Telemann: Sonata TWV 41:C5 in C major for flute & b.c. (Solo 10 (No. 19) from Essercizii Musici)

Telemann’s countless recorder sonatas belong to every player’s standard repertoire and even the Bach family archive has preserved his scores. “Schegget’s assured, skilful playing brings these delightful works admirably to life.” Fanfare

Period instrument performances.

Tripla Concordia was established in 1991, and takes its name from a collection of music by Matthew Locke and colleagues published in 1677. They specialise in music from the 16th and 17th centuries, and work with artists such as Fabio Biondi and Alfredo Bernadini.

Sergio Ciomei (harpsichord) collaborated with Cecilia Bartoli on her Opera Proibita recording, preparing and editing the repertoire.

Recording made in 2000.

Few composers were quite as industrious as Telemann. Apart from producing a vast amount of music of the highest quality in all genres, he set up a publishing company in Hamburg in 1728 where his collection The Faithful Music Master was published. This included sonatas, arias, duos and solos. Arias from operas were reduced in scoring to allow domestic performance, and texts set in foreign languages were translated into German so the wider public could enjoy them.

Some of the works on this disc appeared in his fortnightly publication. Scoring was something that Telemann revelled in, and sometimes the same work would appear in different guises. In addition, in an early example of how to boost circulation, he published individual movements over the course of several issues of The Faithful Music Master, thereby allowing the subscriber to collect the complete work.

Telemann was a musical magpie. Collecting styles and influences from France and Italy, he skilfully assimilated them into what would become a German style, which had a considerable influence upon J.S. Bach.

The music on this disc is wonderfully crafted, tuneful, beautifully scored, and the work of a master at the height of his considerable powers.

During his lifetime, Georg Philipp Telemann was widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the period – perhaps the greatest of them all, not forgetting J.S. Bach or Handel.

All of this great range and variety is represented in his works for the flute. Telemann wrote for the recorder as well as for the transverse flute, but the music was intended for either instrument.

The greater part of that music – from solo fantasias and duets to concertos and double concertos – has been gathered in this boxed set, in highly praised recordings by two acclaimed Swedish recorder players: Clas Pehrsson and Dan Laurin. They are supported by continuo players in the chamber music, and by the eminent Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble in the concertos, and matched by soloists such as the acclaimed baroque bassoonist Michael McCraw.

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.