Presents
Dietrich Buxtehude
Trio Sonata in D Major, Op.2 No.2 for Piano Trio
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) was born in the city of Helsingborg, at the time part of Denmark but now in southern Sweden. He studied the organ with his father who was a prominent church organist and followed in his footsteps holding the post of organist at important churches in Helsingborg, Helsingor, and Lubeck. He is considered one of the most important composers of the German Baroque and greatly influenced Handel, Telemann and Bach. Most of his works were either for voice or organ although he did compose some chamber music including perhaps as many as two dozen trio sonatas. Buxtehude was also a fine gamba player and his trio sonata writing for the viola da gamba exploits the entire range of the instrument often giving it the treble line in place of the violin.
The Trio Sonata in D Major is the second of a set of seven published as his opus 2 in 1696, though most likely not completed at that time. Obviously, it was not his opus 2, given that it came out toward the end of his life and he had literally hundreds of works to his credit that would have been composed before this time. It was for violin, viola da gamba, the forerunner of the cello, and keyboard. The work is in three movements and begins with a short Adagio introduction which leads to a lively Allegro, the main section of the first movement. The middle movement, Arrietta, is a set of seven variations. The finale, also begins with a slow introduction, Largo, and concludes with an energetic Vivace.
This is a fine work which would make a pleasant interlude between to larger works on a program of serve as a historical example of early writing for this combination.
Parts: $16.95
