Ze 1: An Autograph by Matthias Weckmann?

Ibo Ortgies

Ze 1- An Autograph by Matthias Weckman?

[1]

Matthias Weckman's handwriting has been subject to several examinations. Results of the most recent research[2] have shown that most of the manuscripts erer attributed to Weckman really have been written by him.[3] Friedrich W. Riedel's[4] suggestion to compare Weckman's handwriting from the church records of St. Jacobi church in Hamburg with manuscripts in question has not been taken up before the 1990's.[5]

In 1955 Gustav Fock discovered two manuscripts with North-German organ music in the Calvörsche[6] Bibliothek, which is part of the library of the Technische Universität (the former Bergakademie) in Clausthal-Zellerfeld,[7] Germany. The manuscripts soon got a reputation as very important sources. Ze 1 is one of the most extensive tablatures surviving and contains 59 pieces of music on 258 pages[8] and an original list of contents (4 pages)[9] while Ze 2 is a fragment of 30 leaves. Ze 1 does not only include the greater part of Scheidemann's surviving chorale settings and his Magnificats but also the largest part of Jacob Praetorius' organ music.[10]

The Copyists of Ze 1

According to Breig, Ze 1 was written by four copyists. The first hand appears on pages 1-3, the second on pages 6-13 (cf. Fig. 4), the third hand can be found on pages 2-4, 14-251 (cf. Figs. 5, 6 and 7) and 254-258, and the fourth of the scribes wrote just a single piece (p. 250-253, cf. Fig. 7). Breig observed that there are a few common features between the second and the third (the main) scribe and that the fourth scribe added his inscriptions much later. [11]

Tab. 3 lists a selection of the most obvious similarities and differences between the scribes of Ze 1. It may at first be puzzling that the same writer uses different shapes of letters, and this not only in different pieces hut also within one piece, sometimes even on the same page. Explanations for this practice could be

• a certain standardization of letter shapes (Kanzleischrift), especially when used in a fair copy.[12]

• running out of space may force the writer to use a non-standard letter-shape which does not take as much space.

• an evolutionary change of writing style when the source was created over a longer period.

While it is clear that the hand of scribe 4 is not identical with any of the other bands in the manuscript, there is evidence that the scribes 1-3 could be the same person. The examples given in Tab. 3 show that scribe 3 is the only scribe who makes use of the richer ornamented letter "G" and a broken letter "h." All other letter types and the way of indicating the two-stroke octave appear not only in his hand but also in the bands of scribe 1 or scribe 2. Breig dated the manuscript with good reasons between 1635 and 1645.[13] Weckman began his study with Jacob Praetorius in Hamburg at the end of 1633 at the age of about 17. It may well be that his handwriting style at this early time varied quite a lot and stabilized to a certain degree much later.

Kirchenschreiber Weckman

Weckman's handwriting can be positively identified in the church records of the Jacobi church and the St. Gertrudenkapelle in Hamburg, where he served as organist (1655-1674) and Kirchenschreiber (a special kind of book-keeper, 1655-1670). His pupil Johann Kortkamp reported that Weckman wrote his last entries in the church records in 1670 and was released afterwards from his duties as Kirchenschreiber.[14]

The church records indeed show a significant change in the style of handwriting (Fig. 1-2). There are a few changes from time to time in the years before,[15] but never that much.[16] This is proof that Weckman really carried out his duty as Kirchenschreiber.

Despite the fact that we have hundreds of pages of Weckman-handwriting preserved in the church records it is not possible to establish a chronology by comparing single letters. It may be that a certain type of a letter appears for example in the late 1650's and again between 1666 and 1668.

Some different types of letters may be found on a single page, even within one line or one phrase. A similar observation can be made sometimes but more seldom in tablature writing.

