Telemann: Festive Cantatas

With 3600 (!) works to his credit, Georg Philipp Telemann is undoubtedly one of the most prolific composers of all time. This superlative however has brought him less honor than one may have hoped, because with so many works came the suspicion over time that quality may have been sacrificed in the process. An objective study of Telemann only began in earnest in the late 20th c., resulting in many discoveries and first performances that revealed his true genius. The present CD features a trio of cantatas from the so-called “Engel-Jahrgang” (1748-49). In these works, Telemann has already begun to explore the new Rococo style, demonstrating his compositional skill and originality at every turn. The Bach-Chor Siegen, the Hannoversche Hofkapelle, singers Miriam Feuersinger, Franz Vitzthum and Klaus Mertens and director Ulrich Stötzel are in their element here, having previously released several Telemann albums with hänssler – and present another installment of enchanting and accomplished performances of rarely heard music from one of the great Baroque masters.