Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
and
multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays two or more musical instruments at a professional level of proficiency.
Also known as doubling, the practice allows greater ensemble flexibility and more efficient employment of musicians, where ...
. Almost completely
self-taught
Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning and self-teaching) is education without the guidance of masters (such as teachers and professors) or institutions (such as schools). Generally, autodidacts are individu ...
in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in
Magdeburg
Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river.
Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebur ...
,
Zellerfeld
Clausthal-Zellerfeld is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the southwestern part of the Harz mountains. Its population is approximately 15,000. The City is the location of the Clausthal University of Technology. The health resort ...
, and
Hildesheim
Hildesheim (; nds, Hilmessen, Hilmssen; la, Hildesia) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of the Lei ...
, Telemann entered the
University of Leipzig
Leipzig University (german: Universität Leipzig), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 Decemb ...
to study law, but eventually settled on a career in music. He held important positions in
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
,
Sorau,
Eisenach
Eisenach () is a town in Thuringia, Germany with 42,000 inhabitants, located west of Erfurt, southeast of Kassel and northeast of Frankfurt. It is the main urban centre of western Thuringia and bordering northeastern Hessian regions, situat ...
, and
Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
before settling in
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
in 1721, where he became musical director of that city's five main churches. While Telemann's career prospered, his personal life was always troubled: his first wife died less than two years after their marriage, and his second wife had extramarital affairs and accumulated a large gambling debt before leaving him.
Telemann is one of the most prolific composers in history, at least in terms of surviving
oeuvre. He was considered by his contemporaries to be one of the leading German composers of the time, and he was compared favourably both to his friend
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
, who made Telemann the godfather and namesake of his son
Carl Philipp Emanuel, and to
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...
, whom Telemann also knew personally. As part of his duties, he wrote a considerable amount of music for educating organists under his direction. This includes 48 chorale preludes and 20 small fugues (modal fugues) to accompany his chorale harmonisations for 500 hymns. His music incorporates French, Italian, and German national styles, and he was at times even influenced by Polish popular music. He remained at the forefront of all new musical tendencies, and his music stands as an important link between the late
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
and early
Classical styles. The
Telemann Museum
The Telemann Museum is a museum in the Composers Quarter in Hamburg- Neustadt, Germany. It was founded in 2011 and is dedicated to the classical composer Georg Philipp Telemann.
The museum is situated in an historical building in the Peterstraß ...
in Hamburg is dedicated to him.
Life
Early life (1681–1712)
Telemann was born in
Magdeburg
Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river.
Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebur ...
, then the capital of the semi-autonomous
Duchy of Magdeburg
The Duchy of Magdeburg (german: Herzogtum Magdeburg) was a province of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from 1680 to 1701 and a province of the German Kingdom of Prussia from 1701 to 1807. It replaced the Archbishopric of Magdeburg after its secula ...
within the
Electorate of Brandenburg
Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 square ...
, in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
. His father Heinrich,
deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
at the Church of the Holy Spirit (
:de:Heilig-Geist-Kirche_(Magdeburg)">de''Heilige-Geist-Kirche''.html" ;"title=":de:Heilig-Geist-Kirche_(Magdeburg).html" ;"title="nowiki/>:de:Heilig-Geist-Kirche_(Magdeburg)">de''Heilige-Geist-Kirche''">:de:Heilig-Geist-Kirche_(Magdeburg).html" ;"title="nowiki/>:de:Heilig-Geist-Kirche_(Magdeburg)">de''Heilige-Geist-Kirche''), died when Telemann was four.
The future composer received his first music lessons at 10, from a local organist, and became immensely interested in music in general, and composition in particular. Despite opposition from his mother and relatives, who forbade any musical activities, Telemann found it possible to study and composed in secret, even creating an opera at age 12.
In 1697, after studies at the Domschule in Magdeburg and at a school in
Zellerfeld
Clausthal-Zellerfeld is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the southwestern part of the Harz mountains. Its population is approximately 15,000. The City is the location of the Clausthal University of Technology. The health resort ...
, Telemann was sent to the famous Gymnasium Andreanum at
Hildesheim
Hildesheim (; nds, Hilmessen, Hilmssen; la, Hildesia) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of the Lei ...
