Christoph Graupner & Bach
Discussions - Part 1

Graupner Seven Last Words

Douglas Cowling wrote (July 17, 2008):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< Graupner's series of cantatas based on "Christ's Seven Last Words on the Cross" is top notch music. I understand some of these cantatas will be released on CD shortly. >
I heard a live concert of the Graupner on CBC Radio from Montreal and it is sensational. Let us know when the recording is released.

OT: "Gelber Tod"

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (January 28, 2009):
I know there are quite a few specialists here, so I'll go ahead and ask for some help. A friend of mine is doing transcriptions of Graupner cantata texts (mostly by Johann Konrad Lichtenberg (I believe he was the court pastor at Darmstadt) and ran into a cantata with the chorale "Komm Sterblicher, betrachte mich."

This chorale is rather morose, even by the German baroque standards:

du lebst, ich lebt auf Erden.
Was du jetzt bist, das war auch ich,
was ich bin, wirst du werden.
Du musst hernach, ich bin vorhin;
ach! denke nicht in deinem Sinn,
dass du nicht dürfest sterben.

2. Bereite dich, stirb ab der Welt,
denk auf die letzten Stunden;
wenn man den Tod verächtlich hält,
wird er sehr oft gefunden.
Es ist die Reihe heut an mir,
wer weiß, vielleicht gilt s morgen dir,
ja wohl noch diesen Abend.

In the 6. verse the death speaks of the "gelbe Tod":

6. Sprich nicht: ich bin frisch und gesund,
mir schmeckt auch noch das Essen.
Ach! es wird wohl jetzt diese Stund
dein Sarg dir abgemessen.
Es schneidet dir der gelbe Tod
ja täglich in die Hand das Brot.
Bereite dich zum Sterben!

Translated:
"Don't say: I'm fresh and sane,
and I enjoy the meal.
Ouh, during this hour
your coffin will be measured (for your figure).
The yellow death cuts
daily the bread into your hand.
Be prepared to die!"

Shudder

Anyway, does anyone on the list have a detailed understanding of what "Gelber Tod" would mean? The friend who is doing the German transcriptions is a native German speaker, and excels at reading 18th century handwriting, but this rather arcane expression has eluded him. Any leads or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!

Jane Newble wrote (January 28, 2009):
[To Kim Patrick Clow] I can only think that it would be called yellow death because the of bad liver function causing jaundice. This could be caused by cancer or yellow fever, or malaria, or even misuse of alcohol/drugs.

Perhaps liver-cancer in an age when not much was known about it, or yellow fever, seem the most likely. Yellow fever epidemics broke out in the 1700's in Italy, France, Spain and England, which would have been in the later part of Graupner's life. It was calle the "Yellow Plague" in the early Middle Ages.
Interesting text!!

Douglas Cowling wrote (January 28, 2009):
[To Jane Newble] Wow! And we complain when Bach set "Die ganze Welt ist nur ein Hospital"!

Joel Figen wrote (January 29, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< 6. Sprich nicht: ich bin frisch und gesund,
mir schmeckt auch noch das Essen.
Ach! es wird wohl jetzt diese Stund
dein Sarg dir abgemessen.
Es schneidet dir der gelbe Tod
ja täglich in die Hand das Brot.
Bereite dich zum Sterben!
Translated:
"Don't say: I'm fresh and sane,
and I enjoy the meal.
Ouh, during this hour
your coffin will be measured (for your figure).
The yellow death cuts
daily the bread into your hand.
Be prepared to die!"
Shudder >
I'm thinking it refers to economic conditions, and very possibly to some historical ruler or official who was stingy as all get out. Perhaps he had blond hair or jaundice, or lived in a yellow house.

also: I can't help being reminded of a child's scary song: did you ever think, when the hearse rolls by that you may be the next to die.....

William Rowland (Ludwig) wrote (January 29, 2009):
[To Joel Figen] Ach ja! What mobid thoughts. Surely Bach did not write a Cantata with a libretto like this?

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (January 29, 2009):
[To Ludwig] This is a chorale USED by Graupner in a cantata, not the cantata text-- but I agree there isn't anything quite as descriptive in Bach's cantatas or chorales. BUT there is a morose fascination with death in his music (common the period actually). In fact John Eliot Gardiner explains this in the 2000 Pilgrim tour DVD (I think the segment was shot in the St. Thomas Church cemetary).

James Atkind Pritchard wrote (February 3, 2009):
[To Kim Patrick Clow, regarding his orofinal message] The mention of cutting suggests to me "Crocea Mors", which means "Yellow Death". According to Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae" (Book 4, Chapter 4) "Crocea Mors" was the name of the sword of Julius Caesar. It was said to be mortal to every body that was wounded with it:

* http://tinyurl.com/c89hz4

* It also appears in Jasper Fisher's "Fuimus Troes", which was published in 1633:

* http://tinyurl.com/d32urp

* No idea to what extent Geoffrey of Monmouth or Jasper Fisher would have been read in eighteenth-century Germany.

Of course to identify "der gelbe Tod" with a sword is not to preclude its also being identified with a disease.

Graupner GW472

Continue of discussion from: Cantata BWV 142 - Discussions

John Pike wrote (April 4, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
<< Certainly seems to be the case for Christoph Graupner, he used it in several pieces including a large A major orchestral suite for flute/oboe/viola d'amore and strings. I call it "The Lovey Dovey Suite" ;)
You can hear some excerpted movements using my edition here: http://arsantiguapresents.com/tag/joyce-alper/ James Atkins Pritchard wrote:
< Kim, this Graupner is very beautiful. Thank you so much. >
I agree. Lovely music.

In all seriousness, I think Kim should be honoured by the Germans for his unique services to German music (especially Telemann and Graupner). Without all his hard and excellent work, much of this music would be lost, probably forever. How does one go about recommending someone for a German award/honour? (I was thinking about recommending someone in the UK for a Queens honour recently but the process is so complex that I have had to put it on hold after writing a reference due to lack of time to do all the other necessary stuff. :-(

A review in BBC Music Magazine a few months ago of Genevieve Soly's latest recording of harpsichord Music by Graupner was awarded 5* (the highest) and was awarded best disc in the instrumental section that month. The reviewer also remarked on how fine the music was. Does she use your editions, Kim?

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (April 6, 2009):
John Pike wrote:
> A review in BBC Music Magazine a few months ago of Genevieve Soly's latest recording of harpsichord Music by Graupner was awarded 5* (the highest) and was awarded best disc in the instrumental section that month. The reviewer also remarked on how fine the music was. Does she use your editions, Kim? <
Thanks for such kind words John, it's so thoughtful, but I couldn't do what I do without help and advice from a lot of friends (e.g. Monica Steger who's researched and finishing a dissertation on Graupner's secular cantatas, or Dr. Berhard Schmitt who is helping transcribe the 1400 cantata texts, and most of all my editor/publisher Brian Clark of Prima la Music!, who agreed to take on the complete Graupner ouvertures and sinfonia project.

