Nikolaus Harnoncourt

1 LP - MHS 1072 - (p) 1966

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

The Parisian Quartets, Volume I

Premiere Suite in E minor, Twv 43: e1	23' 21"	A1
- (Prelude - Rigaudon - Air - Replique - Menuet - Gigue)
Concerto No. 1 in G Major, Twv 43: G1	11' 44"	B1
- (Grave - Allegro/Largo - Presto - Largo/Allegro)
Concerto No. 2 in D Major, Twv 43: D1	12' 29"	B2
- (Allegro - Affettuoso - Vivace)


Alice Harnoncourt, Violin (Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1658)
Leopold Stastny, Flute (A.Grenser, Dresden, middle of the 18th century)
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Viola da gamba (Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1667) and Director
Herbert Tachezi, Harpsichord (copy of the Italian instrument circa 1700, by M. Skowroneck)


Luogo e data di registrazione
Casino Baumgarten, Vienna (Austria) - 1966
Registrazione live / studio
studio
Producer / Engineer
-
Prima Edizione CD
alto - ALC 3145 - (11 lp) - 47' 40" - (p) & (c) 2022
Prima Edizione LP
Musical Heritage Society - MHS 1072 - (1 lp) - 47' 40" - (p) 1966
Note
Library of Congress Catalog No. 70-751714

Notes
For many years Telemann intended to go to Paris. In 1737 he at last found the time to visit that city, where he remained for eight months. It was here that the PARIS QUARTETS werefirst performed and published. The first two quartets are called "Concerto Primo" and "Concerto Secondo," and represent the "modern" German school of composition, circa 1730-1740. These "Concerti", indeed, the quartets in general, closely resemble the chamber concerti of Vivaldi in the manner in which each of the three instruments are used individually and collectively. It is not very likely that Telemann had heard Vivaldi's chamber concerti (those for flute, violin and continuo, of for flute, oboe, violin, bassoon and continuo, some of which are available on V-15 abd V-12), since they were not published; nor, judging from the single set of manuscript parts, were they widely performed. Telemann was, however, enpugh in tune with the progressive spirit of his time to write his own brand of modern chamber music, and in so doing he captured the spirit if not the style of his contemporary in the South. The first movement of the Concerto No. 1 in G begins with a slow introduction. The following allegro combines elements of the Baroque solo concerto with the newer quadri (that is, music in which all parts are of importance and the texture, though frequently contrapuntal, is not necessarily imitative in the Baroque - Bachian - sense). Structurally, the movement is divided into two almost equal sections; the second being a slightly modified version of the first, modulating from the dominant (D major) to the tonic of G. The short second movement, largo, serves as an interlude and transition for the fast movement in E minor, which follows. This movement is virtually a oncerto for flute with accompanying instrunments. There is also an interesting affinity between it and the last movement of Bach's Fourth Brandenburg Concerto (Bach and Telemann were close friends for several years. The latter was, in fact, Godfather to Emanuel Bach). The following largo is related melodically to the preceding one, and like it, serves as a transition to the next movement, allegro. There is an almost Vivaldian quality about this movement. The harmonies, rhythms (particulary in the flute and violin parts) and some of the ensemble writing show either a familiarity with Vivaldi's chamber concerti or a general familiarity with the more progressive elements of his music. Although the chamber concerti were not published or widely performed in Telemann's time, many of Vivaldi's orchestral and solo concerti were in print and well-known. The Concerto No. 2 in D begins with a motif almost identical to that employed by Bach in his 2nd clavier concerto in C. Like the "original" (unaccompanied) version of Bach's concerto, the present work has a constantly recurring ritornel /theme), interspersed with contrasting - solo - passages. Telemann's concerto, however, utilizes the four instruments as both soli and tutti, and it is a sure sign of his ingenuity that one can easily distinguish when the same instruments are functioning as a part of the "orchestra" or in a solo capacity. In the second movement, Telemann contrasts the sonority of the viola da gamba with that of the flute and violin. There is a folk song quality about this pastoral movement which doubtless appealed to those who first heard it as it does to us today. Unlike the first movement, which is a concerto for four solo instruments, the last is virtually a flute concerto with an occasional obbligato for a solo violin. The movement is full of interesting rhythms, and despite the four instruments, it frequently sounds surprisingly colorful and varied. Regarding length, intensity, and diversity of thematic ideas, it is wothout doubt the strongest movement of the concerto. While the first two "Concerti" represented the "modern" chamber style of the German composer, the next two quartets represent the way a "young" composer wrote in the style of the old-fashioned Italian sonata da chiesa. For this reason, Telemann called the third and fourth quartets "Sonatas". The difference between the sonata da chiesa and sonata da camera was essentially this: The latter was based on dance movements while the former was more serious and gad four movements (slow-fast-slow-fast); the fast movements being fugal. The slow, though contrapuntal, were generally less complex. By Telemann's time, the differences had became less marked and composers often referred to their trio sonatas as "sonatas a tre". The "Sonata Primo" is an example of a "modern" composer writing in the style of the past, albeit, using the musical language of his own time. For this reason, the openng movement, while slow (in the manner of the sonata da chiesa) is more lyrical than serious more homophonic than contrapuntal. Onve again the influence of Vivaldi is noticeable, especially in the accompaniment played by the violin and the gamba. In the old sonata da chiesa, the first and second movements (and occasionally all four movements) were frequently based on a common melodic motif. Such is the case here: The first, fourth, and seventh notes of the second movement are identical to the first three of the first movements. There is one difference, however, between the old style sonata da chiesa and Telemann's second movement. While the former was nearly always a fugue, the present movement is fugal without being a true fugue. In other words, Telemann wrote in the style of the past without imitating in all details. The third movement, andante, is based on the counter-subject (secondary melody) of the preceding movement - played slowly and in a minor key. The rhythm of the last movement is related to the dance (specifically the gigue) - shades of the sonata fa camera within the framework of the sonata da chiesa. Melodically, the fugal theme bears a subtle, but definitive, relationship to the first movement. More important, however, is the fact that the first three notes of the continuo part are identical to those played by the flute in the first movement, so that we see how, in his own way, Telemann wrote in the style of the past while remaining true to himself and his own time. Douglas Townsend


