Telemann: Tafelmusik I

In his Musique de Table, through skilful organisation, breadth of imagination and sheer masterful inspiration, Telemann concentrates the entire range of European musical styles. This bravura display brings together ‘what stern custom had divided’. Here is the ultimate glittering banquet of late Baroque goût in all its rich diversity.

The Freiburger Barockorchester can look back on a success story lasting over 20 years and is a popular guest at the foremost concert halls and opera houses. The Freiburgers’ artistic credo, however, remains unchanged: the creative curiosity of each individual member, with the aim of playing a composition in as lively and expressive a manner as possible. This also involves assigning demanding solo concertos to players from the orchestra’s own ranks. Cultivated, yet at the same time exciting, ensemble playing has thus become the orchestra’s international trademark.

The FBO collaborates with leading artists such as René Jacobs, Andreas Staier and Thomas Quasthoff, and enjoys a close cooperation with harmonia mundi France. Under the artistic directorship of its two Konzertmeisters Gottfried von der Goltz and Petra Müllejans, and under the baton of selected conductors, the FBO presents around 100 performances per year in a variety of formations from chamber to opera orchestra: a self-governing ensemble with its own subscription concerts at the Konzerthaus in Freiburg, the Liederhalle in Stuttgart and the Berlin Philharmonie in addition to a worldwide touring programme.

Much of Telemann’s finest music is contained in this specially priced 4-CD set of his Tafelmusik, a collection encompassing the forms of the late Baroque: French overture and dance suite, quartet, concerto, trio, and solo sonata.

Reinhard Goebel, a champion of this composer, and his Musica Antiqua Köln offer these outstanding performances of precision and clarity with “dazzling virtuosity and unanimity of ensemble and musical thinking” –The Penguin Guide

The benchmark recording of Telemann’s wide-ranging anthology of orchestral, chamber, and solo music

Acclaimed recording quality: “Vivid and fresh” The Penguin Guide

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was one of the most prolific composers of the Baroque period, rivalling Vivaldi in his industry. He studied languages and science at Leipzig University, and was largely self-taught as far as music was concerned. In 1704 he became organist of the New Church in the city, and founded a students music society, called Collegium Musicum. After several other appointments in Germany, including Bayreuth, Eisenach and Frankfurt, he became director of music at the Johanneum in Hamburg, and organist at 5 major churches in the city. A tireless traveller, he visited Berlin many times and in 1737 went to Paris.

He was a friend, colleague and, through marriage a relation to J.S Bach. His huge output includes over 40 operas, 44 Passions, 12 sets of services for the year, cantatas, Psalm settings, keyboard music for organ and harpsichord and many inventive concertos and overtures.

This 29CD set provides a superb introduction to this master of the Barock. He often suffers in comparison to Bach, Handel and Vivaldi mainly because it is so difficult to know where to start with such a vast body of work.

This Brilliant Classics box set makes the Telemann experience all the more enjoyable by making this selection and providing a wonderful window into the world of this great composer.

CDROM includes booklet essays and sung texts.

Artists include Heinz Holliger, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Iona Brown, Otto Sauter, Amsterdam Bach Soloists, Wiener Akademie, Martin Haselböck, Barbara Schlick, Musica Antiqua Koln, Reinhard Goebel, Fabio Biondi and others.