Telemann, GP :: Six Canonic Sonatas

Six Canonic Sonatas

Telemann, GP

International Music Company presents Georg Phillip Telemann's '6 Canonic Sonatas' for two flutes, edited by C. Herrmann.

'Telemann was one of the most prolific composers where has ever lived. Like his contemporary, the great Johan Sebastian Bach, he did not explore new paths, but was content to write in the traditional older forms popular with North German composers. Telemann was self-taught and he mentions in his autobiography which was published in 'Ehrenpforte' and 'Generalbasschule' by Mattheson, the eighteenth century German musical lexicographer and composer, that he particularly studied the scores of Lully and Campra. He entered the university of Leipzig in 1700 to study science and languages. While there he founded a 'Collegium Musicum' among the students, composed several operas for a local theater, and near the end of his student days he became organist at the Neukirche in that city. Between 1704 and 1721 he held various appointments in Sorau, Eisenach, Frankfort, and Bayreuth. In the latter year he accepted the post of cantor at the Johanneum in Hamburg which he retained until his death. Telemann composed with great facility and during his lifetime ranked among the first composers with Graun and Hasse, completely overshadowing J.S. Bach. His skill as a contrapuntist was so great that Handel said of him that he could write a work in eight parts as easily as anyone else could write a letter. The present edition of the charming 'Six Canonic Sonatas for Two Flutes' is based on one published in London during the eighteenth century, entitled 'Six Canons or Sonatas for two German Flutes of two Violins, compos'd by Georg Philip Telemann.' Each movement is a two voice canon in unison. The second player begins when the first reaches the Del Segno symbol and ends at the fermata, which is ignored by the first player.

- Lee Fairley