. The manuscript was preserved in a small Bavarian town, and was apparently written in Munich.

Many of the most famous composers of the era are represented by transcriptions of their songs or motets (often without the composer's name given). In addition, several more obscure composers are named; it is unknown whether they wrote pieces which were subsequently transcribed or if they were writing original organ music. The bulk of the collection is anonymous. Additional evidence suggests that it was the blind German organist Conrad Paumann (c.1410-1473) who may have been the driving force behind the compilation of the manuscript.

The present volume consists largely of motet intabulations and cantus firmus pieces. The next two recordings in this series:

Das Buxheimer Orgelbuch, Volume 2
Chanson and basse danse intabulations
Joseph Payne
Naxos 8.553467
Das Buxheimer Orgelbuch, Volume 3
Praeambula / Organ Transcriptions / Paumann: Incipit Fundamentum
Joseph Payne
Naxos 8.553468

A related recital by Payne:

Vox Organalis
Gothic keyboard works
Joseph Payne
Koch "Dicover" International" 920 593

A few other recordings dedicated to this source:

Gotische Orgelkunst
Roland Götz
FSM "Studio XVI" 96516
Von edler Art
Selections from the Buxheim Orgelbuch & Locheimer Liederbuch
Corina Marti / Michael Gondko
Ramée 0802
Meyster ob allen Meystern
Conrad Paumann and the 15th century German keyboard school
Tasto Solo - Guillermo Pérez
Passacaille 950

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Todd M. McComb