H. M. T. , Partita "Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ"

I took this composition from manuscript KN 209, owned by the Ratsbücherei, Lüneburg. As was usual in those days and region, the composer was only indicated with his initials. Often the initials speak for them selvesm, as for example "H.S.M." = Heinrich Scheideman, or "J.P." = Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. Often though, they don't, as for example "M.W.B.C.M" or , in this case "H.M.T". Those are the initials written in the manuscript, right beneath the title of the composition. The video features an image of this part of the manuscript. Even though the initials are known, it is not known who the man or woman behind these letters is. In effect, it is an anonymous composition.

As with the other anonymous pieces from this manuscript it is a composition of great quality. It is a small partita, in three parts, based on three different verses of the choral. The first of these three has the chorale melody in the pedal part. Intruiging is that the composer alternates the octaves in which the phrases are played: two in the great octave, then two in the small octave, then again two in the great and the last two in the small.

Versus two and three are to be played with the hands on different manuals. The right hand plays an embellished version of the chorale melody, left hand and feet provide a suitable accompaniment. Though this description is the same for both verses, the result is vastly different.

Both the second and third part pose a problem in rendering them in 'modern' notation. Both hands play on different manuals and the composers uses this fact in having the voices overlap and even cross. The accompaniment is often higher than the solo voice. And in between phrases, where both hands can play on the accompanying manual, the alto and tenor voice are somtimes far apart (from e in the small octave to g in the one-lined octave). This is easy to notate in German organ tabulature. It is easy to notate using the alto clef. However, not many people can read the alto clef, so 'modern' notation confines it self to treble and bass clef. And that is a problem in this composition. The accompaniment should either be notated on two staves (bringing the total to four) or the accompaniment must spread out on the staff for the right and/or the staff for the pedals, obscuring readability.

I'm still not decided what the best solution would be: four staves, or spreading the accompaniment out over the other two staves. If anyone has an argument for or against either option I'd like to hear it.

The score in the video uses the alto clef. I have no trouble reading it, and from a typographical view the result is far more pleasing and (to me) easy to read, thus enhancing playability.

The sound recording was done with the Hauptwerk software and the sampleset, made by Sonus Paradisi, of the Bader organ in the Walburgiskerk, Zutphen.