Sweelinck: Complete Keyboard Music

Sweelinck: Complete Keyboard Music
Ton Koopman
Philips 468 417 (4 CDs)

Under Construction


Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) is a well-known composer, and basically on the boundary between Renaissance and Baroque, as we've defined them for this list. Although the English influence is frequently neglected in any discussion of Sweelinck (as father of the North German organ school, for instance), this influence on his contrapuntal style was heavy and indeed easily audible after any acquaintance with both. Of course, Sweelinck also used German themes (treated in English style) as well as Italian forms and a general combination of Italian & English keyboard ideas. However, current thought views him as a natural extension of the English school, rather than as any sort of innovator -- in fact, Tilney includes works by Sweelinck in his English virginal recording, for example. Nonetheless, his compositions exhibit a high structural integrity.

Another complete citation:

Sweelinck: Complete Keyboard Works
Various
NM Classics 92119 (9 CDs)

The nature of lengthier program is presently unknown.

Other recordings devoted to Sweelinck's keyboard music:

Sweelinck: Keyboard Music
Anneke Uittenbosch
Globe 6035
Sweelinck: Organ Works
Fantasias, Toccatas, Variations
Gustav Leonhardt
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77434
Sweelinck: Works for harpsichord
Alina Rotaru
Carpe Diem 16281
Sweelinck: Organ and Keyboard Music
Siegbert Rampe
MD+G 341 1256
Sweelinck: Harpsichord Music
Gavin Black
Centaur 2747
Sweelinck: Fantaisie chromatique, Mein junges Leben, etc.
Noëlle Spieth
Solstice 51
Sweelinck: Keyboard works
Günther Fetz
Edition Clarino 99
Sweelinck: Organ works
Robert Woolley
Chandos "Chaconne" 0701
Sweelinck: Keyboard Music
Christopher Herrick
Hyperion 67421/2 (2 CDs)
Sweelinck: Toccatas, Fantasias, Variations
Peter Ella (clavichord)
Hungaroton 32382
Sweelinck: Music for Harpsichord
Fantasia cromatica / Echo fantasia
Glen Wilson
Naxos 8.570894
Sweelinck: Organ Music
David James Christie
Naxos 8.550904
Sweelinck & Scheidt: Oeuvres pour orgue
Aude Heurtematte
Studio SM (Vox Humana) 12 20.80

The last citation also includes music by Sweelinck's most important student, Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654), commonly regarded as the greatest German organ composer prior to Buxtehude.

And a series devoted to Sweelinck's choral music:

Sweelinck: Choral Works, Vol. I
Netherlands Chamber Choir - William Christie / Ton Koopman / Peter Phillips
NM Classics 92003

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Todd M. McComb