Organum IV
Organum IV (sometimes written ORG IV, de: Vierte Riehe) is a series of publications of early organ music edited by Max Seiffert and published by Kistner & Siegel in Leipzig, beginning in 1925[1].
Despite including additional symbols for practical use that are not present in the source, this series included some progressive/scholarly features such as listing the source for every piece in the preface.
For unknown reasons, the Organum IV series only published free organ works (including early praeludiums, but also canzonas, ciaconas, and fugues), ignoring all chorale-based organ compositions.
The Organum IV series was an important part of the efforts of german musicologists to expand the published repertoire of the North German Organ School. Within this series, the first editions of many important works were included, including the 13 fantasias by Paul Siefert, the complete extant organ preludes by Franz Tunder[2], many preludes by Heinrich Scheidemann[3], and many works anonymous and attributed to lesser-known composers. These lesser-known works were included in compilations as part of a sub-series titled Orgel-meister which was published alongside volumes more focused on certain composers.
The fourth series of Organum remains a valuable resource for the inclusion of some pieces which have recieved minimal attention since then, such as the anonymous Prelude from D-Lr Mus.ant.pract. K.N. 207/16 in volume 10 no. 5. However, as more scholarly critical editions are published in the modern day, this series has began to lose its value for the current-day performer.
Introduction
The preface to vol. 1 states that the primary purpose of Organum IV was to publish music from the North-German Organ School from Sweelinck to Buxtehude and to enrich the "Literatur um Spielmaterial" of this period of music in order to contextualize the music of J. S. Bach.
Contents[4][5]
- Fünfzehn Präludien und Fugen / Heinrich Scheidemann
- Orgel-Meister I. 3 Praeambeln / Jakob Praetorius. 2 Praeambeln / Melchior Schildt. Praeambulum / Johann Decker. Praeludium / D. Meyer. Canzon / Marcus Olter. 2 Praeludium / Christian Flor
- 14 Präludien, Fugen und Toccaten / Matthias Weckmann
- Fünf Praeludien und Fugen / Georg Böhm
- Orgel-Meister II. Toccata / Jean Adam Reinken. Sonatina / Christian Ritter
- Vier Praeludien / Franz Tunder
- [Orgel-Meister III] Praeludium / Arnold M. Brunckhorst. [Praeludium und Fuge / Andreas Kneller. 2 Praeludien / Georg Dietrich Leyding]
- 3 Praeludien und Fugen / Nikolaus Bruhns
- Vier Praeludien und Fugen / Vincent Lübeck
- 6 Praeludien und Fugen / Anonymi der Norddeutschen Schule
- 10 Orgelwerke / Johann Jakob Froberger
- Praeludien, Fantasien und Toccaten / Joh. Pachelbel
- Ciaconen, Fugen und Ricercari / Joh. Pachelbel
- Magnificat-Fugen / Joh. Pachelbel
- Fünf Ausgewählte Orgelstücke / J. Gottfr. Walther
- Drei Fugen / Fr. Wilh. Zachow
- Ausgewählte Orgelstücke / Johann Krieger
- Zwei Doppelfugen / Nik. Adam Strungk
- Zwei Praeludien mit Fugen und eine Toccata / Johann Kuhnau
- 13 Fantasien à 3 / Paul Sieffert
- Orgel-Meister IV. Toccata / Samuel Scheidt. Praeambulum pedaliter ; Praeludium ex E vel A pedaliter / Andreas Düben. Praeludium ; Praeludium pedaliter / David Äbel. Praeambulum pedaliter / Peter Hasse. Capriccio Gh ; Praeludium quarti Toni ; Fantasia 12. Juli 1664 / Wilhelm Karges. Praeludium ex d fis con pedal / Peter Hasse
- Acht Toccaten und Fugen / Joseph Seeger.
References
Beckmann, Klaus, Die Norddeutsche Schule. Teil II: Blütezeit und Verfall. Mainz: Schott, 2009.
