Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer’s “Ariadne Musica” was an influential collection of organ music published in 1702. It consisted of pairs of preludes and fugues in 20 different keys and five ricercars which were each designated for a major feast day in the Christian year. The collection likely had an influence on J.S. Bach’s more well-known cycle of preludes and fugues known as “The Well-Tempered Clavier.”

This video features the ricercar for the Feast of Pentecost. It is based on the Lutheran hymn “Komm, heiliger Geist,” which is translated in English as «”O Spirit Divine, Our God and Our Lord.” This was the main hymn (“Hauptlied”) for Pentecost Sunday in German-speaking Lutheranism for several hundred years.

A “ricercar” is a musical form which imitatively echoes fragments of a melody to create a layered texture. Each “voice” enters by stating the melody fragment and then trailing off in its own direction. In this particular ricercar, the melody fragment is taken from the beginning of the hymn tune. This creates a musical impression similar to many overlapping voices singing the hymn at the same time.

This video is from the 11:00 service at Winder First UMC on the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, June 19th, 2022.

Played by Nathan Andrew Jones.
www.nathanandrewjones.com

свернуть