Classical Music

Georg Philipp Telemann wrote a series of Passions between 1716 and 1767. All of these works were written to be performed in German churches in the days leading up to Easter. He wrote over 40 passions for the churches of Hamburg, 22 of which have survived. One of the most popular is his 1746 St. Matthew’s Passion. Here, the work is performed by Hermann Max and the Rheinische Kantorei and Das Kleine Konzert. This release is part of the Capriccio Encore series, which is a series of re-releases of the most famous recordings from Capriccio’s back catalogue, fully re-mastered and competitively priced. The legendary recordings of artists such as Sandor Végh, Ton Koopman, Sir Neville Marriner and the Vienna Boys’ Choir also contain repertoire highlights that have a particularly special appeal, from the baroque to the present day.

After the success of the Red, Yellow, Blue and Pink collections (a total of 56 reissues), which brought the pearls from the Baroque catalogues of the house labels back into the spotlight, here are fourteen new titles offering a chance to rediscover more Baroque treasures and rarities. Like the last series, this fifth installment also opens up to the Classical (Mozart) or Renaissance (Dufay) repertories - recordings that are an integral part of Alpha's identity and history. This series' reissues are performed by the finest musicians in the field; most of these recordings received one or more awards on their first release. The albums come with proper booklets, including notes in three languages (French, English, German). Photographers from many different backgrounds illustrate the covers of the series with their works: this time the main theme is the color white. The present album features Georg Philipp Telemann's Overture and Concerti pour Darmstadt, performed by Alexis Kossenko, Zefira Valova, and Les Ambassadeurs.

This is the eighth album in the first complete recording of the 72 cantatas in Georg Philipp Telemann's collection Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, published in Hamburg in 1726 - the first complete set of cantatas for the liturgical year to appear in print. The cantatas are designated for voice, an obbligato instrument (recorder, transverse flute, oboe or violin) and basso continuo, and generally take the form of two da capo arias with an intervening recitative. Although intended for worship, both public and private, Telemann's cantatas are a masterly blend of tunefulness with skilled counterpoint and vocal and instrumental virtuosity.

Classical Music

Telemann was a prolific composer, writing over 40 Passions for the Church of Hamburg alone. His six Passion oratorios differ in that they do not strictly adhere to the literal text of the Gospels. A delightful work that deserves to be heard more often, Das selige Erwägen, was in its time one of Telemann’s most popular and frequently performed compositions. This recording is the perfect starting-point to explore the rich landscape this 18th-century German music.

Classical Music

In the Baroque it was by no means uncommon for composers to freely transcribe and arrange their own works or works by others for a different instrument. Therefore, any present day attempt of alternative instrumentation should be viewed with respect and curiosity: the result counts. And what result we encounter on this new recording of Flute Concertos by Telemann transcribed for the Pan Flute! By turns dramatic and furious, sweet and beguiling: the pan flute has infinite coloristic qualities to do full justice to these master works. The pan flute in its present form originates from 17th century Rumania, mostly used as a folk music instrument. However the use of the pan flute in “classical” Baroque music is by no means an abomination. The improvisatory character, the organic way of tone production which is regulated by the intensity of the breath of the player suit the Baroque music particularly well! These tracks are all exhilarating performances by master pan flutist Hanspeter Oggier and his Ensemble Fratres.

Classical Music

Classical Music

This release is centered around four cantatas taken from the composer's Harmonischer Gottesdienst ('Music for Religious Services'), a collection of cantatas for solo voice, flute, oboe or violin, and harpsichord that, on account of it's idiomatic writing for voice, it's relation to the instrumental parts and the many indications concerning interpretation, rests among the great achievements of the period. One of Telemann's characteristic skills was his ability to imbue the arias with the sort of brilliance that we normally associate with solo concertos (consider the radiance of the initial aria in Deine Toten werden leben), and this extends to his often virtuosic use of the recorder in the works - an instrument with which he was obviously familiar. Indeed, that Telemann was a more than competent player himself can be seen from the quality and quantity of music that he wrote for the recorder, and it is two of his lesser-known creations for the instrument - the E minor Partita and the Trio Sonata in G minor - which form the remainder of this highly engaging disc. Gemma Bertagnolli is widely considered to be one of the leading sopranos in Early Music. She is a favoured soloist of such celebrities as Rene Jacobs, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Fabio Biondi, Diego Fasolis, Trevor Pinnock, Ton Koopman, Ottavio Dantone and many others. Her voice is powerful, lyrical and passionate, always conveying the emotional message of the text. On this new recording (2012) Gemma joins the Early Music group of Stefano Bagliano, also a specialist in the field, in Cantatas for solo soprano, recorder and continuo, drawn from Die Harmonische Gottesdienst, brilliant works displaying vocal and instrumental virtuosity of a high level.

The specialist early-music ensemble Da Camera marks the 250th anniversary of Telemann’s death with this unique recording of original trio sonatas involving recorder and viol. These are among the greatest pieces Telemann ever composed. As he wrote in 1740: ‘how could I possibly remember everything I composed for strings and winds? I particularly devoted myself to the composing of trios… People even flattered me as having done my best work here.’ The musicians of Da Camera heartily agree. The ingenuity and variety of music, structures, and instrumental ensemble, combined with fascinating notes by the recorder player Emma Murphy, make this album a must-have for everyone, from Telemann’s many enthusiasts to those curious about early music.

Six dozen is half a gross. And Georg Philipp Telemann composed that many cantatas for the Frankfurt Church Year of 1714/15. cpo, Felix Koch, the Gutenberg Soloists and the Neumeyer Consort have taken up the cause to record this so-called "French church year" in its entirety – a mighty project that is all the more impressive given that the creative spirit behind these scores never worked en gros. Although he usually limited his instrumentation to two oboes, strings and basso continuo, adding a flute, bassoon, horns, trumpets and timpani for special Sundays or festive occasions, the composer's talent for orchestration was evidently boundless. He finds the appropriate sounds for his musical "sermon" on every theological topic. Every subject determined by the church calendar is reflected in his own individual way with a range of expression from the contemplative to the theatrical – and we are only one-third of the way through this fascinating journey.

In every composition he wrote, Telemann shows a skill which seems to be almost akin to science fiction – the mastery of time. His every waking moment was restlessly filled with productive activity, and yet the assembly line was alien to him. Even in his advanced years – he lived to be 86 – his wealth of inventiveness is surprising, as are his poignant melodies and picturesque instrumental colors. He produced successful works that go far beyond everyday pieces until the very end of his life. These include the so-called 'Donner-Ode' and its 'second part' (1756/60), where Telemann unleashes divine forces with a grand timpani roar; they also include treasures such as the tenor aria 'O wie sich Dunkelheiten' from the cantata Dich rühmen Welten (1762), with which this wonderful album begins.

Classical Music