Tölz Boys Choir — Tölzer Knabenchor
Klemens Schnorr, organ
Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, conductor
The Tölz Boys Choir and the Thoma Organ of St. Tertulin in Schlehdorf complement each other splendidly in this wonderful selection of South German and Italian church music, supported by the meticulously reconstructed sound of the Baroque organ of Franz Thoma. And now, for the first time, we are able to hear the First German Mass of Theodor Günberger as it once sounded.
»One is not always treated to an ideal combination of instrument, interpreter, and music, but on this CD of choral and organ music, all elements come together in masterly fashion. Klemens Schnorr chooses wonderfully appropriate works to introduce the Franz Thoma organ in Schlehdorf. The Tolz Boy’s Choir under Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, gives a fresh and lively perfomance of the Deutsche Messe by Theodor Grünberger. The informative and well-made booklet leaves nothing to be desired.«
from Kirchenmusikalische Mitteilungen Freiburg, 05/2010
Tölz Boys Choir — Tölzer Knabenchor
Klemens Schnorr, organ
Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, conductor
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (1736–1809):
Prelude and Fugue op. 6, 1 C Major
Prelude and Fugue op. 6, 2 d Minor
Giovanni Giorgi (ca. 1695–1762):
Cum complerentur (Antiphon)*
Spiritus Domini (Antiphon)*
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger:
Prelude and Fugue op. 6, 3 e Minor
Prelude and Fugue op. 6, 4 G Major
Giovanni Giorgi:
Angelus autem Domini (Antiphon)*
Ave Maria (Antiphon)*
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger:
Prelude and Fugue op. 6, 5 a Minor
Prelude and Fugue op. 6, 6 h minor
Giovanni Giorgi:
Dabit ei Dominus (Antiphon)*
Domenico Zipoli (1688–1726):
All’Offertorio
All’Elevazione
Pompeo Cannicciari (1670–1744):
Confirma hoc Deus (Offertorium)*
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809):
Vier Stücke für die Flötenuhr
Hob. XIX:17 [Allegro moderato]
Hob. XIX:23 [Vivace]
Hob. XIX:3 [Andantino]
Hob. XIX:28 Allegro
Theodor Grünberger (1756–1820):
Erste Deutsche Messe*
Präludium zum Kyrie – Kyrie
Gloria
Fugetto nach der Epistel
Credo
Interludium zum Offertorium
Offertorium
Präludium zum Sanctus – Sanctus
Duetto nach der Elevation
Agnus Dei
Beschluß
Giovanni Morandi (1777–1856):
Sonata Prima c Minor op. 21
(Offertorio)
* Weltersteinspielung / World Première Recording
»»» Detailed informations, texts, photos, etc. inside CD (booklet)
Total recording time: 65:23 | Format: 1 Audio-CD | RD: 01 Dec 2009
Recording: 2009 – St. Tertulin, Schlehdorf, Germany
English booklet enclosed (36 pages) / German booklet enclosed
Ord.-No. SRL4-09056 | (p) & (c) SPEKTRAL 2009 | Series SPEKTRAL CLASSICS
In 2006, the Tölz Boys Choir celebrated 50 years of existence. It has been led by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden since its inception. At present, it consists of over 200 boys who are instructed by seven vocal coaches. The joy of singing is the fundamental basis of the choristers’ comprehensive musical education. The various groups and soloists that make up the choir appear throughout the world in more than 200 concerts and opera performances each year. The broad musical palette of the Tölz Boys Choir embraces vocal music from the Middle Ages to the Modern Period. The choir also focuses on solo roles and choral parts from the great operatic works of the last 400 years. They undertake regular tours that lead them to Japan, China, Israel, and the United States, in addition to all of the European countries. Many top conductors have worked with the choir. The Tölz Boys Choir has been awarded many prizes for their recordings, including the “Deutscher Schallplattenpreis”, the French “Diapason d’Or”, and the “Echo-Klassik-Preis”.
Further informations: www.toelzerknabenchor.de
Prof. Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden was born in Karlsbad in 1937 and obtained his training as a conductor at the Musikhochschule in Munich with Kurt Eichhorn. He also worked with Kurt Thomas, the choir director of St. Thomas in Leipzig, for three years. His collaboration with Nikolaus Harnoncourt also played a decisive roll in his musical development. Together, they made many recordings and gave many opera performances. As an conductor, Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden has appeared amongst others at the Salzburg Festival, La Scala in Milan, and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. As an internationally recognized vocal pedagogue and children’s vocal specialist, he held a choral conducting professorship at the Salzburg Mozarteum from 1980 to 1988. From 1984 to 1989 he was also the choral director at La Scala. He has given courses in vocal coaching for singers, choir directors and music teachers in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, South Africa, and Japan. In 1983, Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden received the Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Cross of Merit). In 1994 he was decorated with the Bayerischen Verdienstorden (Bavarian Order of Merit), and at the same time was awarded the Prize of the Bavarian Volksstiftung foundation. In 2000, the President of Austria bestowed upon Schmidt-Gaden the title Professor for Life.
Klemens Schnorr is a Professor of Organ at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg. He also serves as the cathedral organist at the Freiburg Cathedral and works as a sessional lecturer the Italian Organ Academy in Pistoia. He was born in 1949 in Amorbach, Odenwald, and appeared on the Stumm organ at the former abbey church while still a student. He is still closely connected to his home town through his activities as concert advisor to the Prince of Leiningen, and as artistic director of the Abbey Concerts. Following his studies at the Musikhochschule and University of Munich (organ with Franz Lehrndorfer, M. A. in Musicology under Rudolf Bockholdt), he was a prizewinner at international organ competitions in Avila, Bologna, Innsbruck, Munich (ARD Competition) and Nijmegen. In 1986 he was given an arts grant by the Bavarian government, and before he landed his position in Freiburg, he worked as a church musician, instructor and organ expert in Würzburg and Munich. In the academic year 2002/3, he became the founding rector of the Hochschule for Catholic Church Music and Music Pedagogy in Regensburg. He has served as the head of the jury in several international competitions, including Graz (2006), Kaliningrad (2007) and Saragossa (2009). Along with his teaching and concert work, he is also active as an arranger and editor, and has published articles on organ music and organ playing in the “Lexicon für Theologie und Kirche” (Herder-Verlag/Freiburg), and in the “Handbuch Orgel-Musik” (Bärenreiter-Verlag/Kassel).