Telemann's Paris QUARTETS for violine, flute, viola da gamba and harpsichord are some of his best and most famous works. He seems to have had a special fondness for them, since he made special mention of them in his autobiography, which was printed in 1740 in Mattheson's Ehrenpforte. The best virtuosi of Paris had obtained copies of the quartets and invited Telemann to Paris. He wrote: "...the admirable manner in which the Quatuors were played by the gentlemen Blavet (cross-flute), Guignon (violin), Forqueray son (viola da gamba) deserves to be descrobed, if this only could be done by mere words. In short, they attracted the attention of the Court and the cuty and contribuited to the general esteem in which. I was held within a short time." These quartets (of which some are presented on this record) were so well received vy Telemann, while still in Paris, wrote six more quartets for the same combination of instruments. These were published as "Six Nouveaux Quatuors." Stylistically, the first six PARIS QUARTETS consitute a highly interesting work, since Telemann demonstrates in them (in three forms-sonata, suite, concerto) the prevailing Italian, French, and German styles. In spite of this, however, there is no trace of any imitation, and the composer has written in each of the styles with the sure hand of a master. As a matter of fact, the choice of the four solo instruments is mainly out of deference to the Franco-German taste, since at that time the viola da gamba and the cross-flute were by no means popular in Italy, whereas in Paris they were plainly the instruments in vogue - togheter with the violin, which was coming into fashion. Telemann's quartets are true soloist music, in which each of the performers has to display his full technical virtuosity as well as expressiveness in performance, as each of them is equally important. No exact date of composition is known, but it is assumed these quartets were written between 1720 and 1730. Although no autograph score or parts have yet been found, the first edition is known to have been published in 1736 under Telemann's supervision. It is this edition which has served as the basis for the present recording. In this recording, only original instruments were used, i.e., the violin and the viola da gamba have the original measurements, the original bar, especially made cat gut strings, and are played with bows dating from the 18th century. The cross-flute, built by one of the most famous masters of the 18th century, has but one key; therefore, all half-tones are achieved by cross fingering. Besides the special sound of the conic boxwood flute, this has the effect of a great variety of sound produced by the individual notes. Thus, they are given characteristic features which cannot be achieved by modern instruments. The harpsichord is a true copy of an old one. The strings are plucked with quills, thus producing a very clear and brilliant sound. The instruments: - Baroque violin - Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1658. - Cross-flute - A. Grenser, Dresden, middle of the 18th century. - Viola da Gamba - Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1667. - Harpsichord - copy of an Italian instrument circa 1700, by M. Skowroneck. Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1929-2016)