Fux: Complete Music for Harpsichord

Ravizza, Filippo

95189

Born in 1660 into a family of peasant farmers, Johann Joseph Fux died in 1741 as Kapellmeister at the Habsburg court in Vienna, a prestigious post that he had held for almost 30 years: an extraordinary rise in fortune and testament to both considerable gifts as a musician and, self-evidently, an inclination towards hard work and self-improvement. He is best known now for the Gradus ad Parnassum. This monumental treatise was published in 1725 at the Emperor’s expense and quickly became an indispensable manual on counterpoint, studied and absorbed by generations of composers thereafter. However, its formidable reputation should not overshadow his talent as a creative musician, which is displayed here in five keyboard partitas, a colourful Capriccio and a set of 12 minuets as well as a trio of shorter pieces. In all of them may be heard – and enjoyed – a surprising degree of charm, grace and easefully written melody. Indeed, Fux’s achievement was a perfect balance between rational precision and feeling, artifice and spontaneity.

CD x 2

Muzyka klasyczna

Brilliant Classics

13-11-2019

5028421951898