Das Lochamer Liederbuch 2

The Lochamer Liederbuch is one of the most important sources of German-language music of the 15th century. As one of the earliest surviving German songbooks, it contains mainly one-part songs and a collection of instrumental music As a special feature, the latter includes the “Fundamentum organisandi”: a composition and improvisation tutor for keyboard instruments. In vocal music, this kind of instruction book already had a long tradition at the time, but for instrumental music it was an innovation. It relates this part of the songbook clearly to arrangements of the famous “Buxheimer Orgelbuch”.

As in the first volume, this second book also claims to prepare the source material for a practical performance of the pieces. The new volume adheres to the principles presented in the first and develops them further: 10 mono- and polyphonic songs were included in the edition together with related transcriptions from the instrumental chapter of the songbook. Just as in the first volume, in certain cases additional instrumental settings from the Buxheimer Orgelbuch are added, in order to present the songs in their historical context and to demonstrate in which way already in the 15th century they were adapted and re-arranged.

In addition to certain ubiquitous “hits” such as „Ich spring an disem ringe“ and „Der winter will hin weichen“, which are presented here in a fresh transcription, more melancholic and highly sophisticated compositions were included in this edition, such as „Ach meiden, du vil sende pein“ or „Des klaffers neiden“, which are complemented by challenging instrumental arrangements.

The CD to go with this book: CD 'Das Lochamer-Liederbuch', recorded by Ensemble Dulce Melos and Martin Hummel (NAXOS).