Hyperion is engaged in a "Bach's Contemporaries" series.  The first disc in
the series was devoted to the sacred music of Kuhnau, and I thought it was
a "knock-out" disc.  The second recording in the series gives us the sacred
music of Sebastian Knupfer.

Knupfer(1633-1676), at the early age of 24, was appointed the Thomaskantor
in Leipzig, a post eventually given to Bach.  It is a "stretch" to call
Knupfer a contemporary of Bach, since he died nine years before Bach's
birth.  Regardless, Knupfer's music must stand or fall on its own.

In the new disc, Robert King directs The King's Consort and has quite a
lineup of vocal soloists which includes Lisa Beckley, James Bowman, Robin
Blaze, and Michael George.  Both King's direction and the soloist
contributions are excellent.

The disc contains eight sacred works by Knupfer, and the disc is
certainly well filled with about 80 minutes of music.  Each work is highly
devotional and generally restrained in mood.  And that's where the problem
is centered.  It's all much of the same for the 80 minutes.  Variety just
isn't there.  The music is often beautiful, but the tracks come and go with
little differentiation of mood or impact.

How good is the music? It reminds me a little of Buxtehude, but with a
lower level of musical inspiration - good music, but hardly distinctive.
I much prefer the first disc in the series devoted to Kuhnau.

Don's Conclusion: I consider the Knupfer disc (Hyp.  67160) one to pass on
unless typical music of the 1600's is one of your favorite areas.

Don Satz
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