Comparison of Handwritings of Weckman and Scribe 3 (Tabs 1 and 2)[17]

As stated above there is a great variety in the tablature(s) as well as in the church records. This makes it impossible to prove with absolute certainty that Weckman and no one else could have written Ze 1. Tabs. 1 and 2 show a selection of similar letters and written characters. Great similarities in all sources show the following letters:

"a" (with the ornamented bow to the upper left)

"C" (German form, curved inwards)

"G" (German, ornamented form)

"H"

"h" (broken form, with "knee") the "Gelobet seystu"-way of writing "h" can be found in a dating in Ze 1, though in a Latin word (Fig. 9: "Christi")

"O" (bent in inwards at the left side)

Between the church records and Ze 1 there are further similarities:

"B"

"C" (Latin form with a serif at the upper right)

"D" (Latin form)

"E" (Latin form)

"E" (German form, rounded)

"F" (rounded)

the "F"-shape of "Gelobet seystu" appears in Ze 1 only in the case where the writer had just a small space at his disposal. But even in that case this "F"-shape has been seldom used by scribe 3.

"J" (down-stroke bent in inwards)

"k" (compare with detail of Fig. 8: "Dancket")

"M" (Latin form, starting with a thick point)

"N"

"w" (beginning with a fat line)

1) "-n" (abbreviated form): "Weckman", "denen", "den", "Todes banden")

2) abbreviated form of date: "den[18] 20 xbris", "den 7 9bris''[19]

3) "tt"-ligature: "Gott", "Matthias"

4) "schrei" ("sch"-ligature and "ÿ"): the church-record example was taken from the word "schreÿbereÿ"; the example from Ze 1 was taken out of the original list of contents "Auß tiefer noth schreÿ ich zu dir"

Some characters typical of tablatures:

5) Indication of the two-stroke octave:

all of Weckman's tablature-writings[20] show a wavelike line to indicate the two-stroke octave

6) Indication to play on the Rückpositiv of the organ. In Ze 1 as well as in "Gelobet seystu" a similar way of spelling the word "Rückpositiv" appears: " Rucp.", " Rucpos."

Ze 1 in Relation to Weckman's Biography[21]

If it is taken for granted that Weckman is the main scribe[22] the question about the biographical context arises. Weckman was musically educated by Henrich Schütz in Dresden (1628/29-1633) and Jacob Praetorius in Hamburg (1633-1636/7). Heinrich Scheidemann is said to have had substantial influence on Weckman. All his educators appear in Ze 1.[23]

Tab. 4 shows the relation between the composers named by scribe 3 in Ze 1.

Sweelinck was the teacher of Jacob Praetorius and Scheidemann. Hieronymus Praetorius was the first teacher of his son Jacob. Only Delphin Strungk has no direct relation to Weckman, but, as he was a close friend of Schütz,[24] it is very likely that Weckman would get to know music by him through Schütz.[25]

The earliest parts may have been written around 1635 in Hamburg,[26] but it is also possible that Weckman used his time in Denmark (1642-1647/9)[27] collecting and finishing Ze 1. It is not very likely, however, that parts of Ze 1 (with the exception of the part of scribe 4) have been written in Hamburg after 1655, because, with the exception of one manuscript,[28] all autographs which contain copies from other composers were written before 1655.

The two largest surviving manuscripts of Weckman written in the time before his appointment in Hamburg 1655 show him collecting different repertoires and styles:

• Lüneburg, Ratsbücherei, Mus. ant. pract. K. N. 206:

• 73 big-scored Italian and German sacred compositions[29]

• The "Hintze"-manuscript:[30]

• modern French-influenced harpsichord-style

Ze 1 as a collection of North-German organ repertoire would fit into the picture of Weckman as collector (and distributor) of different genres. 13 pieces of Ze 1 are not yet attributed to any composer. If Weckman is the main scribe of this source, the question about the authorship of these anonymous pieces[31] arises again.

FIGURES AND TABLES:

a) Source[s]

b) Scribe[s]

Abbreviation:

StaA HH: Staatsarchiv Hamburg, St. Jakobi

Fig. 1.

a) StaA HH, A I b 8, p. 132.

b) Matthias Weckman, church record 1670.

Fig. 2.

a) StaA HH, A I b 8, p. 135.

b) Unknown scribe, church record 1671.

Fig. 3.

a) StaA HH, A I b 8, p. 38.

b) Matthias Weckman, church record 1666.

Fig. 4.

a) Ze 1, p. 8.

b) Scribe 2.

Fig. 5.

a) Ze 1, p. 16.

b) Scribe 3 (but with different shapes for the letters "G" and "h").

Fig. 6.

a) Ze 1, p. 247.

b) Scribe 3.

