Internationale Fasch-Gesellschaft e. V.

In a year like this one in which the musical world seems to commemorate almost exclusively Johann Sebastian Bach and the 250th anniversary of his death, other composers celebrating an anniversary tend to receive less attention than they deserve. We would, therefore, like to take the opportunity to draw your attention once again to Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736-1800). He died 200 years ago in Berlin and was a famous and much revered son of the city of Zerbst during his lifetime. Carl Fasch is remembered in the history of music for being the harpsichordist to Friedrich II at the Royal Prussian Court and as a composer. Moreover and most importantly, he initiated a new kind of public musical life as the founder of the Singakademie zu Berlin which must be regarded his most important music-historical achievement. This particular musical institution - Germany's first mixed amateur choir - was soon to become the model for other newly-founded Singakademien and significantly influenced the development of choral societies during the 19th century.
Carl Fasch's contemporaries knew him as a friendly man who was much revered by his numerous students. None other than Ludwig van Beethoven considered it an honour to know and visit Fasch. Indeed, Carl Fasch was held in high regard by everyone despite the occasionally apparent, unsociable and withdrawn side of this "noble master". Much too self-critical he burnt numerous compositions, thus making an over-all evaluation of his compositional style impossible. Fortunately, he refrained from destroying his master work, the mass for 16 voices, a true work of art. Fasch probably devoted as much love and attention to detail to the mass as he spent on his eccentric hobbies which included working on a giant house of cards. Why else would he have composed a mass which he had not intended for performance at church? It is a polyphonic work in the musical style of the 17th century, i.e. entirely without greater purpose and timeless and therefore possibly immortal. The mass as well as the other choral works of Carl Fasch (cantatas, motets, a requiem) present major challenges for any choir who want to perform them.
In addition to sacred works by Fasch, songs and a variety of keyboard works of his have survived. Several of these will be performed on the occasion of a concert in Zerbst to be given on his birthday on 18 November 2000 to which we like to invite you especially.
With regard to upcoming local musical events and concerts taking place outside of Zerbst, please familiarize yourself with the fall/winter 2000 concert line-up discussed below. A detailed overview of the 7th International Fasch Festival awaits you as well - note that once again we have in story for you very attractive events.
Moreover, we would like to draw your attention to a newly-released Fasch CD and bring you up to date with regard to our activities concerning Fasch and cultural tourism.
Finally, we would appreciate any comments from you, our readers, as to improve the quality of our newsletter even further.

Dr. Konstanze Musketa, president

The British Baroque Orchestra "The King's Consort" currently provides an interesting overview of German music during the time of Bach by way of their concert performances and recordings for the English label Hyperion. Their recording of the works of Johann Kuhnau, Johann Sebastian Bach's predecessor as Cantor at the Thomasschule and teacher of Johann Friedrich Fasch and others, has received critical acclaim. In addition, their recent CD with works of Sebastian Knüpfer who was active as Thomaskantor in Leipzig from 1667 to 1676, offers an abundance of interesting sacred compositions. The artistic director of "The King's Consort", Robert King, is frequently asked why one of Britain's leading ensembles focuses so intensely on the music of Bach. "Everyone considers Bach to be the greatest composer of the Baroque era. However, if you really want to understand Bach, you have to consider his roots - the kinds of musical traditions he grew up with. In order to do that you have to have a look at the composers before him. That's what I did."
The "King's Consort" has also performed works by Bach's contemporaries around the world. Most recently the ensemble played a series of concerts in London which presented music of 15 contemporaries of Bach and his immediate predecessors. Each of these concerts was well-attended and received excellent responses from the press. In December 1999 they also performed an overture suite by Johann Friedrich Fasch in a concert in Moscow on the occasion of the "Winter Nights Festival" - possibly the first time in centuries that his music had been heard in this city.
Robert King wants to take works by the Anhalt-Zerbst Court Kapellmeister across the Atlantic Ocean and introduce them to a leading American orchestra, the "Atlanta Symphony Orchestra". "I notice an increasing interest in this type of music", he says, "and it is great to see that so much of this kind of repertoire will dominate our concert performances and recording plans." [NB: both quotes by Robert King were translated from the German as the English original was not available to the translator.

Fasch in Luckau
The Halle Baroque ensemble "Johann Friedrich Fasch", dir. Matthias Erben, performed on 17 September 2000 at the Landesgartenschau in Luckau. In addition to works by Heinrich Schütz, Johann Pachelbel and others, they played Johann Friedrich Fasch's Sinfonia in g minor (FWV M:g1).

