*Contemporary Arrangement* of a Baroque Melody for Recorder Octet.

1. Wie soll ich dich empfangen

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The Recorder Magazine Summer 2019

New Publications - CD reviews

Lance Eccles - Wie soll ich dich empfangen - (for Large Ensemble. Choir 1: SATB Choir 2: TBGbCb) - OMP260

As every Bach fan knows, the Lutheran chorales offer the potential for gratifying sonorities for recorder ensembles, whether as plain four-part hymn tunes or in more elaborate chorale prelude settings. Johann Cruger's splendidly strong melody Wie soll ich dich empfangen (How shall I receive thee?) is here given typically contrapuntal treatment for recorder orchestra in double choir formation: one at 4 foot, one at 8 foot. The opening 16 bars present the tune harmonised in four parts, doubled in octaves, and the remaining two minutes of this short but satisfying exploration of the organ-like possibilities of Cruger's hymn deploy the eight lines o as to make good use of the shifting textures. I like the way that at bar 49 the chorale harmonisation appears first in the high choir accompanied by a running line in the lowest voices of choir 2, and is then repeated in the low choir with the running bass line emerging as a descant. At just under 3 minutes this should prove a useful item for recorder orchestras and is recommended for encouraging legato cantabile playing. Reviewed by Christopher Burgess

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_Score 6 pp. Parts 1 pp._