But I'm most grateful for kind folks such as yourself and others here on the Bach cantatas who share such a deep passion for good music and are open to new discoveries and ideas. I don't want to edit music that just sits on a library shelf gathering dust. Music is meant to be performaned and shared and listened to and talked about! I'm most grateful for Aryeh's willingness to allow that in this fantastic forum!

Genevieve Soly uses Graupner's own edition of the harpsichord suites I believe; and has prepared a modern performing edition that will be published shortly, if it's not already.

John Pike wrote (April 6, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< Thankfor such kind words John, it's so thoughtful, but I couldn't do what I do without help and advice from a lot of friends (e.g. Monica Steger who's researched and finishing a dissertation on Graupner's secular cantatas, or Dr. Berhard Schmitt who is helping transcribe the 1400 cantata texts, and most of all my editor/publisher Brian Clark of Prima la Music!, who agreed to take on the complete Graupner ouvertures and sinfonia project. >
Well many thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in this splendid project then!

OT: Early Music America Magazine

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (May 28, 2009):
Early Music America's Summer issue has been published, and my three page article on Christoph Graupner appeared. My article aside, this issue is really good with articles on Harry Christophers taking over the Handel-Haydn Society of Boston, plus a great article on Mendelssohn's performances of Bach's passions.

EMA has made a copy of my article available for free on their website and the link is: http://www.earlymusic.org/sample-article-advertiser-index-current-issue

Douglas Cowling wrote (May 28, 2009):
[To Kim Patrick Clow] Congratulations Kim! Great article. Without you on this list, Graupner would still be just a name in footnote for me.

Ed Myskowski wrote (May 29, 2009):
Douglas wrote:
< Congratulations Kim! Great article. Without you on this list, Graupner would still be just a name in footnote for me. >
Although I did not yet access the article, I did previously take the opportunity to snag a couple Graupner CDs, after Kim's suggestions. I second Dougs thought: Graupner is no longer just a footnote to Bach, on this list, thanks to Kim.

As always, thanks to the moderator for carefully managing the edges of relevance to Bach.

John Pike wrote (June 2, 2009):
[To Kim Patrick Clow] I add my congratulations to those of Doug and others on a superlatively good article; interesting, comprehensive, and well-researched. Most of all, thanks largely to you and your colleagues, Graupner's music can once again take its rightful place in the canon.

Many congratulations

OT: Question about abbreviation on 18^th century cantata scores

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (November 4, 2009):
Frequently on Christoph Graupner scores, he writes J.N.J.M.N. (then the feast day for the cantata).

Could someone provide me with the written out text and a translation?

Thanks so much,

Douglas Cowling wrote (November 5, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< J.N.J.M.N >
I've never seen the abbreviation, but if it's an intercessory petition similar to J.J. ( = Jesu help), it might be a text such as:

Jesu Nostri Judex Miserere Nobis ( = Jesu, our judge, have mercy upon us)

I'll post the question on a liturgical history forum and see if someone recognizes it.

Christoph Graupner / Bach and the Brandenburgs concert series

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (November 11, 2009):
Christoph Graupner in Philadelphia

Tempesta di Mare <http://www.tempestadimare.org/>, one of the finest baroque orchestras in the United States, will perform the American première of Christoph Graupner's Ouverture for Recorder, Strings, and Basso continuo in F major, GWV 447 on December 19 & 20, 2009. Gwyn Roberts will be the recorder soloist. For more information on tickets and reservations, please visit their website.

Ed Myskowski wrote (November 11, 2009):
Christoph Graupner in Philadelphia

Stretch, re Bach relevance, no?

Response, re Reiche references?

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (November 11, 2009):
Ed Myskowski wrote:
< Stretch, re Bach relevance, no? >
Golly no, since the concerts are performing all the Brandenburg Concerti with music of Bach's peers, to show influences that affected baroque composers (this was outlined on the link to Tempesta di Mare's website).

< Response, re Reiche references? >
Yes, that Herr Reiche played a mean trumpet (apparently).

Evan Cortens wrote (November 11, 2009):
[To Kim Patrick Clow] Thanks for the message and the link; this looks like an amazing orchestra and an excellent series! The musicians listed there are all excellent, I only regret that four hours is a little too far to drive for an evening concert. (As it happens, I'll be in Philly this weekend though, for the AMS conference.)

The three pre-concert chats also look great; Marissen, Kevorkian and Zohn are all top-notch scholars!

Thanks again,

Christoph Graupner cantatas performance requirements compared to Bach

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 2, 2009):
Doug Cowling had asked some specific questions about Graupner's cantatas (so to compare them with Bach's for performance habits). I've generated a HTML page from my own spreadsheet that I coded from RISM searches. My list for some reason is missing about 50 cantatas, but there are more than enough to give you an idea about the performance forces for the cantatas.
http://www.baroquewave.com/darmstadt/graupner_cantata_Listing.htm

Ignore the colors (that's for my own research purposes ;)

There is a field to the right with this type of information:

15 S, A, T, B (2x): 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 - vl 1 (2x), 2, vla, vlne (2x),
bc: 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2 - ob, chalumeau 1, 2: 1, 1, 1f.

That's a description of the parts-- Soprano with the numbers telling you how many copies there are of the parts after. vl (2x) means 2 copies of that part.

I hope this lends itself to something helpful.

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 2, 2009):
Ops:

Actually some of the colors are blocks of cantata cycles (that helps me to see the patterns).

Graupner shared duties with a bass singer named Grunewald (from Leipzig) who died in 1739. They had a weird agreement that if the other died, they would burn their manuscripts. NOT a single shred of Grunewald's music survives! I estimate that he wrote at least 500 - 700 cantatas.

You can see after Grunewald's death, Graupner's production skyrocketed (1740, 1741, 1742).

The guy must have never slept!

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 2, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< Doug Cowling had asked some specific questions about Graupner's cantatas (so to compare them with Bach's for performance habits). >
This is fascinating material, the more so because it gives us a contemporary lateral context for Bach. Odd to see cantatas being written after the death of Bach -- 1776 in fact!

As expected, the Graupner and Bach's calendars are almost identical but there are some significant differences:

1) The three Marian feasts were celebrated but not St. Michael (Sept 29) or St. John (June 24). These must have been especially significant for Leipzig (fair, etc). I couldn't see any Reformation Festival cantatas.

2) All of the Sundays in Advent and Lent have cantatas.

3) The biggest difference is that Holy Week was celebrated much more elaborately than in Leipzig.

There were cantatas on:

Palm Sunday (Dominca Palamarum)

Maundy Thursday (Dies Viridium, Gründonnerstag)

Good Friday (Dies Parasceve, Karfreitag)

Bach had no requirement for cantatas on those days. Was the Passion sung in concerted settings on Good Friday in Darmstadt?

4) In 1742, Trinity 27 made one of its rare appearances, and Graupner wrote a cantata which clearly took the theme of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins: "Auf zundet eure Lampen an". It would be interesting to
compare it with "Wachet Auf", Bach's only cantata for that Brigadoon Sunday.

