Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Overture for flute pastorelle, strings and bc in E flat (TWV 55, Es2) [20:22]
Overture for 2 oboes, strings and bc in F (TWV 55, F14) [16:46]
Overture for recorder, strings and bc in A minor (TWV 55, a2) [31:30]
Carin van Heerden (recorder)
L'Orfeo Barockorchester/Carin van Heerden
rec. 27-30 March 2006, Alte Kirche in Boswil, Germany. DDD
CPO 777 218-2 [68:50]
The three orchestral overtures on this disc are just a small proportion of
what Telemann contributed to this genre. Several times in his career he was
at places where he could become acquainted with the French style. He became
a staunch admirer, and that resulted in a large number of orchestral overtures
- basically modelled after Jean-Baptiste Lully. He preferred these to solo
concertos, which was an Italian form.
Most of Telemann's overtures have been preserved in the archive of the court
of Darmstadt. Prince Ernst Ludwig, Landgrave of Hesse, was very impressed
by the French style and engaged several French musicians for his chapel. Telemann's
friend Christoph Graupner was appointed Kapellmeister in Darmstadt
in 1712, and he composed a number of overtures. Together Graupner and Johann
Samuel Endler – his vice-Kapellmeister since 1723 - also collected
and copied a large number of similar works, among them many by Telemann.
Some of Telemann's overtures contain a solo part for one or several instruments.
Two overtures on this disc have solo parts for the recorder. These were very
likely written for Johann Michael Böhm. From 1711 to 1729 he was at the service
of Prince Ernst Ludwig, and when he married Susanna Elisabeth Textor in Frankfurt
in 1720 he became Telemann's brother-in-law. Böhm was a famous player of the
transverse flute and also played the recorder and the oboe. It is an indication
of the high reputation of Telemann that Böhm and Endler were involved in a
kind of competition about the number of works by Telemann they owned.
The first Overture on this disc is not very well-known. The scoring of the
solo part is problematic. The score indicates a flute pastorelle, but
it isn't quite clear what this means. "In view of the fact that the solo
part operates with striking frequency in the lower register, the (little)
fourth flute (Quartflöte, flûte de quatre) would be the most logical
choice among the selection of (conically bored) recorders in use during Telemann's
lifetime", Christian Moritz-Bauer writes in his programme notes. That
is the instrument Carin van Heerden plays here. The opening overture is in
the usual ABA form. In the A section the flute plays colla parte with
the first violin, whereas in the B section it has its own part. The same happens
in menuet I and II; in menuet I the interventions of the flute are short,
sometimes just a couple of notes, and again it mostly plays with the first
violin. In the bourrée I the flute is imitated in the strings, in particular
in the closing episode. In the last movement, a gigue, the recorder imitates
birdsong.
The other Overture for recorder and strings is one of Telemann's best-known
compositions. The recorder part, played here on the treble instrument, is
technically demanding. This work is one of the most challenging compositions
for any recorder player. It is considered a rather late work, written when
Telemann was already working in Hamburg. It moves away from the original French
concept of the orchestral overture, especially as the third movement is an
'air à l'Italien', a movement which could well figure in an Italian solo concerto.
Christian Moritz-Bauer compares it with a dacapo aria. The second movement
is more French: a character piece, called Les Plaisirs. The work ends
with a polonoise, another form of which Telemann was very fond.
It appears also in the second Overture on this disc, scored for two oboes,
strings and bc. This is considered a much earlier work and closer to the Lullian
overture, as the oboes don't have independent parts but play colla parte
with the two violins throughout. The rigaudon is characterised by strong accents,
the fifth movement is a rondeau, a favourite form in France in the
early 18th century. The seventh movement is a character piece, called La
Chasse (the hunt), and the Overture ends with an elegant menuet.
This disc is mainly interesting because of the Overtures in E flat and in
F. I can't remember ever having heard them before. They’re nice works which
are well worth listening to. The Overture in a minor is available in a number
of recordings, and this version is not going to be my favourite. Carin van
Heerden plays well, but I find the 'air à l'Italien' a little disappointing,
especially in regard to ornamentation. The performance is also dynamically
a little flat. It is probably because the dynamic range of the recorder is
relatively limited that the ensemble holds back in this regard as well. The
same happens in the Overture in E flat. There are stronger dynamic contrasts
in the Overture in F. Generally I would have liked more engaging and really
compelling performances.
The timings of the first and third overture on the rear insert are confused,
and so is the information in the booklet regarding the recorders used in these
overtures.
Johan van Veen
see also review by Brian
Wilson
Two relatively little-known Overtures make this disc recommendable … the Overture
in A minor is a little disappointing.