George Philipp Telemann, Hermann Max - Four Cantatas

Published Thursday 18th October 2007
George Philipp Telemann, Hermann Max - Four Cantatas
George Philipp Telemann, Hermann Max - Four Cantatas

STYLE: Choral
RATING 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 33489-
LABEL: CPO 7771952
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Georg Philipp Telemann was a friendly rival to Johann Sebastian Bach. Both wrote so many pieces of music in so many different forms that it is almost impossible for a non specialist to keep track. On this release we have four sacred cantatas from across the church year and spanning the composer's career. "Drei Sind, Die Da Zeugen Im Himmel" (TVWV 1: 377 from 1711) is for Trinity Sunday and takes as its text 1 John 5: 7 - "There are three who witness in Heaven". This is a lively and harmonious opening. The second cantata is more sombre: "Ich Hatte Viel Bekummernisse" (TVWV 1: 843 from 1717). This is a Lent cantata based on Psalm 94: 19 - "I had many cares and worries in my heart." "Wie Liegt Die Stadt So Wuste" (TVWV 1: 1629 from 1727) is also sombre, being based on Lamentations 1: 1 - "How the city lies so solitary that was full of people". And then we conclude with "Er Kam, Lobsingt Ihm" (TVWV 1: 377 from 1759). This is music for the Ascension and closes the CD on a high. For musicologists Telemann is an important link between Bach and Haydn. For the rest of us he seldom reaches such exalted heights but he does write fine music and Hermann Max draws out sound performances from his vocal ensemble Rheinische Kantorei and the Baroque orchestra Das Kleine Konzert.

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