Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Samuel Capricornus, the son of a Lutheran pastor, was born in Bohemia in 1628 and died in Stuttgart in 1665 and between those years - so far as we can tell from the scanty biographical records that have survived - he was a typical journeyman musician and composer until he acquired a more prestigious position as Kapellmeister at Stuttgart. He was a prolific composer whose early works were praised by Heinrich Schutz and whose name was kept alive at least in Stuttgart until the inevitable eclipse as other, greater composers came to the fore. Capricornus' most original compositions are on this disc, the 'Zwey Lieder von dem Leyden und Tode Jesu' or, if you prefer, "Two songs on the sufferings and death of Jesus" using texts by Paul Gerhardt. The atmosphere is not unlike the Tenebrae music of the French baroque in being thoughtful and thought-provoking as we look back in sorrow to the events of Good Friday. Isolated from the good news of Easter Sunday this can become too sombre for some as indeed it would be if it really was the end of the story. La Chapelle Rhenane are a vocal consort of five voices with the usual soprano, alto, tenor and bass plus a counter-tenor. All sing well and the blend is good. Accompanying the singers is an eight-piece early music ensemble, all under the direction of Benoit Haller who also sings the tenor part. It is commendable that there are musicians out there prepared to revive otherwise neglected composers and we applaud the specialist Christophorus label in making this material available to those who know where to look. Collectors trying to fill in the gaps in their collection of German church music and who missed this when it was first released in 2006 will be delighted by this re-issue but the more general listener will probably find it too specialised. It was one of those CDs that I listened to all the way through in one sitting without once wishing it was over and yet, once it had finished, little desire to play it again Samuel. Faint praise indeed and an unfair assessment of a more than competent performance of music written by a man who deserves to be remembered for more than having an unusual name.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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