Anyone else know of Gustav Schreck (1849-1918)?
Schreck was cantor at the famed Thomaskirche in Leipzig. That’s right, Johann Sebastian Bach’s church. Under Schreck’s direction, works of Bach and other former Thomas cantors featured prominently in services and other musical activities. Artistic quality was high. He programmed Bach cantatas in their entirety, acquired historic instruments, and modified his performances to make them more “authentic” (soprano and alto parts were sung by soloists from the boy choir), decades before it would even be considered “pioneering.”
Schreck was one of the founders of the New Bach Society. He was also professor of composition and theory at the Leipzig Conservatory. He broadened the exposure of his Thomanerchor by leading it out of the church and into the concert hall, introducing the group into programs of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.
I stumbled across this amiable Bassoon Sonata yesterday and thought you might enjoy it.