Telemann String Concertos Musica Antiqua Koln Goebel

Georg Philipp Telemann's string concertos position themselves somewhere between the polyphonic complexity of the Bach orchestral sinfonias, the urbanity of Handel's concerti grossi, and Vivaldi's innumerable and endlessly delightful works of this type. But his approach always remained the most international as well as the most local. Two of these concertos, for example, exemplify the "Polish" style appropriate for the Electors of Saxony (Telemann's employers, who were also kings of Poland), with their folky rhythms and groaning bass parts. Telemann offers a bit of the French style galant here or Italian theatricality there--he's labeled one of the movements "Arlechinoso"--as the mood and moment suit him. Reinhard Goebel and the Musica Antiqua Köln dress these motleys with typical panache, a liveliness that argues once again for the validity of the period-instruments approach. One can well imagine Telemann hearing his music performed this way and nodding in approval. What the players have brought to Johann David Heinichen and some of the Baroque composers of the Baltic states serves them perfectly here: the conviction that while not all 18th-century music may match Bach's profundity, much of it nevertheless shows us a very good time. And that Telemann, perhaps, can show us the best time of all. --Robert Burns Neveldine Amazon.com

Superbly played mediocrity...

While acknowledging that one does not go to Telemann in search of anything like profundity, these concertos chosen by Goebel are vacuous even by Telemann's standards.

The only concerto with any sort of harmonic rigor and emotional expressiveness is the Concerto in G "a sei". This one is up to the standards of Telemann's Tafelmusik -- music in which he really applied himself. The last concerto for 2 Viols is slightly less interesting but possibly worth knowing.

The rest are cotton candy, and conductors like Goebel probably picked them for the same reason Telemann wrote them. They sell music. Any one less familiar with baroque music and classical music will probably enjoy them very much. But they're like over-sweet gum drops. It won't take long before you have had your fill of them and want something a little more substantial.

Good background music, but that's all.

I don't blame Telemann. The man knew how to make a living. I blame Goebel for his lack of taste. Telemann wrote far better stuff. December 3, 2007

Give Me that Good Ol' Baroque

Another bizarre and quirky performance by the people who play most things just too fast and others with stylized bad musicianship - the 'anything to be new and different crowd.' Where are they getting these ideas from? Not from any history I've ever read. The first movement of the G major viola concerto is a case in point with its annoying thud on the strong beats. The third movement is strangely rushed and the fourth is just plain too darn fast. Is this a new European thing? - everything very fast? And, though old instruments can be made to sound wonderful, the sound here is simply not good. While this group has produced a number of recordings over recent years (under various leaders) that are banal and rushed, they are now wandering into the weird and ungainly. Not my Baroque. February 26, 2006

excellent recording, some mediocre content

The playing on this CD is excellent and the recording quality is fine. Some of the pieces are less interesting in terms of their composition in my opinion however. The later pieces on this disc with a more prominent solo instrument are perhaps the best here. If you are exploring baroque era music and are looking to try out Telemann you might consider his fantasias for solo violin or some of his excellent cantatas as a better place to start. He wrote some good table music as well. February 20, 2006

Outstanding Rendition!

Beautiful music, beautifully conducted and performed. February 28, 2004

Excellent and unique performance-practice interpretations

I have listened to the entire CD, and it was thoroughly enjoyable throughout every single track. I bought this CD especially for the viola concerto and double viola concerto. Florian Deuter performs these pieces in a unique and totally convincing manner. The articulations (especially fast movements) are completely opposite of what one might normally choose to do in an interpretation of a faster movement. In this rendition, the 16th notes (2nd movement) are decidedly played off the string (short) and the 8th notes are on (long). I would never have imagined liking it that way, but I totally did! The orchestral accompaniment always sounds great in tone, and the balance between the soloist and orchestra is always very good. This is my new favorite recording of the Telemann Concerto.

Kenneth Martinson- professor of Viola at University of Florida, asst. editor of the American Viola Society Journal. November 25, 2003

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