Content: 1. Auf, auf! Die rechte Zeit ist hier 2. Bald nun ist's Weihnachtszeit 3. Der Morgenstern ist aufgegangen 4. Es flog ein Täublein weiße 5. Es kommt ein Schiff geladen 6. Guten Abend, schön' Abend 7. Ihr lieben Christen, freut euch nun 8. Knecht Rupprecht aus dem Walde 9. Lasst uns froh und munter sein 10. Leise rieselt der Schnee 11. Macht hoch die Tür 12. Maria durch ein Dornwald ging 13. Nun kommt der Helden Heiland 14. O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf 15. Und unsrer lieben Frauen 16. Nun jauchzet, all ihr Frommen 17. Wie soll ich dich empfangen

Jean Marie Leclair (1697-1764) was born in Lyon. He also performed here as a violinist and dancer after a temporary stay in Rouen. He then studied with G.B. Somis (a student of Corelli) in Turin. From 1728 he lived in Paris, where he worked for several years as a violinist in the royal chapel and later as a private teacher and composer. With him, violin playing reached its first peak in France. Leclair published four books of 12 sonatas each for violin and figured bass; our sonata is the ninth in the fourth book, opus 9, and in form and style represents the type of chamber sonata or suite. It begins with two dances, a French courante and an allemande. The usual order is reversed here. The Adagio has none of the solemn seriousness of the church sonata. Despite elaborate modulations and many double stops, it is dominated by gentle expression. The finale is a lightly moving and elegant piece in 3/4 time. The formal type of the fugal allegro is completely absent here. The source is a copy of the original edition of the 4th book in the New York Public Library, published in Paris in 1738 and engraved by Leclair's second wife Luise-Catherine. The dynamic indications and line markings added by the editor have usually been indicated. Content: - Courante à la Française - Allegro moderato (Allemande) - Adagio - Vivace (Non troppo Allegro)

Jean-Joseph de Cassanéa de Mondonville (1711-1772) lived mainly in Paris. The fact that he was accepted into the Concert spirituel, where he acted as principal director and conductor, speaks for the high reputation he enjoyed as a violin virtuoso and as a composer of motets, operas and instrumental works. The present sonata is the second of a collection of six sonatas for violin and figured bass op. 4 ( about 1735). They represent an innovation in the history of violin playing in that the flageolet is used in them for the first time. This remains limited to the natural harmonics. Mondonville's notation of the harmonics is not yet the one in use today, as he marked them with small wavy lines, which have been replaced in our edition by the signs used today. In the last movement of the sonata (bar 11) there are even flageolet double stops. The bass part intended for the violoncello is also occasionally provided with harmonics. As these sonatas were written primarily for technical and pedagogical purposes, the omission of elaborate work is justified. A copy of the original edition, which is in the possession of the Library of Congress, Washington, and bears the following title ‘ Les Sons Harmoniques Sonates à Violon seul avec la Basse Continue.Œuvre 4e ’ The dynamic indications and bowings added by the editor have been marked in the usual way. Content: - Andantino - Allegro - Aria (Gratioso) - Giga (Allegro)

Christoph Schaffrath (1709-1763) was one of the important musicians and composers that the music-loving Frederick II of Prussia gathered around him. He can be described as one of the most interesting and imaginative composers of the Berlin circle. In addition to overtures, symphonies and quartets, he mainly wrote harpsichord works and chamber music in which the keyboard instrument plays a leading role. The editor's work extends to compiling the score, correcting some errors and setting out the continuo parts. Additions to the score are indicated as such by small notes, brackets or dotted slurs. Content: - Largo - Allegretto - Vivace

Christoph Schaffrath (1709-1763) was one of the important musicians and composers that the music-loving Frederick II of Prussia gathered around him. He can be described as one of the most interesting and imaginative composers of the Berlin circle. In addition to overtures, symphonies and quartets, he mainly wrote harpsichord works and chamber music in which the keyboard instrument plays a leading role.Schaffrath's Duet in D major is published here for the first time in a new edition. Our edition is based on the copy of the first print of the ‘ Six Duets op. 1 ’ in the Saxon State Library in Dresden. Duets I, III and V are written for violin and harpsichord, the others for flute and harpsichord. The present composition is Duetto II. The editor's work extends to compiling the score, correcting some errors and setting out the continuo passages. Additions to the score are indicated as such by small lines, brackets or dashes. Content: -Allegro -Andante -Allegro

Born in Bergamo on 3 September 1695, Pietro Antonio Locatelli studied with Corelli in Rome. In 1725 he was appointed chamber virtuoso at the court of Mantua. He also performed as a violinist in the entourage of the Elector of Saxony, for example in Kassel in 1728, Berlin in 1729 and Amsterdam, where he settled permanently in 1730. As a violin teacher, composer and music publisher, he was both respected and wealthy there. Locatelli died on 3 March 1764 and was buried in the Beguinage in Amsterdam. We know from his estate catalogue that he owned two transverse flutes and a ‘Flûte d'Amour’. His Opus II, 12 sonatas for ‘Flauto traversiere’ and basso continuo, also shows that he was very familiar with the transverse flute. The present work is taken from Opus V, published by the author himself in Amsterdam in 1746. The title of the opus, which contains six sonatas, explicitly states that they can be played with two violins as well as two flutes. There is also nothing to prevent it being scored for violin and flute. This original version remained unchanged when it was saved. Like many of Locatelli's compositions, this trio sonata also differs from the works of his Italian contemporaries in its unconventional originality. It is also particularly easy to play, as it is dedicated to a dilettante, the city secretary of Amsterdam, M. Lestevon, a pupil and patron of the composer. It will also delight music lovers of our time, not least because of the pastoral middle movement. Content: - Andante - Largo, Andante - Allegro - Vivace

