Augustin Pfleger

Augustin Pfleger

Program

Sacred concertos for the Christmas and Easter seasons

  • Heut’ freue dich, Christenheit
  • Es wird das Zepter von Juda nicht entwendet werden
  • Kommt her, ihr Christenleut’
  • Mache dich auf, werde Licht
  • Saget der Tochter Sion
  • Ach, dass ich Wasser genug hätte
  • Triumph ! Jubilieret

As early as 1690, Augustin Pfleger was recognised as one of the most celebrated and innovatory composers of the seventeenth century.

His origins remain obscure: it is thought that he was born around 1635 at Schlackenwerth in Bohemia. At Nuremberg he studied with Johann Erasmus Kindermann, a composer influenced by Italian music. But it was in his home town that he found his first job, as Kapellmeister to the Duke of Sachsen-Lauenburg.

In 1662 he became Vice-Kapellmeister at Güstrow and published his opus 1: Psalmi, Dialogi et Motettae a 2, 3, 4 et 5 vocum. After three years of unremitting toil, Pfleger entered the service of the Nordic court of Gottorf in 1665. His reputation was such that he was asked to compose the music for the inauguration of the University of Kiel in October 1665. His compositions display a stylistic kinship with the greatest figures of his time: Buxtehude, Tunder, Weckmann. At the height of his fame, he left the service of the Duke of Holstein-Gottorf in 1673 for an unknown destination. He later returned to his home town where he died in 1686.

The pieces on this programme come from the Düben collection at Uppsala University in Sweden. This library holds most of his Geistliche Konzerte (sacred concertos), composed to cover the entire liturgical year. They are situated midway between the works of Heinrich Schütz and the cantatas of Dietrich Buxtehude. Their form as dialogues between named protagonists gives some of these compositions a highly expressive, dramatic aspect. The recitatives are in the vein of Carissimi while the arias are frequently sung by two voices. The instrumental sinfonias are for strings only.

Akadêmia :

6 singers
7 instrumentalists

Françoise Lasserre, conductor

Press

  • L’Union ( 25/02/12)
  • L’Union ( 25/02/12)

    Les Opus d’Akadêmia, Palais du Tau, Reims

    « Un même soin pour la mise en place, un même indéfectible élan… Une matière sonore souple et généreuse posée sur un soyeux tapis de cordes. Et cette attention accordée au mot, à l’expression, cette souplesse zébrée d’éclaires subits… La musique, vivante, captivante, telle que la pratique au quotidien Françoise Lasserre. »

    Francis Albou (L’Union, 25/02/12)

  • L'Est-Eclair (02/03/12)
  • L'Est-Eclair (02/03/12)

    Les Opus d’Akadêmia, Hôtel de Ville, Troyes

    « De la sérénité, de la joie, de la tristesse, de l’espérance. Autant d’émotions qu’illustre agréablement la musique de Pfleger, à la fois limpide et lumineuse, simple et inventive, troublante parfois. Et nécessitant une grande précision dans l’interprétation. Ce que Françoise Lasserre a parfaitement su conduire et contrôler. Comme toujours. »

    Lionel Reynier (L’Est-Eclair, 02/03/012)

    Audio clips

    Augustin Pfleger

    Akadêmia - Augustin Pfleger

    Videos

    No video yet