Search - Georg Philipp Telemann, Ludger Remy, Telemann Chamber Orchestra :: Telemann: Christmas Cantatas

Telemann in Eisenach...

Giordano Bruno | Wherever I am, I am. | 09/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"... in Bach's own birthplace, though Telemann was born in Magdeburg in 1681, four years before Bach. Telemann became Kapellmeister in Eisenach in 1708, working chiefly there and in Frankfurt until 1721, when he famously rejected an offer from Leipzig in order to become High Poobah of Musik in Hamburg, a berth he filled for the rest of his long life.



The first two cantatas on this CD - "Say unto the Daughter of Zion" and "Say unto the Weak of Heart" - were composed for the court of Eisenach as portions of annual cantatas cycles, though it seems they may have been written after Telemann moved "up". In any case, they are examples of Telemann's early mastery of the cantata form and were performed elsewhere in later decades, evidence of Telemann's immense popularity in his times. They are NOT Christmas music in the usual modern sense. Both were written for performance on Sundays in Advent, the period of penitential expectation before Christmas. As such, their textual themes are the awareness of Sinfulness and the Prophecy of the Messiah. The two Christmas Sunday cantatas - "Arise Zion" and "Childlike is the Divine Mystery" - are products of Telemann's maturity; the former probably dates from the 1740s and the latter from the 1760s. Thus, this recording offers a fine study of both Telemann's preservation of the baroque cantata form well into the era of rococo and of Telemann's brilliant innovations within that conserved form. All four cantatas are stunning music, whether one cares about their provenance or not. Like the best of Bach, all four get better and better as the listener becomes intimate with them.



The first and last of the set feature the rousing sounds of trumpets and timpani. Telemann's use of drums in Lutheran worship services was not unique, but the musical imagination displayed in his percussion is. No other composer wrote anything as dramatic for timpani as Telemann, especially in the fourth cantata "Kündlich groß ist das gottselige Geheimnis". Hearing is believing, friends, and ya gotta hear it! Trumpets were intended for the third cantata "Auf Zion" also, but the surviving score, prepared by Telemann's son Georg Michael, substituted recorders, and recorders it is on this CD. The trumpets and oboes in the Advent cantata "Saget der Tochter Zion" sound ominous, alerting humanity to its peril, while the same trumpets and oboes in the Christmas cantata "Kündlich etc" sound joyous, a remarkable feat of musical affect.



And the performance by Ludger Rémy with his Michaelstein chamber orchestra and the Magdeburg chamber chorus? Frankly, I've never heard better. The two male soloists, tenor Wilfried Jochens and bass Dirk Schmidt, are superbly matched both in vocal timbre and in agility; Schmidt prances through the 16th notes of his display passages with the grace of a ballerina and the might of a shot-putter. Soprano Dorothee Mields, a regular on Rémy's recordings, sings as well as always. Alto Britta Schwarz is the least exciting of the quartet but fully adequate. There are no "complete recordings" of Telemann's very numerous cantatas, though there are half a dozen complete Bachs of highly differing quality, but if ever a complete Telemann is attempted, I hope it's done by Rémy and Company and produced by CPO. Poor Bach would suffer by the comparison.



Don't confuse this performance from 1996, as I did initially, with the other more recent recording by the same orchestra and conductor titled "Christmas Oratorio". That CD is also a treasure; see my review of it for details."

Delightful Music, Dedicated Performance

David J. Friedlander | Columbus, Ohio United States | 04/05/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There already is an excellent review here by Giordano Bruno so I will just try to add a few impressions that hopefully add to the picture.



First a quick comment on the rating system. I know if something isn't rated 5 stars I get skitterish about buying it. People do not need to be unnecessarily discouraged away from buying this, just so I can split a few hairs. Perhaps a better rating system might be created down the road. The reason I mention any of this is the very best music that is at the pinnacle, performed brilliantly with great sound, etc. etc., is rare indeed. So how do you differentiate between those CDs and just really good ones like this without discouraging people? In reality this isn't going to compete with Davis' recordings of Haydn's London symphonies, Szell's Wagnerian overtures or Lin's Sibelius Violin concerto. Having said that, here are a few things I enjoyed about this music and what you might expect;



Telemann's music in these cantatas reminds me of Bach's Orchestral suites. The instrumentation, sound and pacing have a festive atmosphere that evokes this in my ears. There is an excellent sense of proportion in the writing so the proceedings move along very well, never boring the listener at all. The music has a liveliness to it that is gentle and congenial, in other words this is not going to confuse you if you are used to Telemann's music. He varies the sonorities constantly keeping the music fresh and enjoyable.



The performance is very good. Nothing is forced and the music comes off rehearsed and confidently stated. I liked the singers very much, especially the soprano Dorothee Mields has an especially pleasing voice. It is very pointed in pitch and never wavering or having any excess vibrato. The timbre is sweet and a joy to hear. The bass Dirk Schmidt doesn't huff or sound overly throaty and he doesn't feel the need to show excess power like some basses will do. He is a bit loose at times on quick passages, although I gladly take that little inaccuracy in lieu of his positive attributes.



If you already like Telemann, this will be a welcome addition to your collection. If you like Bach's cantatas, there is some similarity in general here. The music is less severe than Bach however and instead of the deeper contrapuntal mining, here you have a more relaxed and forward looking style. The style might even be closer to Bach's son Johann Christian with its more genial bent. There is a sweetness and gentleness to this music that rings sympathetically with our impulse to be kind and giving and in that way it is most appropriate to Christmas music."