At the time of these quartets' creation, Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) held the most prestigious musical positions in early 18th-century Germany, including Cantor, City Musical Director, and Hamburg Opera Director.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Telemann knew how to market his 'musique de table' works, which were expensive and sold to aristocrats, merchants, and officials, writing his own sales slogan.
Recording & Production
The Ensemble Ventus Iucundus, though not a fixed ensemble, consists of musicians who have known each other for up to 25 years through their shared teaching at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna.
Interpretation
The performers on this album prioritize playing early music on historical instruments to fully reveal its inherent beauty, especially for Telemann's works.
Composer Biography
Telemann was the first German musician to participate in the Concert Spirituel, a public concert series in Paris inspired by the Enlightenment.
Compositional Technique
The 18th-century flutist and composer Johann Joachim Quantz defined a quartet as a sonata with three solo instruments and a bass line, requiring a skilled contrapuntist.
Composer Biography
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was a prolific composer, with an oeuvre totaling 3600 works, and also published his own music and co-founded a music magazine.