,
where his musical talent flourished, supported by school authorities, including the rector himself. Telemann was becoming equally adept both at composing and performing, teaching himself flute, oboe, violin, viola da gamba, recorder, double bass, and other instruments.
In 1701 he graduated from the Gymnasium and went to Leipzig to become a student at the Leipzig University, where he intended to study law.
He ended up becoming a professional musician, regularly composing works for St. Nicholas Church, Leipzig, Nikolaikirche and even St. Thomas (
Thomaskirche
, native_name_lang =
, image = Leipzig Thomaskirche.jpg
, imagelink =
, imagealt =
, caption =
, pushpin map =
, pushpin label position =
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).
In 1702 he became director of the municipal opera house ''Opernhaus auf dem Brühl'', and later music director at the Neukirche. Prodigiously productive, Telemann supplied a wealth of new music for Leipzig, including several operas, one of which was his first major opera, ''
Germanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar (24 May 15 BC – 10 October AD 19) was an ancient Roman general, known for his campaigns in Germania. The son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia the Younger, Germanicus was born into an influential branch of the Patric ...
''. However, he became engaged in a conflict with the cantor of the Thomaskirche,
Johann Kuhnau
Johann Kuhnau (; 6 April 16605 June 1722) was a German polymath, known primarily as a composer today. He was also active as a novelist, translator, lawyer, and music theorist, and was able to combine these activities with his duties in his offi ...
. The conflict intensified when Telemann started employing numerous students for his projects, including those who were Kuhnau's, from the Thomasschule.
Telemann left Leipzig in 1705 at the age of 24, after receiving an invitation to become ''
Kapellmeister
(, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...
'' for the court of Count
Erdmann II of Promnitz
Erdmann II, Count von Promnitz (born 22 August 1683 in Sorau, Electorate of Saxony (now Żary, Poland); died: 7 September 1745 at the forest castle near Żary) was Lord of Żary (german: Sorau) and Trzebiel (german: Triebel) in Lower Lusatia, an ...
at Sorau (now
Żary
Żary (pronounced , german: Sorau, dsb, Žarow) is a town in western Poland with 37,502 inhabitants (2019), situated in the Lubusz Voivodeship since 1999. Previously it was located within Zielona Góra Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the admi ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
). His career there was cut short in early 1706 by the hostilities of the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedi ...
, and after a short period of travels he entered the service of
Duke Johann Wilhelm, in
Eisenach
Eisenach () is a town in Thuringia, Germany with 42,000 inhabitants, located west of Erfurt, southeast of Kassel and northeast of Frankfurt. It is the main urban centre of western Thuringia and bordering northeastern Hessian regions, situat ...
where Johann Sebastian Bach was born.
He became ''Konzertmeister'' on 24 December 1708 and Secretary and ''Kapellmeister'' in August 1709. During his tenure at Eisenach, Telemann wrote a great deal of music: at least four annual cycles of church cantatas, dozens of sonatas and concertos, and other works. In 1709, he married Amalie Louise Juliane Eberlin, lady-in-waiting to the Countess of Promnitz and daughter of the musician
Daniel Eberlin
Daniel Eberlin (4 December 1647 – c. 1715) was a German Baroque composer and Kapellmeister.
Eberlin had a vagrant lifestyle. After a brief military career (he allegedly served as an officer in the papal army), he worked as a librarian in his ...
.
Their daughter was born in January 1711. The mother died soon afterwards, leaving Telemann depressed and distraught.
Frankfurt (1712–1721)
After less than a year he sought another position, and moved to
Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
on 18 March 1712 at the age of 31 to become city music director and ''Kapellmeister'' at the Barfüßerkirche
and
St. Catherine's Church.
In Frankfurt, he fully gained his mature personal style. Here, as in Leipzig, he was a powerful force in the city's musical life, creating music for two major churches, civic ceremonies, and various ensembles and musicians. By 1720 he had adopted the use of the
da capo aria
The da capo aria () is a musical form for arias that was prevalent in the Baroque era. It is sung by a soloist with the accompaniment of instruments, often a small orchestra. The da capo aria is very common in the musical genres of opera and orator ...
, which had been adopted by composers such as
Alessandro Scarlatti
Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti (2 May 1660 – 22 October 1725) was an Italian Baroque composer, known especially for his operas and chamber cantatas. He is considered the most important representative of the Neapolitan school of opera.