5) And what's the story on Graupner's setting of "Tonet ihr Pauken erschallt ihr Trompeten"? Did he use the same libretto as Bach?

Some interesting patterns in scoring to peruse as well.

Thanks for posting.

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 3, 2009):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< Bach had no requirement for cantatas on those days. Was the Passion sung in concerted seton Good Friday in Darmstadt? >
None that I know of.

< 5) And what's the story on Graupner's setting of "Tonet ihr Pauken erschallt ihr Trompeten"? Did he use the same libretto as Bach? >
I doubt it, I think the piece you're speaking of is a birthday cantata for the Landgrave, and just a coincidence of words, since trumpets and drums resounding would be a very common poetic text / device for a prince, lord or whatever you'd call Ernst Ludwig (the technical word was "Landgrave" which I take means "land count"). Ernst Ludwig's birthday fell on Dec 26, which was a big deal, Graupner had large forces for those pieces, and it appears that for the years up to 1739, Grunewald got to write the cantatas for Christmas day-- in an effort to let Graupner focus on the large birthday cantata.

Evan Cortens wrote (December 2, 2009):
Agreed, fascinating stuff, thanks very much for this Kim!

Douglas Cowling wrote:
< This is fascinating material, the more so because it gives us a contemporary lateral context for Bach. Odd to see cantatas being written after the death of Bach -- 1776 in fact! >
Two points:

1) I'm curious about this 1776 date; given than Graupner died in 1760, this can't be a date of composition... What might it be? A date of performance from a later owner? A library's or collector's date of acquisition?

2) As it happens Doug, contrary to what Friedrich Blume might like you to believe, the cantata tradition in Germany was alive and well into the 1780s. Just to name a few composers who were well known in their day and made their living writing cantatas in a vein very similar to JSB: C.P.E. Bach (cantor in Hamburg, 1767-1788); Gottfried August Homilius (cantor in Dresden, 1755-1785); and Georg Anton Benda (Kapellmeister in Gotha, 1750-1795). As it happens, this music forms the basis of my dissertation work, still in its early stages.

Evan Cortens wrote (December 2, 2009):
I should clarify: those dates I've given are the dates for the appointment I mention. Perhaps coincidentally (or not?), the final date in all three cases happens to be their death date as well.

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 3, 2009):
Evan Cortens wrote:
< Agreed, fascinating stuff, thanks very much for this Kim! >
Sure thing :-)

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 3, 2009):
Evan Cortens wrote:
< I should clarify: those dates I've given are the dates for the appointment I mention. Perhaps coincidentally (or not?), the final date in all three cases happens to be their death date as well. >
Yes, Graupner lost his vision in April of 1754, and wasn't able to write, and died in 1760. Johann Endler was his asst became full Kapellmeister then and died a few years later himself. It's very odd that Endler has very very few surviving cantatas for his 25 year stint in Darmstadt and "only" 30 orchestral suites, which are ABSOLUTELY charming pieces of baroque music. Make every effort to find CDs with them!

The 1776 date could have been a performance by someone long after Graupner died. There is some evidence some of the cantatas were performed years after his death. The court seized all the manuscripts from the family and refused to pay any money for them, since in the court's mind the music was the "intellectual property" of the court. Christoph Graupner wanted ALL of his music burnt after his death btw.

Neil Halliday wrote (December 3, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
>15 S, A, T, B (2x): 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 - vl 1 (2x), 2, vla, vlne (2x),
bc: 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2 - ob, chalumeau 1, 2: 1, 1, 1f.<
There are certainly unusual numbers of performers, as well as (surviving) parts, in this and the other cantatas.

For the above example, I read a choral group of S,A,T,B1,B2
with one surviving part for each; an instrumental group of 2 separate first violin lines (!) with two extant parts for each, one secomd violin line with one extant part, one viola line with one extant part, two separate violone lines(!) with one extant part for each; basso continuo 1,2 what does this mean? (1 cello, two organs?)

I must be wrong - for a start there are horrific balance problems in the strings.

Another example:
>S, A, T, B: 2, 1, 2, 1 - vl 1, 2, vla, vlc, org (2x): 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2 - ob 1, 2: 2, 1f.<
Two extant parts for S and T , but only one part for A and T?

Two extant parts each for violin 1, violin 2, and cello, but only one for viola? Two extant parts for first organ and two extant parts for second organ?

Elucidation please.

Neil Halliday wrote (December 3, 2009):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< Two extant parts for S and T, but only one part for A and T? >
Should read
>Two extant parts for S and T, but only one part for A and B?>

What about SATB: 6,1,3,3 (etc, further down the list)?

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 3, 2009):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< Two extant parts for first organ and two extant parts for second organ? >
Are the organ parts in concert pitch or Kammerton?

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 3, 2009):
[To Florian Heyerick] :I am a participant with a Yahoo Bach Cantata group, and for comparing Bach's cantata parts with Graupner, I posted my Excel spreadsheet to help:
http://www.baroquewave.com/darmstadt/graupner_cantata_Listing.htm

I got this information from the RISM, but sometimes it's not clear::

For example:
we have the birthday cantata:
Las Darmstadt unter vollen Choren ein jauchzendes Frolocken horen Ad Festum natal. Sereniss. 1728.
15 S, A, T, B: 3, 2, 2, 2 - vl 1, 2, vla, vlne (2x), bc: 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5 -
ob 1, 2, clno 1, 2: 3, 3, 1, 1 - timp: 1f.
What do those numbers mean?

Soprano 3 parts?
Alto 2 parts
Tenor 2 parts
Bass 2 parts

or does the number reference something else?

When you look at the string parts - if it's PARTS, 5 copies of the basso continuo seems like a lot!

But a majority of the cantatas seem to have just one part for the singers (which is why the Bach cantata group is curious about this information, because they're having a debate about Rifkin and one voice per part).

Thanks.

10 S, A, T, B: 1, 1, 1, 2 - vl 1, 2, vla, vlne (2x), bc: 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2f.

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 3, 2009):
As you can see with my mis-send earlier, I've asked Florian Heyerick for some clarification about the RISM information, but from a quick glane at the spreadsheet, many of the cantatas are for one voice per part:

Eure Rede sey allzeit lieblich und mit Salz a 2 Violin Viola Canto Alto Tenore e Continuo. Dn. 13. p. Tr. 1730.
S, A, T: 1, 1, 1 - vl 1, 2, vla, vlne, bc: 1, 1, 1, 1, 2f.
One voice per part there.

@ Doug's question: the organ was at regular pitch typically, but there could be bassoon parts, which I think in the example I looked at would explain why there would be five (Bassoon 1,2, Organ, Violone, Cello).The birthday cantatas were for unusally large forces-- I doubt they were performed in the court chapel due to size constraints, and I think the loudness of the instruments would have blown out some ear drums (since there are several cantatas with up to six timpani in them!) There could be some errors in the RISM information as well, but it seems unlikely to me. I hope to get some clarification from this week, since Maestro Florian is visiting Darmstadt (and hopefully taking photographs of the restored court chapel for me).

