playlist | Daniel Croner’s ‘Tabulatura’ (1681) ex C & D …

Daniel Croner (1656–1740) was a musician and churchman from the Principality of Transylvania. He is best known for his four notebooks of keyboard music: 1675, 1681. 1682, 1685; each was compiled using  the so-called New German organ tablature. The four notebooks constitute some of the earliest examples of baroque keyboard music from a central Romanian source.

::: Biography :::
Daniel Croner was born in 1650 in the city of Kronstadt (now Brașov RO), then in the Principality of Transylvania (German: Siebenbürgen), a vassal state of the Ottoman empire. The Croner family belonged to the city’s majority population of German-speaking Lutherans of Saxon descent. Croner’s father was a taiior

About 1684, after successive studies in Weissenburg (Alba Iulia, RO), Breslau (Wrocław, PL), Leipzig (DE) and Wittenberg (DE), Croner returned to his native city.
– 1684-91. Organist : musician.
– 1691. Prediger : Lay minister at St. John’s Church.
– 1693. Prediger : Lay minister at the so-called ‘Black Church’, 1the city’s principal church.
– 1701. Pfarrer : Ordained minister in Heldsdorf/Hălchiu RO, a nearby town. Between 1735-38 he was also Dekan des Burzenländer Kapitels : Area Dean of Burzenland, supervising the regional Lutheran churches.
– 1740. Croner died in Heldsdorf/Hălchiu RO having outlived four wives and seven of his nine children.

::: A war-torn era :::
Daniel Croner lived through a turbulent time of Ottoman/Habsburg warfare that spread across the region. In 1688, during ‘the great Turkish war’ Kronstadt/Brașov was occupied by Habsburg troops and the entire city was devastated by a great fire. By 1691 the Principality of Transylvania had became part of the Habsburg territories, but remained politically unstable under different princes until the Peace of Szatmár (1711).

::: Croner’s Tabulatura 1681 :::

Tabulatura, Fugarum, Praeludiorum, Canzonarum (Canzonů), Tocatarum [sic!] et Phantasiarum. Comparata Daniele Cronero Coronense, Transylvano. Anno: 1. 6. 8 1. Die 30. Janu: Wratislavia.
[Tablature of Fugues, Preludes, Canzonas, Toccatas and Fantasias. Compiled by Daniel Croner of Kronstadt, Transylvanian. In the year 1681, 30 January: Breslau.]

Daniel Croner put together this collection of keyboard works during his time as a student in Breslau/Wrocław (PL). The music reflects the differing compositional schools of North and South Germany and of Italy during the previous half century. The autograph manuscript of the Tabulatura 1681 survives in the archive of the Black Church – Biserica Neagră (ro), die Schwarze Kirche (de), Fekete templom (hu) – in Brașov RO [RISM sigla RO-BRbn: shelfmark I.F.37].

Among the 70 pieces in the collection 32 works are either derived from or are direct copies of other composers’ work, specifically:
– Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1613)
– Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
– Bernhard Meyer (d. 1713)
– Christian Michel (c. 1590-1637)|
– Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562–1621)
– Johann Ulich (b. 1634)
Without evidence to the contrary it is assumed that all other items are by Croner himself.

At the start of the collection Croner provided a table of suggested fingerings of the ‘German Sweelinck’ school; the numbering of the five fingers corresponds to present-day use.

At the end of the collection Croner provided a table of contents organised by key. The following playlist adheres to this order.

Index Fugarum, / Preludiorum er Tocatarum, / juxta ordinem Tonarum po- / situs, ut: ex /
[Index of Fugues, / Preludes and Toccatas, / according to the order of the Tones placed / as: from/]

– C. 4. 11. 32. 40. 42. 59. 62.
– D. 1. 3. 10. 16. 22. 26. 34. 44. 46.50.57. 64. 66.
– Ε. 2. 13. 23. 35. 51. 63. 67. 68. 70.
– F. 7. 25. 36. 45. 65.
– G. 8. 9. 12. 14. 15. 17. 18. 19. 24. 29. 30. 31. 33. 38. 39. 48. 49. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 60. 61.
– A. 5. 6. 20. 21. 27. 28. 37. 41. / 47. 58. 69.
– B. 43.