...
. Operas such as ''
Narciso Narciso may refer to:
Given name
* Narciso Clavería y de Palacios, Spanish architect
* Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa, Governor General of the Philippines
* Narciso dos Santos, Brazilian former footballer
* Narciso Durán, Franciscan friar and missio ...
'', which was brought to Frankfurt in 1719, written in the Italian idiom of composition, made a mark on Telemann's output.
On 28 August 1714, three years after his first wife had died, Telemann married again, Maria Catharina Textor, daughter of a Frankfurt council clerk.
They eventually had nine children. This was a source of much personal happiness, and helped him produce compositions. Telemann continued to be extraordinarily productive and successful, even augmenting his income by working for Eisenach employers as a ''
Kapellmeister
(, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...
'' ''von Haus aus'', that is, regularly sending new music while not actually living in Eisenach. Telemann's first published works also appeared during the Frankfurt period. His output increased rapidly, for he fervently composed overture-suites and chamber music, most of which is unappreciated.
These works included his 6 Sonatas for solo violin, known as the ''Frankfurt Sonatas'', published in 1715. In the latter half of the Frankfurt period, he composed an innovative work, his
Viola Concerto
A viola concerto is a concerto contrasting a viola with another body of musical instruments such as an orchestra or chamber music ensemble. Early examples of viola concertos include Telemann's concerto in G major and several concertos by Carl St ...
in G major, which is twice the length of his violin concertos. Also, here he composed his first choral masterpiece, his ''
Brockes Passion'', in 1716.
Hamburg (1721–1767)
Telemann accepted the invitation to work in
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
as ''Kantor'' of the
Johanneum Lateinschule
The Latin school was the grammar school of 14th- to 19th-century Europe, though the latter term was much more common in England. Emphasis was placed, as the name indicates, on learning to use Latin. The education given at Latin schools gave gre ...
, and music director of the five largest churches in 1721.
Soon after arrival, Telemann encountered some opposition from church officials who found his secular music and activities to be too much of a distraction for both Telemann himself and the townsfolk. The next year, when
Johann Kuhnau
Johann Kuhnau (; 6 April 16605 June 1722) was a German polymath, known primarily as a composer today. He was also active as a novelist, translator, lawyer, and music theorist, and was able to combine these activities with his duties in his offi ...
died and the city of Leipzig was looking for a new ''
Thomaskantor
(Cantor at St. Thomas) is the common name for the musical director of the , now an internationally known boys' choir founded in Leipzig in 1212. The official historic title of the Thomaskantor in Latin, ', describes the two functions of cantor a ...
'', Telemann applied for the job and was approved, yet declined after Hamburg authorities agreed to give him a suitable raise. After another candidate,
Christoph Graupner
Christoph Graupner (13 January 1683 – 10 May 1760) was a German composer and harpsichordist of late Baroque music who was a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann and George Frideric Handel.
Life
Born in Hartmannsdorf ...
, declined, the post went to Johann Sebastian Bach.
![Georg Philipp Telemann by Georg Lichtensteger](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Georg_Philipp_Telemann_by_Georg_Lichtensteger.jpg)
Telemann took a few small trips outside of Germany at this time. However, later in the Hamburg period he travelled to Paris and stayed for eight months, 1737 into 1738. He heard and was impressed by ''
Castor et Pollux
''Castor et Pollux'' (''Castor and Pollux'') is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 24 October 1737 by the Académie royale de musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal in Paris. The librettist was Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard ...
'', an opera by French composer
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau (; – ) was a French composer and music theory, music theorist. Regarded as one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the 18th century, he replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of Fr ...
. From then on, he incorporated the French operatic style into his vocal works. Before then, his influence was primarily Italian and German. Apart from that, Telemann remained in Hamburg for the rest of his life. A vocal masterpiece of this period is his ''St Luke Passion'' from 1728, which is a prime example of his fully matured vocal style.