Fig. 7.

a) Ze 1, p. 250.

b) Scribe 3 (upper system and first half of the second system).

Scribe 4 (identical with the copyist of Ze 2, according to Breig).

Fig. 8.

a) Ze 1, p. 240.

b) Scribe 3.

Dancket

dem Herrn

den<n> er ist

freundlich,

vnd seine gu=

te weret ewig

lig

ab 8 Hen: Schutze

Fig. 9.

a) Ze 1, p. 177.

b) Scribe 3.

Composit[:] Anno Christi Finis

1640 den 8 Februarij à Delph: St:

scripsi den 2 mai:

Tab. 1.

Comparison of letters from different sources.

Tab. 2.

Comparison of letters and selected examples of handwriting from different sources.

Tab. 3.

Comparison of similarities and differences between the scribes of Ze 1.

Tab. 4.

Scheme of relations between the composers named in Ze 1 (except Johann Steffens) and Matthias Weckman

Literature:

Breig 1967

Breig, Werner: Die Orgelwerke von Heinrich Scheidemann. Diss. Wiesbaden, 1967.

Davidsson 1991

Davidsson, Hans: Matthias Weckmann: the Interpretation of his Organ Music, Vol. 1. Diss. Göteborg, 1991. (= Skrifter från Musikvetenskapliga institutionen, Göteborg, vol. 22).

Lasell 1993

Lasell, Curtis: "Italian Cantatas in Lüneburg and Matthias Weckmann's Musical Nachlaß."

In: Jullander, Sverker (ed.): Proceedings of the Weckmann Symposium, Göteborg, 30 August-3 September 1991. Göteborg, 1993. (= Skrifter frän Musikvetenskapliga institutionen, Göteborg, vol. 31).

Ortgies I 1993

Ortgies, Ibo: "Neue Erkenntnisse zur Biographie Matthias Weckmans." In: Jullander, Sverker (ed.): Proceedings of the Weckmann Symposium, Göteborg, 30 August-3 September 1991. Göteborg, 1993. (= Skrifter frän Musikvetenskapliga institutionen, Göteborg, vol. 31).

Ortgies II 1993

Ortgies, Ibo: "Matthias Weckman (1616-1674) und seine Autographe." Concerto, no. 88, (November 1993): pp. 30-31.

Ortgies III 1993/4

Ortgies, Ibo: "Die Wolfenbütteler Handschrift Der 128 Psalm a. 5. H. J. Br. Ein Autograph Matthias Weckmans?" Concerto, Nr. 89, (December 1993/January 1994): pp. 22-31.

Rampe 1991

Rampe, Siegbert: "Matthias Weckmann und Johann Jacob Froberger: Neuerkenntnisse zu Biographie und Werk beider Organisten." Musik und Kirche (1991), pp. 325-332.

Riedel 1990

Riedel, Friedrich Wilhelm: Quellenkundliche Beiträge zur Geschichte der Musik für Tasteninstrumente in der zweiten Hälfte des 17. Jahrhunderts (vornehmlich in Deutschland). München-Salzburg, ²1990. (= Schriften des Landesinstitutes für Musikforschung Kiel, Bd. 10. Kassel: Bärenreiter, ¹1960).

lbo Ortgies works with specialized research on Matthias Weckman.

[1] [Acknowledgments] I would like to thank the following institutes for their permission to use photographic reproductions of the following manuscripts (brackets):

• Staatsarchiv Hamburg (Archiv St. Jakobi, Kirchenrechnungsbücher, signatures: A I b 6, A I b 8, A I b 13 a, A I b 13 b)

• Ratsbücherei Lüneburg (Mus. ant. pract. K.N. 207/21)

• Universitätsbibliothek Clausthal (in custody of Ze 1)

• Landeskirchenamt zu Hannover (owner of Ze 1; the Landeskirchenamt requests that their permission is printed as follows: Die Wiedergabe erfolgt mit Genehmigung des Landeskirchenamts zu Hannover als Eigentümer der Calvörschen Bibliothek).

[2] Alexander Silbiger, "The Autographs of Matthias Weckmann: A Re-evaluation." In: Heinrich Schütz und die Musik in Dänemark zur Zeit Christians IV, pp. 117-144, Kopenhagen, 1989. Silbiger came to his conclusions without comparing the St. Jacobi church records.

