Ralf Waldner, Harpsichord/Organ/Clavichord/Regal

Early Music

— Keyboard Works by Nuremberg Composers for Harpsichord, Organ, Harpsichord and Regal —
During the 17th century, Nuremberg was one of the leading music centres in Germany, together with Hamburg, Leipzig and Dresden. Alongside Evangelical church music and the imperial-municipal Ratsmusik that had been transformed into a vocal-instrumental ensemble, music was cultivated amongst the bourgeoisie - instrument building and music publishing flourished, as did their distribution. Not kapellmeister and cantors, but organists were the main carriers of musical life here, usually writing vocal works and individual compositions for instrumental ensembles alongside music for various keyboard instruments (Clavierwerke). According to the historically founded hierarchy and order of advancement of the inner city organists' posts, the Frauenkirche was at the lowest level, with Hl. Geist and St. Egidien as "transit points" on the way to the two parish churches of St. Lorenz and St. Sebald at the topmost level. The activities and production of famous Nuremberg organists - most of whom were born here as sons of craftsmen, businessmen, pastors or musicians and retained their highest possible appointments until their deaths - were determined by the continuity of a teaching tradition, probably unique in Germany, that spanned five generations.
Early Music by Staden, Pachelbel, Hassler, Kindermann, Schultheiß, Krieger, Wecker and Agrell, incl. some Premiere Recordings!

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