Thank you kindly for your patience.

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 4, 2009):
[To Douglas Cowling] Florian wrote back to me about the numbers issue in the RISM Excel spreadsheet:

For the example I gave:

Las Darmstadt unter vollen Choren ein jauchzendes Frolocken horen Ad Festum natal. Sereniss. 1728.
15 S, A, T, B: 3, 2, 2, 2 - vl 1, 2, vla, vlne (2x), bc: 4, 3, 3, 4,
4, 5 - ob 1, 2, clno 1, 2: 3, 3, 1, 1 - timp: 1f.

Florian wrote:
"Very fast (I am in Germany now for concerts). The numbers in RISM mean "folio": this is a double paperpage (so the Soprano is written on "3 Bogen" (this is German) - thats is why the continuo has 5! and the scoreitself 15! - just violone part 2 times."

So for clarification-- this canata has single voice parts for all the singers, one part each for the strings, EXCEPT Violone, and single parts for all the other instruments. Telling for a rather festive cantata, the birthday of the Landgrave of Darmstadt.

Florian also asked that I point you to his extensive website http://graupner2010.synthasite.com . For what it is worth, Florian completely agrees there is no historical evidence for more one voice per part during Graupner's time, but he doesn't think that means we can't perform more voices to a part. I think one of the best Graupner recordings is the Hermann Max CD on CPO, which features a very morose cantata with concertante chalumeaux.

I hope this helps!

Evan Cortens wrote (December 4, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< Florian wrote:
"Very fast (I am in Germany now for concerts). The numbers in RISM mean "folio": this is a double paperpage (so the Soprano is written on "3 Bogen" (this is German) - thats is why the continuo has 5! and the score itself 15! - just violone part 2 times."
So for clarification-- this canata has single voice parts for all the singers, one part each for the strings, EXCEPT Violone, and single parts for all the other instruments. Telling for a rather festive cantata, the birthday of the Landgrave of Darmstadt. >
Ah, good to have that cleared up; those numbers do make much more sense as folio counts.

Thanks again for your work on this!

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 4, 2009):
[To Evan Cortens] Have you seen this month's issue of Early Music America? There is a new piece in it by Rikfin's nemesis in it, and guess what, he uses the Arnold Schering article as "proof" against Rikfin. The article covers absolutely no new ground, except it mentions that some research has found written descriptions of Bach's performances in Leipzig having 30 or more performers. There's no footnotes or citations for this new research provided though. He did lead the article with a quote from one of the Leipzig town fathers that also mentions Bach conducting 30 or more performers.

It's a great read if you get the chance to see it (prolly in the Cornell Music Library no doubt).

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 5, 2009):
Neil Halliday wrote:
< Another example: >
>> S, A, T, B: 2, 1, 2, 1 - vl 1, 2, vla, vlc, org (2x): 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2 - ob 1, 2: 2, 1f.<<
< Two extant parts for S and T , but only one part for A and T?
Two extant parts each for violin 1, violin 2, and cello, but only one for viola? Two extant parts for first organ and two extant parts for second organ?
Elucidation please. >
The numbers refer to "bogen" (double pages in German).
2 Bogen for the Soprano (which makes sense if she has the bulk of arias).
1 Bogen for Alto.
2 Bogen for Tenor
1 Bogen for Bass.

Single part books for the voices and instruments, except the Organ which has two. That's untypical though. Not sure why this cantata has two organ parts.

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 5, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< Not sure why this cantata has two organ parts. >
Harpsichord?

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 5, 2009):
Douglas Cowling wrote:
< Harpsichord? >
I doubt it seriously. Could be for cello and organ. Space was pretty tight in the Darmstadt chapel, but bviously they could squeeze in horns, trumpets, and every other instrument, so why not a harpsichord? I wished I could give you statistics about "organo" versus "cembalo" parts but I don't have that information at hand right now.

OT: GWV listing of Graupner cantatas now on BCW

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (February 22, 2010):
Thanks to Aryeh, the Bach Cantata Website has now a complete listing of all of Christoph Graupner's cantatas.
See: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Other/Graupner-Cantata.htm

Dr. Oswald Bill is the author and creator of this thematic index, which is still very much a work in progress.

Florian Keyerick is a Graupner scholar who has blended the GWV numbers into a database and provided me with the information.

Another valuable resource for the BCW ;)

P.S. The PDF document will be modified shortly, and Aryeh will upload that as soon as I finish creating it.

Evan Cortens wrote (February 22, 2010):
[To Kim Patrick Clow] Looks great, thanks for all the wonderful work Kim!

Wow, that J. C. Lichtenberg was one busy poet... looks like he did about 95% of the texts, or so.

OT: Bach's Peers / Christoph Graupner: chorales, GWV 1105:53 and GWV 1111:44

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 25, 2012):
With Aryeh's permission, I thought I would share Christoph Graupner's chorale to the 1753 Christmas day cantata Jauchzet ihr Himmel, erfreue dich Erde. The orchestra requires 2 oboes, 2 flutes, 2 horns, 4 (!!) timpani,
strings, basso continuo, and SATB soloists. Graupner never changed the original chorale melody, and instead lavished he creativity on the instrumental accompaniment and ritornellos between the chorale verses, basing it on kernels within the chorale melody. This would be Graupner's last Christmas cantata; and by the following year, he lost his eyesight and was unable to write music, and lived another six years before dying in 1760.

The video is at: http://youtu.be/6tGMLR5jllI

The second chorale is from Ach mein Herzliebes Jesulein, GWV 1111:44

Written in 1744, this cantata features chalumeaux, timpani, strings, SATB soloists and continuo.

It's a beautiful chorale setting.

The video is at: http://youtu.be/8c_BMLOUURQ

Performers are:
Ex Tempore, Mannheimer Hofkapelle, Florian Heyerick conducting.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday

Douglas Cowling wrote (December 26, 2012):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< I thought I would share Christoph Graupner's chorale to the 1753 Christmas day cantata Jauchzet ihr Himmel, erfreue dich Erde. >
What a delightful Christmas bon-bon. Many thanks from the city of 75 Messiah performances!

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 26, 2012):
[To Douglas Cowling] You're most welcome Doug ;)

musica Dei donum (16 March 2020)

John van Veen wrote (March 15, 2020):
CD reviews:

Finger: "Music for European Courts and Concerts"
The Harmonious Society of Tickle-Fiddle Gentlemen/Robert Rawson

Music for Passiontide

JS Bach: St Mark Passion (BWV 247)
Soloists, Cor Infantil Amics de la Unió, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Le Concert des Nations/Jordi Savall

Graupner: "Das Leiden Jesu - Passion Cantatas III"
Solistenensemble Ex Tempore, Barockorchester Mannheimer Hofkapelle/Florian Heyerick

- Morales: "Lamentabatur Iacob - Music for Lent"
La Grande Chapelle/Albert Recasens
- "O crux benedicta - Lent and Holy Week at the Sistine Chapel"
Sistine Chapel Choir/Massimo Palombella
- Palestrina: "Lamentations - Book 2"
Cinquecento
- Palestrina: "Volume 8"
The Sixteen/Harry Christophers

see: http://www.musica-dei-donum.org

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (March 16, 2020):
[To Johan van Veen] I always love your reviews, but I was thrilled at your great review of the new Christoph Graupner "Das Leiden Jesu - Passion Cantatas III" performed by Solistenensemble Ex Tempore; Barockorchester Mannheimer Hofkapelle Directed by Florian Heyerick on the CPO label.