NB To modern sensibility some of the titles of these pieces appear to have been applied rather freely. For example, ‘toccata’ is sometimes used for quasi-fugal polyphonic pieces and ‘fugue’ is sometimes used for freer prelude– / toccata–like pieces.

Playlist: Tabulatura (1681)

Still to come …
– pieces in Ε.
13.
23.
35. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
51. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
63. Johann Ulich (1634-1742)
67. Bernhard Meyer (d. 1713)
68. Bernhard Meyer (d. 1713)
70.
– pieces in F.
7.
25.
36. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
45. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
65.
– pieces in G.
8.
9.
12.
14.
15.
17.
18.
19.
24.
29.
30.
31.
33. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
38. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
39. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)48.
49. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
52. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
53. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
54. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
55. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
56. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
60.
61.
– pieces in A.
5.
6.
20.
21.
27.
28.
37.
41. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
47. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
58. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)
69. Bernhard Meyer (d. 1713).
in B.
43. Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616-1655)

::: A contemporary organ :::
An organ was built in 1671/2 by Johannes Vest (d.1684) in the city church of Hermannstadt (Sibiu, RO) with the following stops:
– Hauptwerk: Subbass Gedeckt 16’, Gross Principal 8’, Grossflot 8’, Salicional 8’, Quintaden 8’, Gemshorn 8’, Octav Principal 4’, Hohlflöt 4’, Spielflöt 4’, Quint 3’, Mixtur 2’, Posaun 8’, Zimbel[stern], Pauck[en]
– Brustpositiv: Principal 2’, Octav 1’, Spiel flöt 2’, Mixtur ½, Zimbel[stern]
– Rückpositiv: Koppel 8’, Principal 4’, Octav flöt 4’, Salicional 4’, Octav Principal 2’, Super Octav 1’, Quint 3’, Mixtur ½, Regal 8’, Tremulant, Guckguck, Vogel Gesang
– Pedal: Subbass offen 16’, Quintadena 16’, Pomord 16’, Octav 8’, Hohlflöt 8’, Rausch Pfeiffen 3’, Octav hohlflöt, Mixtur IV, Posaun 8’.
– Tuning/temperament: specific information is not available but various meantone temperaments remained the standard well into the 18th century.
– of the original organ only the case survives.