His first years there were plagued by marital troubles: his wife's infidelity, and her gambling debts, which amounted to a sum larger than Telemann's annual income. The composer was saved from bankruptcy by the efforts of his friends, and by the numerous successful music and poetry publications Telemann made during the years 1725 to 1740. By 1736 husband and wife were no longer living together because of their financial disagreements. Although still active and fulfilling the many duties of his job, Telemann became less productive in the 1740s, when he was in his 60s. He took up theoretical studies, as well as hobbies such as gardening and cultivating exotic plants, something of a fad in Hamburg at that time, and a hobby shared by Handel.
Most of the music of the 1750s appears to have been parodied from earlier works. Telemann's eldest son Andreas died in 1755, and Andreas' son
Georg Michael Telemann was raised by the aging composer. Troubled by health problems and failing eyesight in his last years, Telemann was still composing into the 1760s. He died on the evening of 25 June 1767 from what was recorded at the time as a "chest ailment." He was succeeded at his Hamburg post by his godson, Johann Sebastian Bach's second son
Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788), also formerly spelled Karl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, and commonly abbreviated C. P. E. Bach, was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and sec ...
.
Legacy and influence
Telemann was one of the most prolific major composers of all time: his all-encompassing oeuvre comprises more than 3,000 compositions, half of which have been lost, and most of which have not been performed since the 18th century. From 1708 to 1750, Telemann composed 1,043 sacred cantatas and 600 overture-suites, and types of concertos for combinations of instruments that no other composer of the time employed.
The first accurate estimate of the number of his works was provided by musicologists only during the 1980s and 1990s, when extensive thematic catalogues were published. During his lifetime and the latter half of the 18th century, Telemann was very highly regarded by colleagues and critics alike. Numerous theorists (
Marpurg
Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg (21 November 1718 – 22 May 1795) was a German music critic, music theorist and composer. He was friendly and active with many figures of the Enlightenment of the 18th century.
Life
Little is known of Marpurg's ear ...
,
Mattheson
Johann Mattheson (28 September 1681 – 17 April 1764) was a German composer, singer, writer, lexicographer, diplomat and music theorist.
Early life and career
The son of a prosperous tax collector, Mattheson received a broad liberal education ...
,
Quantz
Johann Joachim Quantz (; 30 January 1697 – 12 July 1773) was a German composer, flutist and flute maker of the late Baroque period. Much of his professional career was spent in the court of Frederick the Great. Quantz composed hundreds of flute ...
, and
Scheibe, among others) cited his works as models, and major composers such as J.S. Bach and Handel bought and studied his published works. He was immensely popular not only in Germany but also in the rest of Europe: orders for editions of Telemann's music came from
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
n countries,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, and
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. It was only in the early 19th century that his popularity came to a sudden halt. Most lexicographers started dismissing him as a "
polygraph
A polygraph, often incorrectly referred to as a lie detector test, is a device or procedure that measures and records several physiological indicators such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while a person is asked an ...
" who composed too many works, a ''Vielschreiber'' for whom quantity came before quality. Such views were influenced by an account of Telemann's music by
Christoph Daniel Ebeling
Christoph Daniel Ebeling (20 November 1741 – 30 June 1817) was a scholar of Germany who studied the geography and history of North America.
Biography
Ebeling was born near Hildesheim, Hanover. He studied theology at Göttingen, but devoted himse ...
, a late-18th-century critic who in fact praised Telemann's music and made only passing critical remarks of his productivity. After the Bach revival, Telemann's works were judged as inferior to Bach's and lacking in deep religious feeling.
For example, by 1911, the ''
Encyclopædia Britannica
The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...
'' lacked an article about Telemann, and in one of its few mentions of him referred to "the vastly inferior work of lesser composers such as Telemann" in comparison to Handel and Bach.
Particularly striking examples of such judgements were produced by noted Bach biographers
Philipp Spitta
Julius August Philipp Spitta (27 December 1841 – 13 April 1894) was a German music historian and musicologist best known for his 1873 biography of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Life
He was born in , near Hoya, and his father, also called Phil ...
and
Albert Schweitzer
Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer (; 14 January 1875 – 4 September 1965) was an Alsatian-German/French polymath. He was a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. A Lutheran minister, Schwei ...
, who criticized Telemann's cantatas and then praised works they thought were composed by Bach, but which were composed by Telemann.