Cover and CD and audio samples @ https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/christoph-graupner-passions-kantaten-vol-3/hnum/8977552

I fully agree with your comments and observations on this CD project, particularly this statement in your review:

‘The more of Graupner's music I hear, the more I am impressed by its unique features. It is so different from anything written by composers of his time. Graupner's music is very expressive, through the effective use of rhetorical means and his differentiated instrumentation in the interest of expression. This disc incseveral fine examples of that. Florian Heyerick is a man with a mission: to convince the musical world that Graupner's music deserves to be part of the standard repertoire. He succeeds in doing so with his performances and recordings. ... We still have one cantata to go; it is to be hoped that this will appear on disc next year, probably together with other music for Passiontide. If the series is complete, we have a whole new kind of Passion oratorio, which is in no way inferior to the oratorios we know, such as the various settings of the Brockes Passion. I can hardly wait to see the completion of this project.’

Christoph Graupner new cantata recording

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (October 2, 2020):
A new video highlighting a new recording with Graupner cantatas that have been recorded with Florian Heyrick conducting.

Sounds very exciting.

Bassoon Cantatas (Sergio Azzolini)
′′ Shout out, O heavens, rejoice, earth ′′
Sergio Azzolini (basson)
Monika Mauch (soprano)
Franz Vitzthum (alto)
Georg Poplutz (tenor)
Dominik Wörner (bass)
Kirchheim BachConsort
Swantje Hoffmann (violin I/concertmaster)
Irina Kisselova (violin II)
Éva Posvanecz (viola)
Matthew Balázs (violoncello)
Armin Bereuter (violon)
Andreas Gräsle (organ)
Peter Kranefoed (harpsichord)
Olivier Picon (horn)
Thomas Müller (horn)
Christian Leitherer (chalumeau)
Francesco Spendolini (chalumeau)
Thomas Holzinger (timpani)
Florian Heyerick (direction)
Recording: Roland Kistner
SWR2

cpo.de - classic production osnabrück
Release: September 2020
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/GQwfSTA5evA

Graupner: chorale “Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme” for the 2nd Sunday of Advent 1726

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (December 6, 2020):
Here is the wonderfully effervescent setting of “Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme” which concludes Christoph Graupner's 1726 cantata for the 2nd Sunday of Advent “Heulet, denn des Herrn Tag ist nahe” (Wail, for the day of the Lord is near) Scroll back for the whole cantata which includes a very atmospheric opening chorus and a pair of charming arias.

Have a great day

https://youtu.be/aGbfrLXzoMw?t=744
Florian Heyerick conducts
Chorus: Ex Tempore Orchestra: Mannheim Hofkapelle

Zachary Uram wrote (December 7, 2020):
[To Kim Patrick Clow] Thanks!

Live stream of Christoph Graupner event from Darmstadt, Germany

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (May 8, 2021):
*** Livestreamed Graupner concerts from the Barockfest Darmstadt on 8/9 May 2021***

From Robin Klupp Taylor's Facebook post about this event:

*Full details and programme notes (translation) below*

10 May 2021 is the 261st anniversary of the death of Christoph Graupner. On the weekend beforehand (20.00 CEST on 8 May [event: https://fb.me/e/480rMTRkp], 11.00 CEST on 9 May [event: https://fb.me/e/3HWno8ZjL]) a very special concert will be live-streamed (YT channel of the Dotter Foundation: YouTube) from Darmstadt, Graupner's place of work for over 40 years. This will feature sacred and orchestral music with a common denominator being the bassoon, clearly an instrument Graupner relished writing for. The concerts, directed by Florian Heyerick, will feature star baroque bassoonist Sergio Azzolini and are a chance to experience "live" some of the great moments of the double CD released last year, itself recorded on the occasion of a great concert from the 2019-20 season of the Kirchheimer Konzertwinter (https://www.konzertwinter.de/scr.../2019-2020_Konzert-4.html).

Here is the programme for 8/9 May concerts:
- Cantata „Wir werden Ihn sehen", GWV 1169/49 (For the feast of the purification of Mary 1749) (Text and link to Graupner's manuscript: https://christoph-graupner-gesellschaft.de/details-einer... )
- Concerto für Bassoon, Strings and Continuo in C minor, GWV 307 (Link to Graupner's manuscript: https://christoph-graupner-gesellschaft.de/details-eines...)
- „Gottes Sohn ist Mensch geboren“ für Soprano, Bassoon, 2 Horns, 4 Timpani, Strings und Continuo from the cantata „Jauchzet, ihr Himmel“, GWV 1105/43 (For Christmas Day 1743) (Text and link to Graupner's manuscript: https://christoph-graupner-gesellschaft.de/details-einer...)
- „Komm, Herr, rette Dein Geschöpfe" for Bass, Bassoon, Strings and Continuo from the Cantata „Hebet eure Augen auf gen Himmel”, GWV 1102/40 (For the 2nd Sunday of Advent 1740) (Text and link to Graupner's manuscript: https://christoph-graupner-gesellschaft.de/details-einer...)
- Two movements from the Cantata „Freude, Freude über Freude“, GWV 1128/35 (For Easter Sunday 1735) (Link to Graupner's manuscript: https://christoph-graupner-gesellschaft.de/details-einer...):
--> Duet „Weg, ihr schnöde Sündenbande“ für Soprano, Bass, Horn, 2 Chalumeaux, Strings and Continuo
-->Chorale „Wo bist du, Sonne, blieben“ (2. Verse of Paul Gerhardt's . „Nun ruhen alle Wälder“)

Here are the performers:
- Sergio Azzolini (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Azzolini), Baroque Bassoon
- Miriam Feuersinger (https://www.miriam-feuersinger.info/), Soprano
- Franz Vitzthum (https://www.franzvitzthum.de/), Alto
- Michael Feyfar (https://www.michaelfeyfar.ch/michael-feyfar-tenor.html), Tenor
- Dominik Wörner (http://www.dominikwoerner.de/), Bass
- Ensemble Ex Tempore
- Directed by Florian Heyerick (http://www.heyerick.org/)

That's a really great programme, even for those familiar with last year's activities! Some will recall that the programmed soprano, Miriam Feuersinger, was unfortunately indisposed for the Kirchheim concert in January 2020. Although the fantastic Monika Mauch stepped in and gave a memorable performance, it will be exciting to hear how Feuersinger, a renowned performer of Graupner, will approach the great arias in these works. Also, the inclusion of the two movements from the Easter cantata GWV 1128/35 is particularly exciting, not least for the dark colours of the duet (it's in D minor, with horn and 2 chalumeux!) but also the lightening of mood thanks to the brilliant chorale which concludes the cantata, complete with slapstick ending (further evidence for Graupner's "Haydnesque" humour). Of course, those who have followed my chorales project last year will know this chorale: https://youtu.be/iO-tAv_klq4 . Anyway, great choice to end the concert with this.

