Musical contribution - September 2013

Heil Dir im Siegeskranz (Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck, 1770-1846) – The first Musical Contribution was offered exactly 5 years ago. Now, 5 years later, we are presenting the 61st edition. Certainly a reason to offer something a little more sizeable this month. You are already familiar with the composer. He was also a central focus point in January 2012. Being an indirect J.S. Bach pupil (as he received lessons from Kittel, who, in turn, was taught by Bach), taught him the love for the “Choralvorspiel”. As a contemporary of Mozart and Beethoven, he linked the baroque counterpoint with the new world of the Viennese classics. He managed to design his variations in a less severe manner and with a gallant style. His lessons and compositions (including an organ method) represented an important contribution to the renewal and quality improvement of the German Protestant organ music.

This month a “Variationen” about the former German and current English national anthem. A grateful melody which, as demonstrated by Rinck, offers a great many possibilities.

Registration instructions: Rinck doesn’t provide any guidance in the original version. I would still like to offer a number of options, safe in the knowledge there is no such thing as the “perfect” registration.

Theme:	bars 1-6: principal 8’, 7-10: flute 8’, 11-14: principal 8’. If the flutes 8’ from the different manuals have enough of a character of their own, then this is an option too.
Var. 1:	With dark colours (whether or not a 16’), bars 7-10: flute 8’ and 4’.
Var. 2:	Manual: flute 8’ and Pedal: 16’+ 8’, or Manual: flute 4’ and Pedal: based on 8’.
Var. 3:	As different as possible. For example, right hand 8’+2’ and the left hand a small reed. The other way around is possible too.
Var. 4:	A forte sound. Can be done with a flute choir or principal choir, whether or not with a 3’.
Var. 5:	Completely thought up with reeds in mind. I only use 8’ labials myself.
Var. 6:	Flute 8’ with or without a Gamba or Salicional. There are instructions in the score (from the original) from the 3rd system.
Final:	Stronger than the end of Var. 6. Bar 176 very soft, with just a single flute stop. The same applies to bars 187 and 203. It’s definitely a good idea to apply some differences.

The embellishments indicated in the score will clearly result in a gallant style. We would therefore certainly recommend looking into this carefully. I always feel noting down the finger positions proves to be very useful. Especially with the faster passages.

We hope you really enjoy these variations,

With Kind Regards,

André van Vliet