[3] For a complete overview of Weckman's autographs, see Ortgies II.

[4] Riedel, p. 96.

[5] Davidsson, pp. 27-32.

[6] Caspar Calvör (1650-1725), priest (Superintendent) and theologian in Zellerfeld, is known in music history for being private teacher of the young Telemann from 1694 to 1697. Calvör was learned in music theory, published theoretical writings and collected manuscripts.

[7] Clausthal-Zellerfeld is made up of two distinct towns. The manuscript(s) in question are named "Zellerfeld(er)" tablatures in the literature and are cited under the sigla "Ze 1" and "Ze 2."

[8] Breig, pp. 7-9, lists 59 pieces, but one piece (No. 20) is just a fragment of another piece (No. 24).

[9] For a thorough description and evaluation of the source, see Breig, pp. 6-10.

[10] The composers named in Ze 1 by scribe 3 are: Hieronymus Praetorius, J. P. Sweelinck, Delphin Strungk, Henrich Schütz, Jacob Praetorius and Hinrich Scheidemann. The last piece by Johann Steffens (Steffani) has been written by scribe 4. Cf. Tab. 4.

[11] According to Breig, p. 9, scribe 4 is the only scribe of Ze 2.

[12] Weckman's autograph of the cycle Gelobet seystu and the church records ought be regarded as fair copies.

[13] Ze 1 shows a few dates (partly composition dates) between 1635 and 1644.

[14] For further information about Weckman's biography cf. Ortgies I.

[15] Weckman probably had to take over older items from 1654 when he started with his duties at the end of 1655. His handwriting appears therefore first under the rubrum 1654.

[16] Fig. 3 shows another typical example of Weckman's handwriting in the church records.

[17] For a comparison I chose examples from Ze 1, the church records of St. Jacobi and - additionally - from Weckman's chorale variation cycle "Gelobet seystu" (Lüneburg, Ratsbücherei. Signature: Mus. ant. pract. K.N. 207/21). The examples from Ze 1 were taken from parts, which have been written undoubtedly by the third scribe.

[18] Abbreviated "-n" (see Ex. 1)

[19] "xbris", "9bris" refer to the latin signs and words for the figures and ciphers 10 (Lat. = X = decem ) and 9 (Lat. = novem).

[20] The same way of octave indication use can be seen in the corrections in the following sources:

• Lüneburg, Ratsbücherei. Mus. ant. pract. K.N. 226.

• New Haven, Library of Yale Music School. Yale Ma.21. H 59 ("Hintze"-manuscript.

• Another source showing this detail (and more striking similarities regarding Weckman's handwriting) is a part of a manuscript-collection in the Herzog-August-Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel, Cod. Guelf. 8 Noviss. 2°, fol. 22r-23v.

[21] cf. Ortgies I.

[22] At least scribe 3 as stated above.

[23] Schütz, with just one piece

[24] In 1644 and 1645 Schütz stayed several months in Strungk's home in Braunschweig.

[25] It is of course also possible that Weckman got to know Strungk's music from other fellow-organists.

[26] The supposition that the different ways of writing in the source (scribes 1-3) come from different writers could be explained with different fellow-students (Jacob Kortkamp, Johann Olff) beginning with copying different parts of the source.

[27] According to my biographical research it is likely that Weckman stayed in Denmark (or northern Germany: most likely Hamburg or Lübeck) until 1648 or 1649. It is most likely that he would have used a stay to study more of the organ art.

[28] Lüneburg, Ratsbücherei, Mus. ant. pract. K.N. 145, cf. Lasell.

[29] The manuscript contains works by Monteverdi, Grandi, Merulo, Stadelmayr and others.

Is it just by chance that this manuscript (Lüneburg, Ratsbücherei. Mus. ant. pract. K.N. 206) also contains only one piece from Schütz? The manuscript was finished on the 15th of June 1647.

[30] See footnote 20.

The manuscript, according to Rampe having been written around 1653, contains pieces by Froberger, La Barre, Chambonnières, Tresure, Artusi, Kerll and Erben. Except for the few pieces by Kerll and Erben, which show Italian influence, the manuscripts contain music in the French style.

[31] The pieces now attributed to Scheidemann for stylistic reasons should undergo a thorough reexamination in this respect as well.