Move Records Australian classical & art music, est. 1968

The Dew Gatherers

Playing its own arrangements and realisations of the songs and arias of Johann Philipp Krieger, the Cole, Heymink and Brewer trio (voice, harpsichord and bassoon) has created a ground-breaking recording. Krieger (1649–1725) is one of the important forerunners of Bach and Handel.

Janet Brewer harpsichord
Amanda Cole mezzo soprano
Neil Heymink bassoon
Johann Philipp Krieger composer
Amanda Cole arranger
Janet Brewer arranger

Krieger wrote some of the most exquisite and reflective melodies, and his works offer a great variety of moods, tempi and textures. This innovative recording of Baroque music revisits history and brings it into the present, adopting also a kind of Biberesque approach (since Biber was Krieger’s exact contemporary and compatriot). You will consequently hear cows, bears, a sow and a hiccupping beer drinker among these tracks. Krieger’s songs are rarely heard and have been scantily recorded, yet they represent some of the jewels of Baroque vocal music.

Cole, Heymink and Brewer are a trio consisting of Amanda Cole (mezzo-soprano), Neil Heymink (bassoon) and Janet Brewer (harpsichord). Amanda Cole has performed to critical acclaim in Australia, New Zealand, Austria and Germany. Her recording of Portuguese Art Song (Ode Records) drew high praise from the Journal of Singing (USA) and the Camões Institute of Portugal. As an orchestral musician, Neil Heymink has performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Queensland Pops Orchestra, the Northern Rivers Symphony and Sinfonia of St Andrews. As a chamber musician and soloist, he performs frequently around the Sunshine Coast and is a member of Pacific Chamber Players. Janet Brewer holds two Master’s degrees from Griffith University, one in Music Studies and the other in Piano Performance and Research. She was nominated for an Australia Day award for her services to music. Janet plays a 2009 Blackman harpsichord after Ioannes Ruckers (ca. 1637).

The extant twenty-four arias by Krieger, twenty of which we include here, exist in a 1930 Nagels Verlag edition as works for voice with keyboard. The figured bass has been fully realised, presumably by the editor, Moser. The realisations are dense and busy. Our aim has been to give these songs a new life.

First, we stripped back the pieces to the vocal line and the figured bass. Our second intervention was to arrange parts for bassoon. This was principally undertaken by Amanda (voice) and Janet (harpsichord), with finishing touches added by Neil (bassoon) in rehearsal (a truly collaborative process). We also adopted a kind of Biberesque approach, not least because Biber is an exact contemporary of Krieger, as well as a fellow countryman. You will consequently hear a cow in Im Dunkeln, a bear and a sow in Der Brummbär and a hiccupping beer drinker in Die neue Bauernstube.

The operas from which the remnant arias spring are Cecrops (first performed in 1688), Flora, Ceres und Pomona, a masquerade (also first performed in 1688), Cephalus und Procris (1689) and Phöbus (1692). Very few details of plot or characters have survived. The first and last operas, Flora and Phoebus, revolve around the sun god, while Cecrops and Procris are related to dew, which explains the title of our CD.

Artists

Photograph of Janet Brewer

Janet Brewer

Janet Brewer performs regularly in South East Queensland with Pacific Chamber Players (of which she is Artistic Director) and Arioso Chamber Ensemble, and recently made her debut with Camerata of St. John's.

Photograph of Johann Philipp Krieger

Johann Philipp Krieger

Johann Philipp Krieger (1649–1725) is one of the important forerunners of Bach and Handel. The oldest of twelve children, he is known by both given names so as to distinguish him from his brother Johann, also a composer of note. Krieger was trained in his native town of Nuremberg by teachers linked to important composers of the time, Froberger and Carissimi.

Photograph of Amanda Cole

Amanda Cole

Amanda Cole is an Australian mezzo-soprano, composer and arranger. She has performed to critical acclaim in Australia, New Zealand, Austria and Germany.

Photograph of Neil Heymink

Neil Heymink

Neil Heyming studied bassoon at the Queensland Conservatorium and in the Netherlands.

Tracks

  1. An den wilden Aeolus Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer :54
  2. An den Sonnengott Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 2:19
  3. Verliebtes Weinen & Lachen Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 2:47
  4. Die Geldheirat Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 1:51
  5. Der Brummbär Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 1:19
  6. Die Heißverliebte Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 3:01
  7. Coridon in Geldnöten Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 2:35
  8. Die schlimmen Männer Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 1:38
  9. Sommerfreuden Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 3:37
  10. Liebespein Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 6:01
  11. Ach, Pandrose Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 1:34
  12. Die holde Nacht Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 3:39
  13. Schmilz, hartes Herz! Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 2:26
  14. Im Dunkeln ist gut munkeln Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 2:48
  15. Jägerlust Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer :49
  16. Ein Küßgen in Ehren Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 1:43
  17. An die Einsamkeit Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 3:04
  18. Behändigkeit ist keine Hexerei Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 2:42
  19. Du unglückseliger Morgenstern Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 3:46
  20. Die neue Bauernstube Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer :48
  21. Aria con 24 variazioni in B Johann Philipp Krieger Arr: Amanda Cole Janet Brewer 20:45

Performers

Where to listen

The Dew Gatherers is available for streaming through Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.

The Dew Gatherers is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.

Product details

Catalogue number
MCD 565
List price
$25.00 AUD
Total playing time
70 minutes 6 seconds
Producer
Amanda Cole
Janet Brewer
Tom Stiles
Editing Engineer
Tom Stiles
Mastering Engineer
Kathy Naunton
Venue
Heliport Studios, Buderim
Release date
Musical work
copyright
© 2017 Amanda Cole
Sound recording
copyright
℗ 2017 Move Records
Category
Classical
Genres
Baroque, Vocal & Opera
Barcode
EAN 9314574056525

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