Georg Philipp Telemann is a name that has survived relatively well in the musical scene with large numbers of his works recorded on several different labels. One has to remember however that this was not always the case especially in the late 1960's when these pioneering recordings were made.
The four works on this disc provide a good cross section of Telemann's talent and they are also very well played by the various orchestras here. The one which is perhaps less well known is the South West German Chamber Orchestra under Friedrich Tilegant who however was an excellent conductor and very well respected in towns such as Stuttgart and Mainz.
Andre Rieu's Amsterdam ensemble, were also very capable and on the evidence produced here, they had an evident feeling for Telemann's work. The same could be said of the young Frans Brüggen who infuses the Concerto in G Major with particular joie de vivre. The able hands of Gustav Leonhardt as an accompanist, is also common throughout the four works.
Although you may find this music in more modern and updated versions, this Das Alte Werk disc certainly recreates the passion and sense of discovery which permeated the period when the recordings were made. Nicholas Anderson's notes are scholarly and are also eminently readable although I would have liked to have something about the performers. Small gripes aside, this is indeed a wonderful reissue.
Copyright © 2008 by Gerald Fenech