 Entré à la cour des Esterházy en 1728, Gregor Werner est un compositeur très prolifique. Messes, Requiems, Vêpres, pièces instrumentales ou oratorios, de très nombreuses œuvres témoignent de la grande fertilité de son esprit créatif. De sa jeunesse, on ne sait que peu de choses, mais il est certain qu’il séjourna longtemps à Vienne. Certains de ses quodlibets attestent d’ailleurs d’une connaissance précise des bases de l’école viennoise et du langage du baroque tardif, et ses aptitudes pour le contrepoint évoquent un lien avec le compositeur Johann Joseph Fux. Pleinement satisfait par son travail de composition à la cour, il n’entreprendra pas d’autres voyages. Son œuvre révèle les débuts du style a-capella et dessine les contours du futur style concertant du baroque. Fidèle au langage de la musique baroque tout au long de sa vie, il refusera de céder aux nouveaux genres. Cette ligne de conduite l’amènera à se montrer très critique envers un Joseph Haydn qui consacra les derniers mois de sa vie à l’édition et à la publication des quatuors de ce grand maître pour lequel il avait tant d’estime. C’est grand plaisir de redécouvrir ses œuvres magnifiques dépoussiérées par l’Ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria. Gregor Werner (1695-1766) began directing the fortunes of the Esterha´zy court band, the Hofkapelle, on 10 May 1728. He was an industrious man. Forty Masses, three Requiems, three Te Deums, four Offertories, twelve Vespers, twelve Good Friday oratorios, approximately eighteen oratorios, a hundred and thirty-three antiphons and a multitude of instrumental pieces and minor works testify to his fertile creative spirit. Little is known of his youth. He is sure to have spent an lengthy period in Vienna. The quodlibets “Bauren- Richters-Wahl” and “Der Wienner- ische Tandelmarkt” demonstrate an intimate knowledge of the Viennese background and spoken dialect in the Late Baroque period. His skilful counterpoint style suggests a connec- tion to the Court Kapellmeister J.J. Fux (1660-1741). Werner seems to have found utter fulfilment in his work for the princely band. It seems he did not undertake any further travels. Isolated in the eastern region of the empire he wrote one musical gem after another. His œuvre reveals the early a-capella style as well as the Baroque concer- tante style of the turn of the century. As with Fux, there are no “lazy parts” in his counterpoint settings. Throughout his life he remained true to the idiom of Baroque music-making and refused to adapt in any way to new fashions. Thus it is no wonder that he is supposed to have spoken disparagingly of Joseph Haydn as “G`sanglmacher” – “common songwriter” – and “Modehansl” – fashion lackey. Nevertheless Haydn’s regard for this famous master was so high that he worked during the last months of his life on the edition and publishing of Werner’s quartets! What a delight that Werner's music is dusted off now by Ars Antiqua Austria!
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