The last performance of a substantial work by Telemann (''
Der Tod Jesu
''Der Tod Jesu'' (''The Death of Jesus'') is an oratorio libretto by Karl Wilhelm Ramler. In its setting by Carl Heinrich Graun in 1755, it was the most often performed Passion of the 18th century in Germany.
The poem is part of the '' Empfin ...
'') occurred in 1832, and it was not until the 20th century that his music started being performed again. The revival of interest in Telemann began in the first decades of the 20th century and culminated in the Bärenreiter critical edition of the 1950s. Today each of Telemann's works is usually given a
TWV The Telemann-Werke-Verzeichnis (Telemann Works Catalogue), abbreviated TWV, is the numbering system identifying compositions by Georg Philipp Telemann, published by musicologist Martin Ruhnke.
The prefix TWV is generally followed by a Music genre, ...
number, which stands for ''Telemann-Werke-Verzeichnis'' (Telemann Works Catalogue).
Telemann's music was one of the driving forces behind the late Baroque and the early Classical styles. Starting in the 1710s he became one of the creators and foremost exponents of the so-called German mixed style, an amalgam of German, French, Italian and Polish styles.
Over the years, his music gradually changed and started incorporating more and more elements of the galant style, but he never completely adopted the ideals of the nascent Classical era: Telemann's style remained contrapuntally and harmonically complex, and already in 1751 he dismissed much contemporary music as too simplistic. Composers he influenced musically included pupils of J.S. Bach in Leipzig, such as
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (22 November 17101 July 1784), the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, was a German composer and performer. Despite his acknowledged genius as an organist, improviser and composer ...
,
Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788), also formerly spelled Karl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, and commonly abbreviated C. P. E. Bach, was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and sec ...
and
Johann Friedrich Agricola
Johann Friedrich Agricola (4 January 1720 – 2 December 1774) was a German composer, organist, singer, pedagogue, and writer on music. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Flavio Anicio Olibrio.
Biography
Agricola was born in Dobitschen, Thu ...
, as well as those composers who performed under his direction in Leipzig (
Christoph Graupner
Christoph Graupner (13 January 1683 – 10 May 1760) was a German composer and harpsichordist of late Baroque music who was a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann and George Frideric Handel.
Life
Born in Hartmannsdorf ...
,
Johann David Heinichen
Johann David Heinichen (17 April 1683 – 16 July 1729) was a German Baroque composer and music theorist who brought the musical genius of Venice to the court of Augustus II the Strong in Dresden. After he died, Heinichen's music attracted little a ...
and
Johann Georg Pisendel
Johann Georg Pisendel ( – 25 November 1755) was a German Baroque violinist and composer who, for many years, led the Court Orchestra in Dresden as concertmaster, then the finest instrumental ensemble in Europe. He was the leading violinist of ...
), composers of the Berlin ''lieder'' school, and finally, his numerous pupils, none of whom, however, became major composers.
Equally significant for the history of music were Telemann's publishing activities. By pursuing exclusive publication rights for his works, he set one of the most important early precedents for regarding music as the intellectual property of the composer. The same attitude informed his public concerts, where Telemann frequently performed music originally composed for ceremonies attended only by a select few members of the upper class.
Partial list of works
Operas
Passions
* ''
Georg Philipp Telemann's Passions''
Cantatas
* ''
Cantata Cycle 1716–1717''
* ''
Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst''
* ''Die Donner-Ode'' ("The Ode of Thunder") TWV 6:3a-b
* ''Du bleibest dennoch unser Gott'' (Erstausgabe 1730)
* ''Ihr Völker, hört''
* ''Ino'' (1765)
* ''Sei tausendmal willkommen'' (Erstausgabe 1730)
* ''Die Tageszeiten'' ("The Times of the Day") (1757)
* ''Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille'', Cantata for the Peace of Paris, 1763, for 5-part chorus, flute, 2 oboes, bassoon, 3 trumpets, 2 horns, strings & continuo, TWV 14:12
** not by Telemann: ''Der Schulmeister'' ("The Schoolmaster" 1751), by
Christoph Ludwig Fehre.
