MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2023
Approaching 60,000 reviews
and more.. and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

BUY NOW 

  AmazonUK   AmazonUS

Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Six Orchestral Suites after Die Kleine Kammermusik 1716

CD 1:
Suite in E Flat Major TWV 55:Es5
Suite in B Flat Major TWV 55:B2
Suite in G Minor TWV 55:g3
CD 2:
Suite in E Minor TWV 55:e6
Suite in G Major TWV 55:G2
Suite in C Minor TWV 55:c3
La Stagione Frankfurt; Michael Schneider (conductor)
rec. 7-11 September 2003, Diffurt, Ev. Kirche St. Bonifatius, Frankfurt, Germany. DDD
CPO 999 994-2 [52’38 + 48’26]

Error processing SSI file

 

In their versions for solo instrument and basso continuo, these suites are familiar to oboists, violinists and, of course, recorder players, whose repertoire debt to Telemann is immeasurable. I can confirm, as a devotee of the recorder myself, that the suites from Die Kleine Kammermusik are of particular value as their original pitch suits the descant (soprano) recorder. It’s not that there is any shortage of work for that excessively high-pitched instrument, just that the best of Telemann’s solo sonatas are for the treble (alto) of the family.

On this CD we have the first recording of Telemann’s orchestration of the suites. Given that Telemann was very well acquainted with some of the best players of his day, the oboe is very much to the fore as a solo instrument. The original suites were written as melody line plus figured bass and Telemann retained the top and bottom lines, realising the basso continuo as inner orchestral parts. The repeats are ornamented in the standard baroque manner. While the individual numbers are not titled as dances (allemande, courante, gavotte, etc, unlike Bach’s orchestral suites, and many others of the day) but as Arias (with a Preludio for each suite), many of which are in the French fashion. Others are contrapuntal or dances from elsewhere (even one that could pass for a Highland fling!).

In migrating these fairly lightweight sets of tunes to the larger form, Telemann added substance (and about fifty percent to the length) by prefacing each suite with a substantial ouverture in the French style. Of course, we are not talking about suites on the scale of Bach’s, neither in size nor seriousness, nor would they been intended to be. The essence of Telemann’s music is bourgeois and middle-class, typically written for the amateur. His art as a composer was to compose works playable by a modest performer but which repay the skill brought to them by a virtuoso.

So here we have music that works whether played by a student of the recorder or a baroque orchestra of the quality of La Stagione Frankfurt under Michael Schneider’s capable direction (he is himself a recorder player of distinction). The playing is warm and stylish and is enthusiastically recommended when you feel like easing back into an armchair of baroque easy-listening comfort!

Roger Blackburn


Return to Index

Error processing SSI file