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A secret society, a clandestine community, mythical rituals in dark temples. The image of the Freemasons is surrounded by the mystic mists of the unknown. When it comes to their music, one should by no means think of Hans Zimmer's epoch-making soundtracks to the Hollywood movies based on Dan Brown's novels! Vocal Concert Dresden has turned to the authentic music of Freemasonry.
The first records relating to the establishment of a freemasons' lodge go back 300 years ago to London. Non-artisans were also allowed to join the English stonemasons' guilds, where they would debate debate esoteric matters of spiritual moment. Their motto was tolerance that took no account of social standing or religion; they encouraged freedom of personal development, fraternity and general philanthropy. Despite the reticence of the public towards them, the enlightened movement spread to the Continent where it became popular, above all in central Germany, which became a centre for the "Royal Art". The exclusivity and self-imposed isolation of the movement fed the legend that grew up about the fascinating mysteries of the Freemasons. What really took place in the inner confines of their temple remained hidden from view. The development of their mythical, symbolic use of formulae, objects and rituals went hand in hand with a cultivation of specific music.
Collective singing was the primary source of music-making in the lodges of the time. This strengthened the sense of community and gave structure to the rituals and ceremonies. The male voice choir of the Vocal Concert Dresden now offers a glimpse into the musical backing ¬– both unaccompanied and accompanied on historical instruments such as an original Hammerklavier (pianoforte) – of the lodges' practices. Strophic songs – primarily in unison or in some cases, where members had some musical training, sung in polyphonic form – were the most popular genre. The interplay of words and music is meant to convey the entertaining and relaxing side of music alongside the essence of the masons' values. This album offers a whole programme of music that covers both overt and subliminal examples of musical pointers to the lodge brethren's symbols and values: threefold repetition for example will symbolise the three ranks of St John Masonry and the three ideals (wisdom, strength and beauty); pounding note repeats represent the masons' hammer blows, while the alternation between soloist and tutti represents the teacher-apprentice relationship between the individual ranks.
Schiller's "Ode to Joy" won favour in more than 100 different settings and gained immortal status as the culmination of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The widespread view that it was commissioned as an original poem for the masons is simply untrue. Long before Beethoven took possession of the poem, a number of composers in Leipzig and Dresden had set the words to music. Four of those first settings laid the foundations for its popularity and they are featured here on this album. Accompanied by a comprehensive booklet, this release by Vocal Concert Dresden under the direction of Peter Kopp aims to demonstrate the importance of music, not only to the freemason movement. Masonic music-making made a huge contribution to the development of middle-class and non-sacred music. Recorded in Dresden's "Institute of Freemasonry", a school building sponsored for more than 150 years by the movement, this album featuring numerous works never recorded until now offers a truly fascinating view into a world seldom seen or heard. © Berlin Classics
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Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Ludwig Friedrich Lenz, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Friedrich Heinrich Himmel, Composer - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Dresdner Instrumental Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Gottlob Adolf Ernst von Nostitz und Jänkendorf, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Ludwig Friedrich Lenz, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Ludwig Friedrich Lenz, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Anonymous, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Composer - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Stephan Keucher, Artist, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Stephan Keucher, Artist, MainArtist - Johann Wilhelm Bernhard von Hymmen, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Anonymous, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Johann Wilhelm Bernhard von Hymmen, Lyricist - Falk Joost, Artist, MainArtist - Joseph Augustin Gürrlich, Composer
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Anonymous, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Bernhard Anselm Weber, Composer - Stephan Keucher, Artist, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Friedrich Ludwig Seidel, Composer - Johann Wilhelm Bernhard von Hymmen, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Gottfried Ferdinand von Lindemann, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Gottfried August Homilius, Composer - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Gottfried Ferdinand von Lindemann, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Anonymous, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Joseph Schuster, Composer
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Dresdner Instrumental Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Georg Carl Alexander Richter, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Matthias Claudius, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Joseph Schuster, Composer
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Anonymous, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Dresdner Instrumental Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Johann Wilhelm Bernhard von Hymmen, Translator
