JOHANN ERNST EBERLIN (1702-1776): Toccata sexta aus "IX Toccate e Fughe" (1747)

Johan Ernst Eberlin (1702 – 1762) was a German/Austrian composer and organist. Eberlin skillfully combined the traditions of the late baroque with new stylistic elements of the transitional period to classicism. He stood between Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber and Joseph Haydn in artistic terms. In addition to masses and offertories, Eberlin composed instrumental music, including the well-known IX Toccatas and Fugues, published by Musikverlag Lotter of Augsburg in 1747. His Toccatas are rooted in Italian organ music; some are executed using principles of Tocattas di durezze e ligature. Frescobaldi and Froberger may have inspired him. Toccatas are dedicated to Jacob Ernst, Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. Among other instrumental pieces are 115 Versetts und Cadenzas, Divertimento for 2 Violins and continuo, and two small Klavier sonatas. He worked as a court organist for Salzburg cathedral. Eberlin reached the high point of his career when Archbishop Andreas Jakob von Dietrichstein appointed him principal court organist and court music director. He was responsible for providing musical accompaniment to the liturgy in the cathedral and composed a plethora of liturgical music.

It's significant that the Mozart family, Leopold, and Wolfgang, highly regarded Eberlin and his contrapuntal works. In his report on the Salzburg musical establishment in 1757, the older Mozart singled out Eberlin for his productivity and speed in composing, comparing him to Alessandro Scarlatti and Georg Philipp Telemann. Wolfgang praised and copied Eberlin's works but eventually modified his opinion of composer's keyboard works, although he continued to appreciate his vocal works.

The recorded Toccata Sexta and Fugue in F is in Lydian mode. As with Toccatas con Durezze e Ligature, the piece is rich in harmonic dissonance suspensions yet expressive, solemn, and mystical similar to Italian Elevation toccatas. On the contrary, the fugue possesses a jolly subject and is sequential in its content.