Unseasonable Cantatas Provide Pleasant Listening

This seems like the wrong time to be releasing Christmas music, but, um, OK. Johann Philipp Käfer was one of the lesser-known German composers active in 17th-century Europe. He spent most of his career at the court of the Margraviate of Baden-Durlach. Käfer composed operas and other occasional works for the Margraviate. 

Unfortunately, he was soon overshadowed by his successor Johann Melchior Molter. And little of his music has survived. 

Which makes this such an interesting album. Käfer was a gifted composer and melodist. The album includes three cantatas written for Christmas. And each is a well-polished miniature. Käfer apparently had modest forces to work with, but he made the most of them. 

The ensembles have a clean, transparent sound. The counterpoint is engaging, yet easy to follow. And the trumpet lines are just gorgeous. This is the kind of music I'd like to hear at Christmastime in a church setting!

Also included are some other works by Käfer. Was Käfer a rival of Bach? No. But could he explore all the possibilities of the tunes he wrote? Oh, yes. And quite elegantly, too. 

This is a well-recorded album of music that I'm glad I heard. Listen with open ears and you may be, too.

Christmas Cantatas and Instrumental Music by Johann Philipp Käfer
La Protezione dell Musica; Jeroen Finke, director
Arcantus arc 24056