::: References and further reading :::
—– (1988) ‘Preface/Vorwort’ in D. Croner: Tabulaturae (1681, 1682). András Pernye, Katalin Szilvia Fittler, Dániel Benkő, eds (1988). Series:Musica per la tastiera; 5.Editio Musica Budapest (EMB 8731) 5–8. ISMN: 9790080087313.
—– (n.d.) Organ tabulature. Wikipedia. Online resource, accessed 10 July 2026.
– John H. Baron (1967) ‘17th-Century Keyboard Tablature in Brasov‘ Journal of the American Musicological Society (Summer, 1967, Vol. 20/ii). 279-285. Online resource, accessed 11 July 2026.
– O.L. Cosma (1973) ‘Daniel Croner’ în Hronicul muzicii româneşti, vol. I, (București, Ed. Muzicală a Uniunii Compozitorilor, 1973) 330-348
– Noémi Miklós (2021) ‘Organs in Transylvania 1.The Organs of the Baroque Period‘. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Musica. (2021, January) 9-22. Online resource, accessed 11 July 2026.
– Ibo Ortgies (2004) Die Praxis der Orgelstimmung in Norddeutschland im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert und ihr Verhältnis zur zeitgenössischen Musikpraxis. Ph. D. Dissertation. Department of Musicology and Film Studies, Göteborg University, 2004 (English summary, online resource, accessed 6 August 2026.)
– Ágnes Papp (2005) ‘Orgeltabulaturen des 17. Jahrhunderts aus Ungarn: Intavolierung, Reduktion, Notationsarten‘ Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum: Hungaricae, (2005). 441-469. Online resource, accessed 11 July 2026.
– Andeas Pernye (1978) ‘Programme notes’. Daniel Croner Tabulatura, Hungaroton SLPX 11820-21, Budapesta, 1978.
– András Pernye and Dániel Benkő (1977)’Tabulatura… 1681… Wratislavia‘. Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae (1977). 297-324. Online resource, accessed 11 July 2026.
– Astrid Philippi (1999) ‘Daniel Croner. Der Kronstädter Organist und Komponist’ in Karl Teutsch (ed) Beiträge zur Musikgeschichte der Siebenbürger Sachsen, vol. 2, (Kludenbach, 1999) 30–45
– Andreas Porfetye (1983) ‘Vorwort/Preface‘ in Altsiebenbürgische Orgelmusik. (Wiesbaden : Breitkopf & Härtel, 1983). ISMN: 9790004176474. Online -resource, accessed 11 July 2026.
– Plajer Dietmar (1981) ‘Daniel Croner (1656-1740) Taten und Gestalten’ in Karpatenrundschau [Kronstädter Wochenschrift] 3 October 1981.
– Plajer Dietmar (1981) ‘Croner Daniel’ in Karpatenrundschau [Kronstädter Wochenschrift[ 20 November 1981.
– Gernot Nussbächer (1990) ‘Gewürdigt und gepflegt. Das Orgelmusikwerk von Daniel Croner’ in Karpatenrudschau. [Kronstädter Wochenschrift] 27 March 1990
– Gernot Nussbächer (1990) ‘Ein lebendiges Stück Musik. 250 Jahre seit dem Tod des Kronstädter Organisten Daniel Croner’ in Neuer Weg. 20 April. 1990.
– Wolfgang Sand (2004) Kronstadt. Das Musikleben einer multiethnischen Stadt bis zum Ende des Habsburgerreiches. Series: Musikgeschichtliche Studien, vol. 8 (GMV : Kludenbach, 2004) 68–71.
– Steffen, Schlandt (2006) ‘Daniel Croner – preot și compozitor brașovean al secolului al XVII-lea’ In Țara Bârsei. 6/VI, (2006). 174-177
– Karl Teutsch (2006) ‘Pfarrer und Musiker. Zum 350. Geburtstag von Daniel Croner’ in Karpatenrundschau [Kronstädter Wochenschrift] 10 June 2006
– Wolfgang Wiltstock (1981) ‘Daniel Croner’ in Karpatenrundschau [Kronstädter Wochenschrift] 8 August 1980.
-Rothraut Wittstock (2008) ‘Codex Brassoviensis nach Daniel Croner’ in Allgemeine Deutsche Zeitung. 20 February 2008.

::: Composer biographies… :::
– Daniel Nazare, Elvira Oros (n.d.) ‘Daniel Croner‘. Biblioteca Județeană ‘George Bariţiu. Braşov. [George Barițiu County Library, Brașov]. (n.d.). Online resource, accessed 11 July 2026. NB This article has an extensive bibliography.
—- Johann Jacob Froberger. Wikipedia. Online resource, accessed 10 July 2026.
—– Giovanni Gabrieli. Wikipedia. Online resource, accessed 10 July 2026.
—– Johann Erasmus Kindermann. Wikipedia. Online resource, accessed 10 July 2026.
—– Christian Michel. Wikipedia. Online resource, accessed 10 July 2026.
—– Johann Ulich. Wikipedia. Online resource, accessed 10 July 2026.

::: Technical Notes :::
– Score: D. Croner: Tabulaturae (1681, 1682). Dániel Benkő, Katalin Szilvia Fittler, András Pernye, eds (1988). Series:Musica per la tastiera 5. Editio Musica Budapest (EMB 8731). ISMN: 9790080087313.
– Temperament: 1/4-comma meantone.; pitch A=440
– Organ: Viscount Sonus 60
– Microphone: Zoom Q2N-4K
– Recording: ©Andrew Pink (2026). All rights reserved. Published under Creative Commons licence: [Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International]