Oratorios
* ''
Hamburger Admiralitätsmusik'' several years including TWV 24:1
* ''Der Tag des Gerichts'' (''The Day of Judgement'') (1761–62)
* ''
Hamburgische Kapitänsmusik'' (various years)
* ''Der Tod Jesu'' (''The Death of Jesus'') TWV 5:6 (1755)
* ''Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu"'' (''The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus'') TWV 6:6, (1760)
* Trauermusik for Emperor
Karl VII (1745) ''Ich hoffete aufs Licht'', TWV 4:13
* Trauermusik for Hamburg mayor Schwanengesang TWV 4:6
* ''Der aus der Löwengrube errettete Daniel'' ("Daniel Delivered from the Lion's Den") (1731)
his has been incorrectly attributed to Handel* Reformations-Oratorium 1755 ''Holder Friede, Heilger Glaube'' TWV 13:18
[''Concerto: Das Magazin für Alte Musik'', Vol. 22, p. 14, 2005: "Am 24. September erklingt dann in St. Anna erstmals wieder Georg Philipp Telemanns Oratorium ''Holder Friede, Heilger Glaube'', das 1755 zum 200. Jubiläum des Augsburger Religionsfriedens entstanden ist."]
Orchestral suites
* ''Grillen-symphonie'' TWV 50:1
* Ouverture (''
Wassermusik: Hamburger Ebb und Fluth'') TWV 55:C3
* ''Ouverture des nations anciens et modernes'' in G TWV 55:G4
* Ouverture in G minor TWV 55:g4
* Suite in A minor for recorder, strings, and continuo TWV 55:a2
* ''Overture: Alster Echo in F, for 4 horns, 2 oboes, bassoon, strings and continuo,'' TWV55:F11
Chamber music
* ''Sinfonia Spirituosa'' in D major (2 violins, viola & continuo, trumpet ad libitum) TWV 44:1
* ''
Tafelmusik
Tafelmusik (German: literally, "table-music") is a term used since the mid-16th century for music played at feasts and banquets. Table music could be either instrumental, vocal, or both. As might be expected, it was often of a somewhat lighter c ...
'' (1733) ('
Tafelmusik
Tafelmusik (German: literally, "table-music") is a term used since the mid-16th century for music played at feasts and banquets. Table music could be either instrumental, vocal, or both. As might be expected, it was often of a somewhat lighter c ...
' refers to music meant to accompany a meal)
* ''Der getreue Musikmeister'' (1728), a musical journal containing 70 small vocal and instrumental compositions
* Twelve
Paris quartets
The Paris quartets is a collective designation for two sets of Chamber music compositions, each consisting of six works for flute, violin, viola da gamba (or cello), and continuo, by Georg Philipp Telemann, first published in 1730 and 1738, respe ...
in two sets of six (''Quadri a violino, flauto traversiere, viola da gamba o violoncello, e fondamento'', 1730, reprinted as ''Six quatuors'', 1736; ''Nouveaux quatuors en six suites'', 1738) for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello, continuo, TWV 43:G1, D1, A1, g1, e1, h1 (first set), TWV 43:D3, a2, G4, h2, A3, e4 (second set)
*
Twelve Fantasias for Transverse Flute without Bass TWV 40:2–13
*
Twelve Fantasias for Violin without Bass TWV 40:14–25
*
Twelve Fantasias for Viola da Gamba solo
Georg Philipp Telemann's collection of Twelve Fantasias for Viola da Gamba Solo, TWV 40:26–37, was published in Hamburg in 1735, titled ''Fantaisies pour la Basse de Violle''. The fantasias for viola da gamba were considered lost until an origi ...
TWV 40:26–37
*
Sonates sans basse (Telemann) TWV 40:101–106
* ''
Six Canonical Sonatas'' TWV 40: 118–123
* Six Concertos for Flute and Harpsichord TWV 42.
