The Hamburgische Kapitänsmusik (Hamburg Captain’s Music) refers to a body of compositions by

Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesh ...

. They comprise

sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

oratorio An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

s and

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

serenade In music, a serenade (; also sometimes called a serenata, from the Italian) is a musical composition or performance delivered in honor of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Italian w ...

s. However, the oratorios were intended to be performed in a secular setting, the Hamburg Drillhaus, and their characters are almost exclusively allegorical. The ''Kapitänsmusik'' was written for the annual banquet (or ''convivium'') of the

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

captains. The works span the period from 1723 to 1766, although many of the manuscripts have now been lost, and in several of those years no banquet was held. Although Telemann’s grandson Georg Michael Telemann inherited many autographs and manuscript copies of Telemann’s vocal works, the rest of his musical estate, including the ''Kapitänsmusik'', was sold at an auction in Hamburg on September 6, 1769. Much of that material has since disappeared, and the auction catalogue has not survived. Of the 36 ''Kapitänsmusiken'' that Telemann wrote, only 10 oratorios (with nine complete oratorio–serenade pairs) plus a few separate pieces are extant today.

Historical background

As a ''

Reichsstand An Imperial State or Imperial Estate ( la, Status Imperii; german: Reichsstand, plural: ') was a part of the Holy Roman Empire with representation and the right to vote in the Imperial Diet ('). Rulers of these Estates were able to exercise si ...

'' of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...

Hamburg was affected by the '' Türkenkriege'', wars against the expansion of the

Ottoman empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. Several ''Kapitänsmusiken'' thus feature patriotic sentiments both with regard to Hamburg and Germany. In the ''Kapitänsmusik'' of 1738, the ''Kriegsgeist'' (Spirit of War) for example exalts the courage of the Germans at the beginning of the work: ''Ihr deutschen Söhne echter Art, die ihr euch nie der Trägheit aufgespart. Bekräftiget das Lob der unvergess'nen Taten. Die Enkel müssen noch der Ahnen Wert erraten.'' Later on, he evokes the spirit of Prince Eugene (''Der Adler führt die Legionen'', "The

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

leads the legions to battle") and says: In the last third of the work, ''Neid'' (Envy) sings an aria praising the downfall of

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

and

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

(''Ja, es muss dein Fall erscheinen'', "Yes, your downfall is nigh"), but is immediately contested by Chorus's reply: ''Schweig, wahnwitzvoller Neid. Umsonst, dass Deutschlands Glück dein höhn'scher Scherz betrübet. Schweig! Deutschland wird vom Himmel selbst geliebet. Auf, Helden, auf zum Streit!''"Silence, folly Envy! It is in vain that your scornful words shall afflict Germany's happiness. Germany is loved by Heaven. Rise, heroes, to battle!" This recitative ends in the aria ''Ihr Deutschen auf'', inciting the Germans to take arms against the enemies of the fatherland. Finally, Chorus chants a paean about Germany's glory and the necessity of unity amongst all Germans: ''Deutschlands Ruhm soll ewig stehen.'' ("Germany's glory shall last forever.")

''Kapitänsmusik'' timeline

*1723: Missing / Lost *1724: Oratorio + Serenata extant in Schwerin, Mecklenburgische Landesbibliothek Mus.ms. 5377/5 (Parts) *1725: Missing / Lost *1726: Missing / Lost *1727: Missing / Lost *1728: Only Oratorio: Berlin, SPK, Mus. ms. autogr. G. Ph. Telemann 28 (Score) *1729: Missing / Lost *1730: Oratorio + Serenata in SPK Mus. ms. autogr. G. Ph. Telemann 22 (Score) *1731: Missing / Lost *1732: Missing / Lost *1733: Missing / Lost *1734: Missing / Lost *1735: Missing / Lost *1736: Oratorio + Serenata in Schwerin Mus. ms. 5377/4 (Parts) *1737: Missing / Lost *1738: Oratorio + Serenata in Schwerin Mus. ms. 5377/3 (Parts) *1739: Missing / Lost *1740: Missing / Lost *1741: There was no Convivium *1742: Oratorio + Serenata in Schwerin Mus. ms. 5377/6 (Parts) *1743: Missing / Lost *1744: SPK Mus. ms. 21760 + 21761 (Parts), Mus. ms. autogr. G. Ph. Telemann 134 (autograph Violoncell-Part of O. + S.) *1745: There was no Convivium *1746: Missing / Lost *1747: Missing / Lost *1748: Missing / Lost *1749: Missing / Lost *1750: There was no Convivium (due to the burning down of St. Michaelis church) *1751: Missing / Lost *1752: Missing / Lost *1753: Missing / Lost *1754: Missing / Lost *1755: Oratorio + Serenata in SPK Mus. ms. autogr. G. Ph. Telemann 9 (Score) *1756: Only fragment of the oratorio in SPK Mus. ms. 21755 (Parts) *1757: There was no Convivium (due to the Seven-years-war) *1758: like 1757 *1759: Missing / Lost *1760: Oratorio + Serenata in SPK Mus. ms. autogr. G. Ph. Telemann 23 (Score), autogr. 134 (Fragments of wind instr.); SPK 21743/45 + 21755/10 /Parts without wind instr.) *1761: Fragments of Oratorio in SPK 21755/14 *1762: There was no Convivium *1763: There was no Convivium *1764: Oratorio in SPK 21755/18, Serenata in SPK 21755/19 *1765: Missing / Lost *1766: There was no Convivium

References

Literature

*Willi Maertens, ''Georg Philipp Telemanns sogenannte Hamburgische Kapitänsmusiken (1723-1765)''. Quellenkataloge zur Musikgeschichte 21. Wilhelmshaven, Florian Noetzel Verlag 1983. *Heinz Becker and Lutz Lesle, 'Hamburg', ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', 2nd edition, Stanley Sadie and John Tyrell (editors), Oxford University Press, 2001.

External links

Georg Philipp Telemann Timeline

University of Magdeburg The Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg () (''OvGU'') was founded in 1993, making it one of the youngest universities in Germany. The university is located in Magdeburg, the Capital city of Saxony-Anhalt and has about 13.000 students in nine ...

''Kapitänsmusik''
of 1738 {{DEFAULTSORT:Kapitansmusik Sacred vocal music by Georg Philipp Telemann German patriotic songs