Fasch in Gelsenkirchen
Tobias Eger, Cantor of Zerbst, and his ensemble provided the musical entertainment for the annual general meeting of the Verein für Anhaltische Landeskunde on 17 June 2000. Their program included Johann Friedrich Fasch's trio sonata in G Major for flute, violin and b. c. (FWV N:G2) and his trio sonata in c minor for two violins and b. c. (FWV N:c2).

Fasch in Bochum On September 30, 2000 the final concert of the Caterva Musica Fall Academy took place in the Gelsenkirchen Palace Schloss Horst . It featured J. F. Fasch's concerto in B flat Major for solo violin, two oboes, bassoon, strings and b. c. (FWV L:B2). The performance edition had been prepared by Hans-Heinrich Kriegel.
Members of the Fasch Collegium Bochum will perform a concert on 29 October 2000 on the occasion of the Bochum Chamber Concerts Series. Their program will include works by contemporaries of Fasch as well as his sonata in B flat Major for two oboes, bassoon and b. c. (FWV N:B2), with Hans-Heinrich Kriegel having edited the performance materials.

Johann Friedrich Fasch, Orchestral Suites (Overture Suites), Capella Savaria, dir. Pàl Németh, DYNAMIC CDS 233, 1999, First recording
Musical pleasantries with a Hungarian-Italian flavour
This recent CD features obscure overture suites from the oeuvre of the Anhalt-Zerbst Court Kapellmeister Johann Friedrich Fasch. It emphasizes the increasing interest of international ensembles performing on period instruments - Capella Savaria hails from Hungary - in the (almost) forgotten works of Johann Friedrich Fasch. This recording is part of a series of recordings dedicated to Fasch's instrumental works that have been presented by several internationally acclaimed early music ensembles over the past few years (cf. The English Concert, dir. Trevor Pinnock, Deutsche Grammophone 449 210-2, 1996 or Academia Daniel, dir. Shalev Ad-El, cpo 999 674-2, 1999). The International Fasch Society supported the above Hungarian-Italian co-production upon request of the ensemble's bassoonist Paolo Tognon.
As one can glean from Stephan Blaut's informative and well-researched CD notes Fasch was active as Court Kapellmeister in Zerbst from 1722 to 1758 and was friends with the Court Kapellmeister of Darmstadt, Christoph Graupner, and the concert master of the Dresden Court Orchestra, Johann Georg Pisendel; Fasch regularly provided both masters with compositions of his own. During his lifetime Fasch was held in particularly high esteem by his contemporaries as a composer of instrumental music, in particular with regard to the stylistic development of the overture suite that featured a French woodwind trio (two oboes, a bassoon). Demetrio Francesci prepared performance editions of three representative suites by Fasch which survive in the Hessische Landes- and Hochschulbibliothek Darmstadt. These compositions bring to life works that could be heard during ducal dinners and nightly concerts as performed by Zerbst's "Ducal Orchestra", with virtuosos from out of town frequently supporting its members. In addition, these overture suites provide us with great insight in the musical-cultural activities at Central German residences during the early part of the 18th century. Listeners may look forward to stylistically mature works from Fasch's middle to late compositional periods, i.e. works that were conceived after c. 1730.
Ensembles often underestimate the musical challenge inherent in works by Fasch. In particular, interpreting his compositions in a way that enables the listener to appreciate instrumental performance practice according to the 1730s to 1750s is easier said than done. Capella Savaria's 18 members perform on period instruments and know full and well what is expected of them - the musical interpretation of Fasch's often very eccentric writing style. For the most part, they deliver; however, Capella Savaria occasionally experiences difficulties when attempting to perform the - at times rather difficult - motives and gestures by Fasch in a way that excites the listener. No wonder, for the sometimes melancholic and sometimes joyful Fasch displays his innermost feelings via his compositional approach: he pairs motives that range from lyrical to vibrant in slow opening and lively dance movements.
Furthermore, excellent intonation and appropriate musical expression are vital characteristics of a successful performance of Fasch's music. The ensemble is at its most convincing in movements entitled "Air" or "Aria" - I can especially recommend the second movement of the D Major overture which features seemingly magical pizzicato motives.
This CD contains 22 dance movements that are delightful to listen to as they offer an abundance of J. F. Fasch's lively musical ideas. Indeed, all three suites succeed in bringing to life 18th century performance practice. They provide much insight in the "world of the overture suite" as displayed in the multitude of compositional gestures presented by Fasch.
However, more differentiated dynamics on the whole and faster tempos in particular - first and foremost in final minuet movements - would have resulted in an even more vibrant performance of these excellent compositions by the Anhalt-Zerbst Court Kapellmeister. Similarly, the final movement of the suite in a minor, a minuet, the "most noble dance among the court dances" (see Stephan Blaut's CD notes), would not have had to forfeit as much of its "nobility" if the ensemble had chosen a faster tempo and less sluggish approach.
There are a few noticeable flaws in the booklet. It fails to mention the date and place of recording, the recording team and the picture used on the CD cover. Moreover, the exact instrumental scorings for any of the suites and the names of the soloists performing were not included. The rather careless translation of both the CD notes and the IFG bio into English leaves somewhat to be desired on the part of the educated listener/reader. Here are several examples: The IFG has been promoted to an "association" ("society" is preferable), instead of a minor we read "A flat" (minor? Major?), "Fasch-Festtage" become "Fasch Commemorative Days" instead of the commonly used Fasch Festival, etc.
Despite these minor errors I would like to thank Capella Savaria for their interest in three unknown overture suites by Fasch. Incidently, after the recording of this CD and the departure of Pàl Németh, the ensemble regrouped and submitted a concert proposal for the 7th International Fasch Festival. [The proposal was accepted - C.S. will be performing in the Spiegelsaal, Schloß Köthen, on 28 April 2001, BR.] In closing, let me stress that Capella Savaria does fulfil the listener's expectations with this recording, performing "music that is entertaining and at the same time spiritual" (Stephan Blaut) and occasionally even reminiscent of his idol G. P. Telemann and his favourite composer A. Vivaldi.

