It is more than a little surprising, given Johann Jacob Froberger’s significance in the written history of music, how little of his music is regularly played or known today.  He was celebrated in his own day and his reputation and works were considered important enough to be researched and preserved by following generations. Today the physical notes of his music are readily available in facsimile and modern ‘complete’ editions.  Nonetheless, Froberger’s music is still represented in concert and recording
only by the same handful of more ‘popular’ pieces which have graced recital programmes and teaching curricula for at least the last 70 years. These few pieces, chosen for their exceptional rather than their representative qualities, leave the majority of his music in limbo.  The 400th anniversary of his birth presents an ideal opportunity to reassess current trends and to enhance the diversity and presence of Froberger’s music within our performance culture.

This article by Terence Charlston originally appeared in the RCO Journal in 2016.

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