Keyboard
* 36 Fantasias for Keyboard TWV 33:1–36
* 6 Overtures for Keyboard TWV 32:5–10
* 6 Light Fugues with Small Fresh Additions TWV 30:21–26
Organ and theoretical
* 48 Chorale Preludes for Organ TWV 31:1–48
* 20 Easy Fugues in 4 parts TWV 30:1–20
* 500 chorale harmonizations
Concertos
Violin
* Violin Concerto in A major "Die Relinge" TWV 51:A4
* Concerto for Three Violins in F major, TWV 53:F1 (from ''Tafelmusik'', part II)
*
Four Concertos for Four Violins TWV 40:201–204
Viola
*
Concerto in G major for Viola and String Orchestra, TWV 51:G9; the first known concerto for viola, still regularly performed today
*
Concerto in G major for Two Violas and String Orchestra, TWV 52:G3
Horn
* Concerto for Two Horns in D major TWV 52:D1
* Concerto for Two Horns in D major TWV 52:D2
* Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in D major TWV 51:D8
* Concerto for Two Horns in F Major TWV 52:F3
* Concerto for Two Horns in F Major TWV 52:F4
* Concerto for Two Horns in Eb Major TWV 52:Es1
* Concerto for Two Horns in E-flat and 2 Violins, TWV 54:Es1
* Concerto for Three Horns in D and Violin, TWV 54:D2
Trumpet
* Trumpet Concerto in D major, TWV 51:D7
* Concerto in D for Trumpet and 2 Oboes, TWV 53:D2
* Concerto in D for Trumpet, Violin and Violoncello, TWV 53:D5
* Concerto in D for 3 Trumpets, Timpani, 2 Oboes, TWV 54:D3
* Concerto in D for 3 Trumpets, Timpani, TWV 54:D4
Chalumeau
* Concerto in C major for 2 Chalumeaux, 2 Bassoons and Orchestra, TWV 52:C1
* Concerto in D minor for Two Chalumeaux and Orchestra, TWV 52:d1
Oboe
* Concerto in A major
* Concerto in C minor, TWV 51:c1
* Concerto in D minor
* Concerto in E minor
* Concerto in F minor
* Concerto in G major
Bassoon
* Concerto for Recorder and Bassoon in F major, TWV 52:F1
Recorder
* Concerto in C major, TWV 51:C1
* Concerto in F major, TWV 51:F1
* Concerto for Recorder and Viola da gamba in A minor, TWV 52:a1
* Concerto for 2 Recorders in A minor, TWV 52:a2
* Concerto for 2 Recorders in B-flat major, TWV 52:B1
Flute
* Concerto in D major, TWV 51:D2
* Concerto in E minor for Recorder and Flute, TWV 52:e1
* Concerto in B minor, TWV 41:h3
* Concerto in C minor, TWV 41:c3
Sonatas
Sonata da chiesa, TWV 41:g5 (for Melodic instrument – Violin, Flute or Oboe, from ''Der getreue Musikmeister'')
Oboe
* Sonata in A minor TWV 41:a3 (from ''Der getreue Musikmeister'')
* Sonata in B-flat TWV 41:B6
* Sonata in E minor TWV 44:e6
* Sonata in G minor TWV 41:g6
* Sonata in G minor TWV 41:g10
Bassoon
* Sonata in F minor TWV 41:f1 (part of the collection ''Der getreue Musikmeister'', 1728)
* Sonata in E-flat major TWV 41:EsA1
Media
References
Notes
External links
Further information on Telemann and his works
Georg Philipp Telemann (Composer)Bach Cantatas Website]
Georg Philipp Telemannat
Robert Poliquin,
Université du Québec
The University of Quebec ( French: ''Université du Québec'') is a system of ten provincially run public universities in Quebec, Canada. Its headquarters are in Quebec City. The university coordinates 300 programs for over 87,000 students. Th ...
(archive from 13 August 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2015). (French)
Telemann as opera composer from 1708–61 OperaGlass, Stanford University.
*
Modern editions
''Prima la musica!''Commercially available performing editions of Telemann's music, as well as other baroque composers.
Habsburger VerlagModern performing editions of Telemann's cantatas edited by Eric Fiedler.
Edition MusiklandschaftenModern performing editions of Telemann's yearly Passions from 1757 to 1767 edited by Johannes Pausch
Free sheet music
*
*
Free scores, Cantatas Archiv der kreuznacher-diakonie-kantorei.
* at
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Telemann, Georg Philipp
1681 births
1767 deaths
18th-century classical composers
18th-century German musicians
Composers for harpsichord
Child classical musicians
German Baroque composers
German multi-instrumentalists
German music theorists
German opera composers
Male opera composers
German male classical composers
Musicians from Hamburg
Oratorio composers
Musicians from Magdeburg
People from the Duchy of Magdeburg
String quartet composers
18th-century German composers
18th-century German male musicians