A. Barette (also known as Baretti) was probably a brother of the famous poet and writer Gioseffo and lived in Turin as a music teacher in the second half of the 18th century. He composed several instrumental works, including mainly chamber music for violoncello and some pieces for harpsichord. The present VI Divertimenti op. 1 for 2 violoncellos were first published in Paris and Amsterdam in 1770, were later copied and catalogued by Westphal as No 250. As the first edition could not be found, our new edition is based on this copy (Conservatory Library, Brussels). The designation deux Basses preferably refers to 2 violoncellos, but a scoring with 2 bassoons, violas da gamba or other bass instruments is also possible. Content: I. Allegretto Largo Menuetto Trio II. Allegretto Andante Menuetto Trio III. Moderato Largo Menuetto Trio IV. Allegro Moderato Lento Menuetto Trio V. Allegretto Andante Menuetto VI. Allegretto Lento Menuetto

The publication of this sonata by the Potsdam court conductor Carl Heinrich Graun is based on a manuscript in the possession of the Saxon State Library in Dresden. Our edition is the first time the work has appeared in print. Editorial additions are marked as such in the score; added slurs are dotted, added ornaments and dynamic markings are bracketed. The harpsichord accompaniment, written after the figured bass, is printed in small print. Content: - Largo - Poco allegro - Vivace

Benoit Guillemant was a flautist and lived in Paris between 1746 and 1757. The dates of his life are not known. These six sonatas op.3 are his only compositions of this kind. In addition to the stylistically correct articulations, their musically flawless performance also includes the precise interpretation of the ornamentation and the independent insertion of ornaments, where these are not prescribed but are tacitly assumed by the composer in accordance with the usage of the time. The score follows the original musical notation. All additions by the editor have been noted in the usual way. Content: I. Sonata - Allegro - Gratioso - Allegro - Aria gratioso - Allegro II. Sonata - Andante - Allegro - Affettuoso - Aria prima (Poco allegro) - Aria secunda III. Sonata - Aria gratioso - Allegro moderato - Andante - Tempo di Minuetto IV. Sonata - Allegro - Aria gratioso - Giga allegro - Cantabile - Minuetto primo - Minuetto secondo V. Sonata - Cantabile - Allegro moderato - Affettuoso - Aria moderato VI. Sonata - Gratioso - Fanfare - Aria (Affettuoso) - Fanfare

Giambattista Cirri was born in Forli around 1740. He spent most of his life as a violoncellist in England, but then returned to Italy, where he died in 1808. Cirri composed mainly for his instrument. A large number of duets, sonatas and concertos appeared in print in London, Paris and Florence during his lifetime. These three sonatas are a valuable addition to the beginner's repertoire. Their range barely exceeds the first three neck positions, the tonal possibilities of the cello are largely utilised within this framework and the musical content is interesting and stimulating. The realisation of the basso continuo was deliberately kept in the lower register and very simple in order to enable beginners to play together homogeneously. The score reproduces the original musical notation. All additions by the editor are indicated by engraved notes, markings or brackets. In the solo part, the ornaments appear above the musical text. Content: Sonata I - Allegro - Adagio - Menuetto Sonata II - Allegro - Adagio - Menuetto I - Menuetto II Sonata III - Allegro - Adagio - Menuetto The pieces are also available individually as pdf files. Click on the drop-down menu under ‘ISSUE (please select)’.

Content: - Grave - Allegro - Grave - Allegro

Known and unknown Christmas songs: Content: 1. Am Weihnachtsabend in der Still (Constanzer Gesangbuch 1613) 2. Auf, auf, ihr Hirten (Niederösterreich) 3. Christlied der Hirten mit Echo (Cölner Gesangbuch 1615) 4. Joseph, lieber Joseph mein (Wiener Handschrift 14. Jahrhundert) 5. Eya Herre Got (Lambacher Handschrift 14. Jahrhundert) 6. Es flog ein kleins Waldvögelein 7. Ein Kindelein so löbelich (15. Jahrhundert) 8. Uns kommt ein Schiff gefahren (14. Jahrhundert) 9. Es floß ein Ros' vom Himmel herab (Speiersches Gesangbuch 1617) 10. Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen (Speiersches Gesangbuch 1600) 11. Es ist jetzt so ein kalte Nacht (Hirtenlied 16. Jahrhundert) 12. Freu' dich, Erd und Sternenwelt (Böhmen) 13. Gelobet seistu Jhesu Christ (15. Jahrhundert) 14. Ihr Hirten erwacht (Franken) 15. Ihr Kinderlein kommet (Joh. A.P. Schulz ca. 1747-1800) 16. Inmitten der Nacht 17. Lasst uns das Kindlein wiegen (1604) 18. Den geboren hat ein Magd (15. Jahrhundert) 19. Macht hoch die Tür (Anfang 18. Jahrhundert) 20. Als Maria, die Jungfrau schon (Krippenlied 1608) 21. Nun singet und seid froh (1529) 22. O du fröhliche 23. O Heiland reiß die Himmel auf (Köln 1623) 24. O laufet, ihr Hirten 25. Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! (Franz Xaver Gruber) 26. O Jesulein zart (München 1635) 27. Vom Himmel hoch (Martin Luther 1539) 28. Was soll das bedeuten (Schlesien und Mähren) 29. Zu Bethlemem geboren