MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

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

Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger


Support us financially by purchasing this from

Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Telemann’s Garden
Lentement, from Fantasia No. 7 in A minor for harpsichord solo, TWV 33:19 [1:44]
Suite No. 5 in A minor for flute, violin & basso continuo, TWV 42:a3 [16:48]
Siciliana, from Fantasia No. 9 in B minor for solo violin, TWV 40:22 [2:08]
Paris Quartet No. 3 in G major, TWV 43:G4 [22:23]
Vivace - Allegro, from Fantasia No. 1 in A major for flute solo, TWV 40:2 [3:15]
Trio sonata No. 10 in A minor for violin, recorder & basso continuo (from Essercizii musici), TWV 42:a4 [10:39]
Recitative - Arioso, from Sonata No. 9 in E minor for viola da gamba & basso continuo (from Essercizii musici), TWV 41:e5 [1:48]
Elephant House Quartet
rec. 2018, Garnisonskirken, Copenhagen, Denmark
PENTATONE PTC5186749 [58:56]

Telemann’s Garden, an album of chamber music gems, is described in the publicity material as ‘a stroll through the colourful oeuvre of Telemann’, who was a keen gardener, we are informed. Making its debut here for the Pentatone label, the Elephant House Quartet is a baroque ensemble founded in 2014.

Undoubtedly one of the greatest late-Baroque composers, Telemann wrote prolifically in most genres, and left a legacy of inventive works. I have mentioned in previous reviews just how drawn I am to Telemann’s chamber music. I can remember a time when new releases were quite a rare occurrence.

The programme performed here by the Elephant House Quartet includes three complete works: the Suite No. 5 in A minor, Paris Quartet No. 3 in G major and the Trio sonata No. 10 in A minor. Also included are extracts from four different fantasias, solo contributions by member of the ensemble. All but one of the works are drawn from five of Telemann’s collections published between the years 1726-1738 at Hamburg where he had settled; one work was published in 1738 during the composer’s stay in Paris. Although taken from a fairly narrow twelve-year period, these selections still serve as a splendid snapshot of the varied aspect and instrumental colour to be found in Telemann’s chamber works.

The Elephant House Quartet use period instruments or modern copies. One cannot fault the quality of the playing. It is exquisite, executed with style and eloquent lyricism. I love the way the passages are shaped with exemplary skill and control. One senses a close connection between the four players, who demonstrate a firm grip on the formal and artistic structure of the works with a sense of total engagement. Calm and meditative in the slow movements, buoyant in the faster movements – these are performances to cherish, with striking unity and intonation of the instruments that make a gorgeous sound. Allan Rasmussen’s harpsichord, a modern copy after Harrass (c. 1710), is one of the finest I have heard.

The sound quality is commendable, with clarity and good balance. A bouquet of chamber-music jewels, the booklet essay by Carsten Lang, is first-class. For those new to Telemann’s chamber music, I have been recommending a single album of Trios and Quartets with viola da gamba, quite marvellously performed by La Rêveuse on the Mirare label. This new release is also worthy of attention. Admirers of Telemann should be delighted with the results.

Michael Cookson

Instrument information
Recorders
F-alto (trio sonata) and voice-flute in D, both in boxwood, by Frederick G. Morgan (1940–1999), after Peter Bressan (1663-1731).
Violin
Violin by Fabrizio di Pietroantonio (Firenze 2009, copy of a Stradivari) (plain gut strings for e, a, d, wound g string, all by Gamut). Bow: Italian model from the second decade of 18th century made by Gerhard Landwehr (2016).
Viola da Gamba
Seven-string bass viol by David Rubio, made in Cambridge in 1987 after G. Barbey, Paris. Gut strings and period bow.
Harpsichord
Harpsichord by Joop Klinkhamer, Amsterdam 1992, after Harrass (c. 1710).

Performers
Bolette Roed (recorder), Aureliusz Goliński (violin), Reiko Ichise (viola da gamba), Allan Rasmussen (harpsichord)




Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing