Telemann's opulent orchestrations for these oratorios sometimes exceeded the available musicians in Hamburg, requiring him to employ additional opera singers.
Performer Biography
Klaus Mertens, a bass-baritone on this recording, was awarded the Georg Philipp Telemann Prize in 2016 for his work as an interpreter of Baroque vocal music.
Compositional Technique
Telemann's oratorios often feature allegorical characters like Joy, Faith, and Hope, who engage in dramatic dialogues, similar to opera, but based on biblical stories or church history.
Composer Biography
The oratorios on this album are based on texts by Albrecht Jacob Zell, a poet and musician from Hamburg who studied law and theology and later became a teacher and rector.
Composition History
This CD features newly discovered and first-time recordings of Telemann's oratorios from his 'Oratorical Year' of 1730/31 and a piece from his 'Musicalisches Lob Gottes' (Musical praise of God) from 1744.
Composition History
Telemann's 'Oratorical Year' of 1730/31 was an exceptional concept, being the first complete year of oratorios for church services from Advent to the end of the church year.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Telemann commissioned Albrecht Jacob Zell to write texts for a richly appointed church music year, recognizing Zell's ability to create vivid and engaging libretti suitable for musical setting.
