Ernest Krähmer (1795–1837)
Fantasia
for csákány (soprano or alto recorder) solo
Edited by Franz Müller-BuschGirolamo G 12.012, playing score, € 10,00
ISMN 979-0-50084-024-4
Preface
As the 2nd and 3rd part of his csákány-tutor Ernest Krähmer (1795–1837) published a two-volume work at Ant. Diabelli’s in Vienna as op. 31 with the title “100 exercises for the csákány …”. It includes, amongst others, exercises in different embellishments, double-tonguing and 24 exercises in all keys. It concludes with the present fantasia “at moderate speed according to the player’s ability”, which sums up many of the themes dealt with in the tutor and thus qualifies as a virtuoso final examination.
For the present edition the notation has been kept as close to the original as it was possible to make it. Printing errors, consisting almost exclusively of missing accidentals, have been discreetly corrected and added slurs have been clearly indicated by dotted lines. For further study please refer to the freely available facsimile.1)
The lowest note of the csákány was normally A flat' (or A' in the case of a few existing instruments). Music for csákány was written in transposed notation in which case the lowest note was assumed to be C'. Nowadays the obvious substitute for the csákány is a descant recorder with double holes for the 6th and 7th finger holes. Performance on the treble recorder is also feasable, whereby of course, the fingering for descant recorder remains unchanged. The player however should be conscious that a baroque recorder cannot replace, and at best only approach, the csákány’s special sound which is determined by the construction and key system.
Translation: J. Whybrow
Wiesbaden, January 1999, Franz Müller-Busch
1) Krähmer, Ernest: 100 Übungsstücke für den Csakan. B-Peer, 1997, Alamire (Facsimile series for scholars and musicians; 26)
