Magnificat, BuxWV204

Manuscript Mus Ms 30280, owned by the Staatsbibliothek Berlin contains a magnificat of Dietrich Buxtehude, consisting of four seperate parts. They are generally published as two seperate pieces, in the catalogue of Buxtehude's compositions designated as BuxWV 204 and BuxWV 205. The reason for this is perhaps another manuscript source, unknown to me, where the four parts are presented as two different pieces. To confuse matter seven more, BuxWV 204 is sometimes published as containing only the first part, and sometimes as containing the first two parts. As the first parts ends on the dominant, which does not feel as a real conclusion, it seems more logical to include the second part as well.

The manuscript notates the music on two staves and it is not always clear which notes should be played with the pedals. Where the music is strictly in four voices it is easy to recognize the pedal part in the lowest of these four voices. In the passages in the stylus phantasticus it is less clear however. Especiaaly in the first movement there are lots of differences between editions in how the notes from the manuscript are arranged for left hand and feet. A performer should therefore feel free to play more or less notes with the pedals, as he/she sees fit.

Score available here: http://partitura.org/index.php/dietrich-buxtehude-magnificat-buxwv-204