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Anonymous, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Dresdner Instrumental Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Johann Wilhelm Bernhard von Hymmen, Translator
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Dresdner Instrumental Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Dresdner Instrumental Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Friedrich Schiller, Lyricist - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Christian Gottfried Körner, Composer
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Friedrich Schiller, Lyricist - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Stephan Keucher, Artist, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Friedrich Schiller, Lyricist - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Friedrich Franz Hurka, Composer
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Friedrich Schiller, Lyricist - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Johann Christian Muller, Composer
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Johann Wilhelm Bernhard von Hymmen, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Aloys Blumauer, Lyricist - Stephan Keucher, Artist, MainArtist - Joseph Augustin Gürrlich, Composer - Jan Fackelmann, Artist, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Falk Hoffmann, Artist, MainArtist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer - Augustin Veith von Schittlersberg, Lyricist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Anonymous, Lyricist - Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Sebastian Knebel, Piano, Soloist, MainArtist - Peter Kopp, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Gottlieb Naumann, Composer - Vocal Concert Dresden, Ensemble, MainArtist
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
Album review
A secret society, a clandestine community, mythical rituals in dark temples. The image of the Freemasons is surrounded by the mystic mists of the unknown. When it comes to their music, one should by no means think of Hans Zimmer's epoch-making soundtracks to the Hollywood movies based on Dan Brown's novels! Vocal Concert Dresden has turned to the authentic music of Freemasonry.
The first records relating to the establishment of a freemasons' lodge go back 300 years ago to London. Non-artisans were also allowed to join the English stonemasons' guilds, where they would debate debate esoteric matters of spiritual moment. Their motto was tolerance that took no account of social standing or religion; they encouraged freedom of personal development, fraternity and general philanthropy. Despite the reticence of the public towards them, the enlightened movement spread to the Continent where it became popular, above all in central Germany, which became a centre for the "Royal Art". The exclusivity and self-imposed isolation of the movement fed the legend that grew up about the fascinating mysteries of the Freemasons. What really took place in the inner confines of their temple remained hidden from view. The development of their mythical, symbolic use of formulae, objects and rituals went hand in hand with a cultivation of specific music.
Collective singing was the primary source of music-making in the lodges of the time. This strengthened the sense of community and gave structure to the rituals and ceremonies. The male voice choir of the Vocal Concert Dresden now offers a glimpse into the musical backing ¬– both unaccompanied and accompanied on historical instruments such as an original Hammerklavier (pianoforte) – of the lodges' practices. Strophic songs – primarily in unison or in some cases, where members had some musical training, sung in polyphonic form – were the most popular genre. The interplay of words and music is meant to convey the entertaining and relaxing side of music alongside the essence of the masons' values. This album offers a whole programme of music that covers both overt and subliminal examples of musical pointers to the lodge brethren's symbols and values: threefold repetition for example will symbolise the three ranks of St John Masonry and the three ideals (wisdom, strength and beauty); pounding note repeats represent the masons' hammer blows, while the alternation between soloist and tutti represents the teacher-apprentice relationship between the individual ranks.
Schiller's "Ode to Joy" won favour in more than 100 different settings and gained immortal status as the culmination of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The widespread view that it was commissioned as an original poem for the masons is simply untrue. Long before Beethoven took possession of the poem, a number of composers in Leipzig and Dresden had set the words to music. Four of those first settings laid the foundations for its popularity and they are featured here on this album. Accompanied by a comprehensive booklet, this release by Vocal Concert Dresden under the direction of Peter Kopp aims to demonstrate the importance of music, not only to the freemason movement. Masonic music-making made a huge contribution to the development of middle-class and non-sacred music. Recorded in Dresden's "Institute of Freemasonry", a school building sponsored for more than 150 years by the movement, this album featuring numerous works never recorded until now offers a truly fascinating view into a world seldom seen or heard. © Berlin Classics
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 27 track(s)
- Total length: 01:07:26
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Vocal Concert Dresden Peter Kopp Sebastian Knebel
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Berlin Classics
- Genre: Classical
2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH 2019 Berlin Classics/Edel Germany GmbH
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