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Opera Album Review: Georg Philipp Telemann’s Music Receives Long-Overdue Recognition

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Georg Philipp Telemann ranks among the most skilful, varied, imaginative, and prolific composers of the Baroque era. He lived for 86 years (1681-1767), serving as a pivotal figure as music transitioned towards new stylistic directions influenced by C. P. E. Bach, Haydn, and others, in contrast to his contemporaries like Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. Telemann’s works consistently exhibit attractiveness and inventiveness. Between November 20 and December 7, 2024, the Boston Early Music Festival will present the opera Don Quichotte auf der Hochzeit des Camacho, based on Cervantes’s Don Quixote, in Boston, New York City, and Troy, NY, with a video stream available from December 15 to 29.

Telemann’s adeptness with varied stylistic influences is evident to those familiar with his works inspired by Polish, Hungarian, or Czech folk music. His versatility is on display in three instrumental works: an Overture in D, a Sinfonia Melodica, and a Divertimento. The Divertimento starts with a concerto movement for the flute, followed by non-concerto movements with programmatic titles such as “Waking Up,” “Table Conversation,” “Call to the Hunt,” “[Taking a Break for a] Meal,” and “Return Home.” These pieces often highlight solo wind instruments, alternating with harmonies reminiscent of the Early Classical style, sometimes engaging more conventional orchestral duties.

Highlighted in this collection is the cantata Ino, a remarkable 36-minute piece that functions as a one-person mini-opera. This cantata impresses particularly in its rendition by Christina Landshamer, whose ability brilliantly conveys Ino’s complex emotions. Previously, recordings by Gundula Janowitz, Adele Stolte, and Barbara Schlick failed to fully meet the cantata’s demands. The only other exceptional rendition has been by Roberta Alexander, with Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting.

Ino stands out because its recitatives are mainly accompanied by the orchestra, creating diverse moods and expressive depths. This technique makes the work more akin to French operas of the era rather than the Italian styles that used ‘secco’ recitatives between arias. Though featuring just one singer, Ino involves various characters including Semele, Jupiter, Juno (referred to as Saturnia), Cadmus, Hermione, and Neptune. Briefly, the jealous Juno provokes Semele’s son’s death by Athamas, leading Ino and the other son, Melicertes, to seek refuge in the ocean, where Neptune transforms them into sea deities.

This cantata would be ideal for concerts featuring a proficient female singer familiar with German, alongside a translation in the programme book or supertitles, even perhaps with an English singing translation. The accompaniment should be manageable for college-age musicians and community orchestras.

All works on this recording hail from the last years of Telemann’s life, illustrating his continued creativity into his eighties. The period-instrument orchestra performs with elegance, producing a nicely balanced sound. This collection serves as a splendid tribute to Telemann, who deserves more frequent performances and respect today.

Ralph P. Locke, an emeritus professor of musicology at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, provided this review.

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