More can be read on the website of the Barockfest Darmstadt, of which this is the opening concert (https://www.barockfest-darmstadt.de/.../sergio.../...)

As publicity for this concert seems to be (so far) only in German, here is a machine translation (I am not responsible for any errors) of the programme notes by Prof. Ursula Kramer who is a Graupner researcher from nearby Mainz University and chair of the Christoph Graupner Society (https://christoph-graupner-gesellschaft.de/english):

"An evening all about the bassoon

Admittedly, the bassoon is not exactly one of the first instruments one thinks of when asked about virtuoso instruments of the Baroque era. The trumpet with its radiant brilliance (not for nothing the accompanying instrument of rulers for centuries), the violin, which stands out stupendously from the accompanying orchestra with its brilliant playing technique, the recorder, which whistles its cascades of notes at dizzying heights and breathtaking speed over the heads of everyone else - yes, these are veritable solo instruments! But the bassoon? That slightly odd, diagonally held in front of the player's body, lowest instrument of the woodwinds, when does it ever really stand out? Usually it is mainly part of the bass section that provides the solid foundation for the entire orchestra. Virtuosic soloing seems rather out of place. How should it be able to assert itself against the rest of the instrumental voices?

High, dominating register? Not at all. Penetrating volume? Beyond its possibilities. Virtuosity? How can one judge it if one hardly ever perceives it as an independent timbre between cello, violone and the other bass instruments?

Today's concert aims to remedy this situation and shines a spotlight on this instrument, which otherwise receives little special attention. Yet individual composers of the Baroque period did indeed write extraordinary works for the bassoon, namely whenever they had appropriately qualified musicians before their eyes or ea, whose individual abilities they made the standard for their special compositions. Probably the best-known composer who also honored the bassoon as a solo instrument is Antonio Vivaldi: as a music teacher at the most famous orphanage in Venice, he wrote the astounding number of 39 bassoon concertos for his particularly gifted students. Thus Vivaldi was and remained for all time the absolute exception - hardly any composer has left behind - even in later times - more than a handful of solo works for this instrument.

But one does not have to look that far - here locally in the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, too, a similarly fortunate constellation arose in 1736 as Vivaldi had encountered in Venice: at Easter, a new member joined the Darmstadt court orchestra, which had already been under the direction of Christoph Graupner for a quarter of a century. This new member, Johann Christian Klotsch, was no ordinary musician; from the very beginning he was considered a "virtuoso" and received a correspondingly high salary. Graupner must have been delighted with this capable musician; he immediately recognized his far above-average technical abilities and, as soon as Klotsch arrived in Darmstadt, put him in the spotlight musically: after all, the Landgrave should be able to hear that the new hire for the court orchestra had really paid off. This was most likely to be achieved in the Sunday cantatas, the musical jour fixe of the week. And while in the years prior to Klotsch's engagement there was virtually no solo use of the bassoon in the church cantatas, from Easter 1736 onwards the number increased by leaps and bounds: One of each of the two arias then featured a corresponding solo part. The development reaches its climax in 1741 with concertante bassoon parts in 16 different cantatas!

Even beyond the personal component, the specific qualification of the Kapell member Klotsch, Graupner must have been very pleased with this new instrumentation for fundamental sound-aesthetic considerations alone; he loved to experiment with innovative timbres and to use the then new instruments viola d'amore, oboe d'amore, later flauto d'amore, and from the 1730s especially the chalumeau, an early form on the way to the development of the modern clarinet. All of these instruments have one thing in common: their tendency to have a restrained, muted timbre, their comparatively darker timbre, and their only moderate volume - Graupner evidently had a pronounced soft spot for precisely these. Especially for the bassoon (and its player Klotsch) he created the astonishing number of 95 cantata arias with soloistic participation of the instrument. In contrast to his early years in Darmstadt, Graupner's compositional style had in the meantime developed in a direction that increasingly demanded agility and technical brilliance from the solo instrument with a dominant style of writing with playing figures, triadic breaks or scales - just as it could only be right for a virtuoso like Klotsch. As a rule, Graupner thinned out the instrumental accompaniment of the numbers in question by using the strings alone as the accompanying apparatus. If other wind instruments are involved, they are usually limited to the frame or intermediate parts in the respective arias: After all, as an experienced professional of his time, Graupner knew only too well the limited tonal assertiveness of the bassoon and the danger that its lower register could easily have been "covered up" by the orchestra. Yet he always manages to present new ideas and twists that make the vast majority of these arias with solo bassoon real gems - not only for the listener, but at least as much for the performing artist, as today's concert makes clear.

In the soprano aria "Wasche mich in deinem Blute" from the opening cantata Wir werden ihn sehen (GWV 1169/49) for the feast of Marie Reinigung in 1749, there is, of course, not yet a truly virtuosic bassoon part; rather, Graupner takes up the instrument's ancestral bass function here and makes it the foundation of one of a total of three concerted sound groups: strings, two horns and timpani, two chalumeaux and bassoon. The latter, the tonally more delicate trio group of the three woodwinds, enters into a musical dialogue with the soprano. Graupner also uses the variety of colors of the participating sound groups in the sense of musical rhetoric: The sonorous fullness of the tutti orchestra is reserved for the A section of the aria, which is about the hope for that time when man will be washed clean by God, while the short B section, which deals with leaving the world, is performed exclusively by the string instruments as accompaniment to the vocal part. The message could not be clearer: The "abundance of melodious sound," represented here by the various wind instruments, stands as a sonic symbol for the kingdom of God.

The role of the bassoon in the soprano aria "Gottes Sohn ist Mensch geworden" in the cantata for Christmas Day 1743 Jauchzet ihr Himmel freue Dich Erde (GWV 1105/43) is quite different; here it is allowed to concentrate entirely on its concertante virtuoso role. After all, the message of the day is "God's Son became man," which must be realized through appropriate instrumental and vocal sovereignty in the sense of jubilant joy. And again Graupner transfers the textual content into the musical texture in a special way: the greatest possible consolation that the incarnate God gives to mankind becomes equally obvious to the eye and ear at the end of the middle section of the aria through the "entwining" of soprano solo and bassoon in sixths.

The bass aria "Komm Herr, rette Dein Geschöpfe" from the cantata Hebet Eure Augen auf zum 2. Advent 1740 (GWV 1102/40), on the other hand, is particularly individual, even extraordinary; with a playing time of almost twelve minutes, the aria is considerably longer than the vast majority of Graupner's many other bassoon arias. Musically, it is essentially based on one central idea: upwardly directed triadic breaks of the solo instrument may well be interpreted in a rhetorical sense as a realization of the text's content, man's longing for freedom and redemption. From the depths they strive upwards, but at first they come to nothing - as long as the Lord does not comply with man's request and demand for salvation. It is the single - isolated - individual who speaks through the voice of the bassoon, and the length of the composition becomes a symbol of the futility of human action without divine redemption.