Barbara Reul

Much has happened in the past six months with regard to Fasch and cultural tourism. The IFG's new homepage was made available online in August 2000. It features additional, new information on the life and works of both composers by the name of Fasch, in particular with regard to editions, CD recordings, secondary literature and publications. "Faschiana", the IFG's newsletter can now be viewed in both English and German by clicking on "Fasch Web Archive".
One of the highlights in the spring of 2000 was the closing concert of the 35th Zerbst Cultural Festival on 11 February, organized by the IFG. It featured the Augsburg Domsingknaben who premiered Johann Friedrich Fasch's motet "Beschließet einen Rat" FWV E: B1. The audience appreciated their musical efforts very much, with the church being filled to capacity due to intense preparations and extensive PR on the IFG's part.
Frau Johanna Lüdecke, head of the Department of Tourism, County of Anhalt-Zerbst, arranged for the IFG to participate in the International Tourism Fair in Berlin on 13 March 2000. Forming part of the Tourism Association Anhalt-Wittenberg team, IFG members familiarized interested parties with the life and works of Johann Friedrich and Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch. They also stressed the concept of Fasch Tourism, in particular with regard to the 7th International Fasch Festival 2001 in Zerbst. By exchanging information with 17 German and 3 foreign tourist information associations as well as artist managements we hope to have made many promising contacts, especially with regard to local Fasch tourism in Zerbst.
On the occasion of the 4th Fläming Festival in Leitzkau on 30 April 2000 the IFG sent none other than Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch himself, played by Susanne Schuster wearing a period costume. Our general manager, Frau Karin Spott, and Susanne Schuster participated in an "historic interview" in which they asked and answered questions on the life and works of the composer Fasch, the aims and goals of the IFG and the upcoming 7th International Fasch Festival from 19 to 29 April 2001 in Zerbst. The interview was preceded by a performance of "Amalie von Münchhausen", presented by the childrens' theatre group of Leitzkau Elementary School who danced to music by Fasch.
On 24 June 2000 the "Friends of the Bach Memorial Schloß Köthen" visited the old residential city of Zerbst. They were welcomed by the director of the local museum, Herr Friedrich, as well as a member of the IFG who introduced them to the performance venues which Anhalt-Zerbst Kapellmeister Fasch had had at his disposal during his tenure. The IFG hopes to reciprocate next year and organize a visit of Köthen for its members.
That same evening, on 24 June 2000, the MDR (Central German Radio) was in town to start off its annual summer tour of the radio stations's transmission area. They broadcast live in front of a crowd of 3000 people from Zerbst who had gathered in the market square. In addition to Andreas Dittmann, director of the city's department for cultural affairs, and other local societies the IFG participated via Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (played by Susanne Schuster) who talked about Carl's musical oeuvre, his famous father and about the IFG.