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Georg Philipp
TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Complete Violin Concertos - Volume 2
Violin Concerto in C major TWV 51:C3 (1724) [7:30]
Violin Concerto in G minor TWV 51:g1 (1713-14) [6:41]
Violin Concerto in B minor TWV 51:h2 (before 1716) [5:48]
Violin Concerto in G major TWV 51:G7 [11:25]
Violin Concerto in A minor TWV 51:a2 (1728) [8:53]
Violin Concerto in B flat major TWV 51:B1 Pisendel Concerto (1719)
[11:32]
Violin Concerto in A major TWV 51:A4 [11:42]
Elizabeth
Wallfisch (violin and director)
L’Orfeo Barockorchester
rec. Sendesaal des SWR Studios Karlsruhe, September 2004 CPO 777
089-2 [64:21]
Elizabeth
Wallfisch and L’Orfeo Barockorchester are taking things slowly.
They first recorded some Telemann concertos for CPO back
in September 2002 which constituted the first volume of their
Complete Concerto series. Almost exactly two years to the
day they returned to the Sendesaal of SWR Studios in Karlsruhe
to record the second volume of what I take to be a three-disc
collection. Just over two years later the volume is released.
The
first disc was one I greatly enjoyed (see review)
and the second equally so. The performances are poised and
accomplished, with clarity in the string parts and detail
etched in the oboe writing. L’Orfeo Barockorchester is made
up 7-2-2-1 in the strings with two oboes, a bassoon and a
harpsichord/organ – original instruments obviously. This
collection helpfully explores different keys throughout,
whilst ranging from the early 1713-14 G minor to the 1728
A minor. So there is variety here, textually and stylistically,
a quality reinforced by the inclusion of the so-called Pisendel
Concerto of 1719, a superior work in all respects.
The
C major is one of those concerti originally written as an
opera sinfonia. It has bright flourishes and grand rubati
and ends with a confident and stately Minuet, strong on oboe
colour. The alternation of solo and ripieno is very audible
in the early G minor concerto whilst the adagio embraces
the “pathetic” with conviction. This was a work that J. S.
Bach, then on good terms with Telemann, arranged. The playing
here and elsewhere is precise yet warmly affectionate. Wallfisch
plays the opening Affetuoso of the B minor with rare
agility and refined aerial grace and the bass line is given
sufficient weight to sustain the melodies but not enough
to overbalance the string texture. In his finale Telemann
turns to a favourite Polish Dance form, flecking it with
the French Rigaudon to create a stylistic entente between
them.
The
G major is rather more advanced thematically than its companions.
It weaves the solo violin into the fabric of the score with
great skill and rather sets its face against the kind of
ripieno concerto that he’d so long written. There is vigour
a-plenty in the Allegro but even better is the serious Siciliana.
The A minor returns to the theme of opera sinfonia. It’s
vigorous, athletic and makes some real digital demands of
the soloist. The Pisendel Concerto is apparently heard
absolutely complete for the first time on disc. The melody
lines and shifting polyphony are a treat but the Andante
is probably the highlight. It’s a simply ravishing aria and
is played here with refined sensibility by Wallfisch and
the orchestra. Finally there is the A major, the composer
of which has never conclusively been shown to be Telemann.
The frog imitations are humorous and pervasive, the violin
writing is unusually high but there are plenty of drones
in the finale to compel interest and indeed amusement.
The
consistently high standards set in the opening volume have
been singularly well met here in finely -recorded and stylistically
aware traversals.
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