Unlike the church cantatas, Graupner's instrumental works (with the exception of individual printed editions of his harpsichord compositions) are not dated. This applies to his more than 80 overture suites as well as to the 116 symphonies and the 44 solo concertos. Paper and type comparisons with the cantatas are the central criteria with the help of which one tries to narrow down a possible date of origin of this group of works. In the case of the four bassoon concertos that Graupner wrote in total, however, there are further possibilities for a more precise historical delimitation. Some of the concertante arias in the church cantatas, written since 1736 or the arrival of the new bassoonist Klotsch in Darmstadt, show a marked closeness in stylistic details to corresponding passages in the bassoon concertos, so that on the basis of such similarities it can be assumed that these, too, were probably written around the same period. And it makes perfect sense to imagine how Graupner wanted to give his new star bassoonist an even larger musical stage in this way, in order to shine more before the Landgrave than was possible in the Sunday cantatas, each with only one solo aria.

The concerto in C minor (GWV 307), which is performed today, occupies a special position among Graupner's concertos for bassoon; it is the only one in a minor key - generally rather rare for concertos of this time - and it also dispenses with the three-movement form developed in Vivaldi's concerto type, which became the dominant model for many German composers. Not so, however, with Graupner and Georg Philipp Telemann, who frequently uthe four-movement form as an equal model. Thus Graupner's C minor concerto, with its tempo sequence slow - fast - slow - fast and its harmonic construction plan (in which the third movement is in the parallel key), is much more reminiscent of the comparatively strict church sonata of the time, which also had four movements; like the concerto form, it too was an "invention" from Italy. Once again Graupner departs from predetermined paths to experiment, in this case: to make a basic chamber music form the backbone of a concerto.

The opening movement of the C minor Concerto begins - as a counterpart to the extroverted C major Concerto with virtuosity immediately on display - like an introverted piece of chamber music in which the main theme, presented by the first violins, is immediately seconded by a quasi-contrapuntal phrase from the solo instrument before the latter itself rises as the bearer of the main thematic action. The fast second movement is shaped as a genuine dialogue with close interlocking between soloist and orchestra and correspondingly entertaining interplay; in the intermezzo-like intimate intermediate movement in quiet Largo time, the progressive harmonic turns are especially interesting, while the strings merely form a sound ground on which the bassoon spreads out its triadic breaks: of little substance, yet an eminently atmospheric little movement. Bringing it down to earth is the concluding Allegro, a veritable and equally down-to-earth minuet in almost classical ABA form.

As mentioned, the intensive use of the bassoon as a solo instrument in the cantatas increased by leaps and bounds with the engagement of the virtuoso Klotsch in the court orchestra. In the years before, Graupner's attention had been focused on other timbres, such as the chalumeau, which he liked to use as a pair in different voice registers, preferably darkly shaded as a tenor and bass instrument. This is also the case in the Easter cantata of 1735, Freude, Freude über Freude, GWV 1128/35, in which the two chalumeaux are used not only in the duet "Weg, ihr schnöde Sündenbande" in a trio setting with a concertante solo horn, but also in the concluding chorale "Wo bist du Sonne, blieben," less virtuosically exposed than playing together in a close two-person association: The chalumeau was far less suitable for virtuoso escapades than the bassoon, and no one knew this better than Graupner, who found the tonal language that was appropriate for each instrument, although he never committed himself to musical solutions that had been won once, but rather went on a new search for independent realizations with each work. This is precisely what makes the extensive oeuvre of the Darmstadt court Kapellmeister so exciting to this day. Ursula Kramer [director of the Christoph Graupner Gesellschaft]

Graupner cantatas from Darmstadt

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (May 23, 2021):
I think they will post it online on Youtube after some video editing. Also, you could write directly to the president of the Graupner Society in Germany @
https://christoph-graupner-gesellschaft.de/english. I will also send you the president of the Graupner society's email address.

Graupner / Oculi Sunday Chorale

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (March 18, 2022):
Robin Klupp Taylor was the researcher and the creator for the music video. I have quoted directly from his facebook entry for this.

*******************************************************************
INTO TEMPTATION LEAD US NOT
Probably unheard since the 18th Century, here is Christoph #Graupner's setting of the 7th verse of Martin Luther's hymn based on the Lord's prayer, Vater unser im Himmelreich (Our Father in the heaven Who art) for Oculi Sunday (3rd Sunday of Lent) 1726: https://youtu.be/uYx-WmzK0_0
I wonder what Luther would have made of Graupner's tone-painting. As if possessed by the devil, the flutes and upper strings tempt us with intricately spun webs of deceit and intrigue which ultimately lead nowhere. And between the lines of the chorale we are taunted by loud offbeat salvos from the full band.
Image source (full manuscript of the cantata, GWV 1122/26): http://tudigit.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/.../Mus-Ms.../0001/scroll
***************************************************************

Christoph Graupner: Ascension cantata(s) and their Chorales

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (May 26, 2022):
Robin Klupp Taylor, posted an interesting overview on Christoph Graupner's Ascension cantatas, and I'm reproducing it here, for the list.

“This is the solo trumpet part from Christoph Graupner’s cantata (“Mein Herz klebt nicht mehr an der Erde (My heart no longer clings to the earth)”, GWV 1136/45 for today, Ascension Day, in 1745. You can enjoy my performance of the short and punchy chorale which closes this cantata here: https://youtu.be/7gm2zG6CYe4
In fact Christoph #Graupner composed 19 cantatas for #Ascension Day. Of these only one has been recorded completely, plus excerpts from three further cantatas. Here are the details:
1721 Cantata: "Halleluja! Denn der allmächtige Gott hat das Reich eingenommen (Hallelujah! For the Lord God almighty reigneth) (GWV 1136/21)". This grand festive #cantata scored for SATB, trumpets, drums, strings and continuo is on an album of Graupner cantatas for Easter and Ascension recorded by soloists with the #Franconia-based ensembles CoroCantiamo and Capella Regnensis under Marco Schneider. Unfortunately this excellent recording is not available to stream. Samples of the tracks can be heard at the CoroCantiamo website where the CD can also be ordered: coro-cantiamo.de/CD_undSieheIchBinLebendig.html I highly recommend it, especially the energetic performance of this cantata, which exists in an additional copy in Frankfurt, suggesting that Telemann had his mitts on it. Besides the jolly Hallelujah which frames the work we have great arias for soprano and bass and a chorale on a verse from the ascension hymn "Nun freut euch, Gottes kinder all'!". Graupner sets it to the tune instantly recognisable by English-speaking congregations as Old 100th ("All People that on Earth do Dwell"). This is the one and only time he set that melody, out of 1345 chorales!
The recently released album by countertenor Franz Vitzthum and tenor Georg Poplutz accompanied by the Main-Barockorchester Frankfurt directed by Martin Jopp includes three excerpts from Graupner’s Ascension cantatas, all from the 1720s:
1723 cantata: “Sein Rat ist wunderbar (His counsel is wonderful)” (GWV 1136/23)
Here we have the wonderfully lyrical alto aria “Sollt ich Kreuz und Leiden scheuen? (Should I shun the cross and suffering?)”:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/cAhKZYd3ZD4
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1U9qwo92ALr0x9hIJh1CL7...
1725 cantata: “Auf frohlocket mit vollen Chören (Rejoice with a rousing chorus)” (GWV 1136/25)
The album includes the tenor recitative and subsequent triumphant aria “Gottlob, der Himmel steht mir offen (Praise God, the heavens are open to me)”:
YouTube: Recit: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1lST6a51Q40 Aria: https://youtu.be/77Dr0AyrKIU
Spotify: Recit: https://open.spotify.com/track/7CKDwZfLQdwbOJ6i9lFhdj... Aria: https://open.spotify.com/track/2D1uwFJF8vyPVuGXzqmdNW...
1728 cantata: “Seid ihr mit Christo auferstanden (You are risen with Christ)“ (GWV 1136/28)
From this cantata we get three movements, two recitatives and in between an energetic little duet “Eile, Seele, in die Höhe (Hasten, soul, upward)”, in 12/8 time and with some tricky runs reaching ever upwards for the soloists.

