Georg Philipp Telemann was four years Sebastian
Bach’s senior. He was the Leipzig Town Council’s first choice
to be cantor of the Thomaskirche, a position which eventually
went to Bach as, if it is to be believed, about the third
runner-up. The deal proved to be a boon to Telemann, who got
a considerable raise in salary at Hamburg, and a thorn to
both JSB and the good council of Leipzig, whose relationship
was to be stormy throughout its duration. Telemann went on
to outlive Bach by some seventeen years and his output would
span at least two style periods. A master musician, Telemann
was famous for his ability to play a number of instruments
exceptionally well. Consequently, his music is some of the
most idiomatic of any composed in his era, and seems, even
in its most complex and technical passages, to fit perfectly
within the scope of its intended instrument. One of the most
prolific composers of his generation, Telemann left behind
1046 Church cantatas, more than forty Passion settings, dozens
of operas and countless works for chamber ensembles and orchestra.
The Twelve Fantasies for Violin without bass
were geared toward the amateur and student market. In today’s
publishing lingo, they might be dubbed as ESH works (easy,
sounds hard). They exploit the possibilities of the solo violin
including double and triple stops and string crossings that
imply polyphonic writing not otherwise possible on a melody
instrument. Bach would deploy the solo violin’s expressive
nature to the fullest in his Six Sonatas and Partitas (BWV
1001-1006), but in these works, Telemann seeks a less thorny
path, one that is more easily traveled by talented players
of less than professional ability.
At times tuneful and lyrical, at others jaunty
and dance-like and at still others almost mournful and melancholy,
these brief works run the gamut of expression. Yet, there
is a serenity to all of them that makes for engaging listening.
Augustin Hadelich, who in 2006 took the gold medal at the
International Violin Competition of Indianapolis plays with
deft ease. Although he is playing on a modern steel-stringed
instrument, he manages to produce a light, even airy tone
that is not overwrought with vibrato and romantic shellac.
It takes a real master to bring out all of the grace in what
to him must be fairly simple music to play, but Mr. Hadelich
never condescends. Each piece is delivered with commitment.
Hadelich’s handling of the faster movements
is worth particular mention. Although Telemann only hints
at polyphonic textures, Mr. Hadelich connects the lines in
such a way that we definitely get the illusion of more than
one voice. His attention to melodic shape is most evident
in the slower movements, particularly those cast in the minor
mode. He sings with his instrument, breathing in all the right
places and balancing tension and release to perfection. This
is lyrical music-making of the first order, and although the
works themselves are less than completely profound, they are
so well crafted as to be satisfying for player and listener
alike.
Kevin Sutton
Augustin Hadelich (violin)