YouTube: Recit 1: https://youtu.be/nGlAnwiBPu0 Duet: https://youtu.be/IPuWMZdk0g4 Recit 2: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CcvF7neY11s
Spotify: Recit 1: https://open.spotify.com/track/498RqLBJ7VN4Vw0NkHNSdZ... Duet: https://open.spotify.com/track/5kwGqedNb1wN4kBOeaOIPF... Recit 2: https://open.spotify.com/track/0ZRzXr7ZoM59mnqB2rCS2U...
The remaining impressions you can get of Graupner's Ascension day music are synthetic. Besides my performance of the chorale from the 1745 cantata mentioned at the top of this post, there is my performance of the bold chorale (with horns, 4 timpani and oboes) from the 1741 cantata "Begürtet eure Lenden (Gird up your loins)": https://youtu.be/EdxA65BswlU
Then there are also two synthetic performances of chorales by Richard Kram:
1735 Cantata (see below with the modern editions) and 1753 Cantata "Frohlocket mit Händen alle Völker (Rejoice with applause all nations)" https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Frohlocket_mit_H%C3%A4nden_alle_V%C3%B6lker,_GWV_1136/53_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=2830512
If anyone would like to perform some of Graupner's Ascension cantatas there are already enough in modern editions to fill nearly 2 CDs: 8 of the 19 cantatas are available, including 7 of them for free on IMSLP. Here is an overview:
1711 Cantata "Der Himmel ist offen (The heavens are open)". Modern edition (score, parts and synthetic performance) by Burkhard Switaiski available at: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/.../graupner.../21663199 This is a solo soprano cantata accompanied by 2 oboes, bassoon, strings and continuo.
1725 Cantata "Auf frohlocket mit vollen Chören (Rejoice with a rousing chorus)". Modern edition (score only) by Per Arne Karlsson: https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Auf_frohlocket_mit_vollen_Ch%C3%B6ren,_GWV_1136/25_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=2882845 This is a large scale cantata for SSATB, trumpets, drums, strings and continuo.
1728 Cantata "Seid ihr mit Christo auferstanden (You are risen with Christ)". Modern edition (score only) by Per Arne Karlsson: https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Seid_ihr_mit_Christo_auferstanden,_GWV_1136/28_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=2971438 This is a smaller scale cantata for SATB, strings and continuo. In it there is a nice little duet for alto and tenor which has now been recorded - see above.
1732 Cantata "Es jauchzen aller Engel Scharen (All the angels are rejoicing)". Modern edition (score only) by Per Arne Karlsson: https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Es_jauchzen_aller_Engel_Scharen,_GWV_1136/32_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=3287581 Cantata for SATB, strings and continuo.
1733 Cantata "Jesus nimmt den Himmel ein (Jesus takes to heaven)". Modern edition (score only) by Per Arne Karlsson: https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Jesus_nimmt_den_Himmel_ein,_GWV_1136/33_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=3334760 This cantata for SATB, flute, strings and continuo includes a great bass aria with a virtuoso flute part! There is also an interesting setting of the chorale "Freu dich sehr O meine seele (Known in English as Comfort, comfort ye my people)", one of the over 85 settings by Graupner of this tune!
1734 Cantata "Erfreue dich o Christenheit (Rejoice O Christendom)". Modern edition (score only) by Per Arne Karlsson: https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Erfreue_dich_o_Christenheit,_GWV_1136/34_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=3400974 A large scale cantata for trumpets, drums, strings and continuo. It ends with a chorale in D minor. It's always fun to see how Graupner "squares the circle" with his trumpets who cannot play an F natural!
1735 Cantata "Auf diesen Tag bedenken wir (On this day we remember)". Modern edition (score and parts) by Richard Kram and Dr Werner Jaksch: https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Auf_diesen_Tag_bedenken_wir,_GWV_1136/35_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=1973506 There is also a synthetic performance of the chorale produced by Richard Kram to be heard on IMSLP. This cantata includes 2 duets, the first for soprano and tenor (with 2 obbligato flutes) and the second for soprano and bass (with obbligato oboe).
1747 Cantata "Der Herr ist aufgefahren in die Höhe (The Lord has ascended on high)". Modern edition (score and parts) by Andrey Sharapov: https://imslp.org/index.php?title=Der_Herr_ist_aufgefahren_in_die_H%C3%B6he,_GWV_1136/47_(Graupner,_Christoph)&oldid=3046965 This cantata for ATB, strings and continuo starts with an impressive chorus with strings which "soar" to the heavens. There are great arias for tenor and bass and a great chorale setting of the Ascension hymn "Auf diesen Tag bedanken wir (We give thanks for this day)", where Graupner throws in a couple of Hallelujahs at the end for good measure.”

William L. Hoffman wrote (May 28, 2022):
[To Kim Patrick Clow] Great stuff. Besides Aryeh and Kim's BCW short biography. https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Graupner-Christoph.htm, is Ursula Kramer's Chapter 12, "The Court of Hesse-Darmstadt" in Music at German Courts, 1715-1760: Changing Artistic Priorities (Woodbridge GB: Boydell Press, 2011: 333-363, Amazon.com), with extensive material on Graupner and the Hofkeppele, with connections to the Leipzig Opera (337) and Telemann at Frankfurt (344). Also, see information on the Telemann and Graupner "Other Choral-Buch Collections," https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Topics/Chorale-Collections.htm.

Christoph Graupner: Short Biography | List of Cantatas | Recordings: Vocal | Instrumental | Christoph Graupner & Bach | Musix Examples