"Telemann wrote more than any other composer of the Baroque period
for my instrument, the recorder - and with idiomatic success which is what
has encouraged me to get to know the composer and his music in greater
depth". Thus Stefano Bagliano opens his liner-notes in the booklet
accompanying this disc. It is then a little surprising that half of the
programme is devoted to compositions which are not specifically meant for
the recorder or were even scored for other instruments in the first place.
The
Partita No. 5 in e minor is from a collection of six
pieces with this title, which Telemann published in 1716 as
Kleine
Cammer-Music. All these pieces are scored for one treble instrument and
bc. At the title page Telemann mentions the instruments which he had in
mind: the oboe, the violin and the transverse flute. He even mentions the
harpsichord, but there is no reference to the recorder. That in itself
doesn't mean that a performance using the recorder isn't legitimate.
Composers in Telemann's time were mostly rather pragmatic in regard to the
scoring of their works, especially when they were aimed at the growing
market of amateurs. It does mean, though, that one cannot claim that a piece
like this is idiomatically written for the recorder. In the complete
recording of this set by Camerata Köln (CPO, 1997) this partita is
played on the transverse flute, whereas the recorder is used in the 6th
Partita. The
Trio sonata in g minor is an independent piece which
Telemann scored for oboe and violin. It comes off pretty well with two
recorders, though.
This disc is especially interesting in that it includes four
cantatas with a part for recorder. That is to say,
Also hat Gott die Welt
geliebet was originally scored - according to the booklet - for solo
voice with two oboes and bc. It is from a collection which was printed in
1731-32 as
Fotsetzung des Harmonischen Gottesdienstes. The cantatas
are scored for solo voice, two treble instruments and bc. The catalogue
number is a little confusing as TWV 1,168 refers to a cantata with the title
Daran ist erschienen. It is not explained in the booklet, but I
assume that Telemann has used the music of one of these cantatas for a new
text. It is rather odd that they didn't receive different entries in the
Telemann catalogue. Anyway, it is a nice work - written for the second day
of Pentecost - especially in regard to the connection between the voice and
the two instruments. Imitative counterpoint and passages with the two
instruments playing in parallel motion alternate. The recorders sometimes
play in unison with the voice.
The other three cantatas are from the previous collection,
Harmonischer Gottesdienst, which was published in 1725-26. These are
scored for solo voice, one treble instrument and bc.
Deine Toten werden
leben is especially remarkable for its opening aria. This collection was
written for performance in churches as well as in domestic circles.
Therefore the virtuosic character of this aria is surprising. There are
extended coloraturas for the voice on the word "leben" and at the end of the
B-part Telemann includes a long coloratura which is very much in the style
of opera. The recorder part is equally demanding. However, in the opening
aria of
Hemmet den Eifer the two parts are very different. Here it is
only the recorder part which is technically demanding whereas the vocal part
is more straightforward.
In these cantatas Telemann demonstrates his skills in setting a text
to music in such a way that the content is effectively expressed. An
impressive example is the opening aria from
Du bist verflucht, o
Schreckensstimme where chromatic passages illustrate the text which
refers to the fall of mankind and its effects. This aria is followed by a
lengthy recitative: it lasts longer than each of the two arias. In the other
cantatas they are a little shorter but still of considerable length. Again
Telemann impresses with his text setting.
Unfortunately this is where Gemma Bertagnolli is at her most
disappointing. She has a very nice voice and certainly there’s no lack
of passion, but she is far more at home in Italian repertoire. Her
pronunciation is quite horrible and her diction below par. As the text takes
first place in these cantatas this is simply unacceptable. Her insufficient
mastery of German means that the phrasing is often unsatisfactory. The arias
come off only slightly better, but not enough to change my verdict. In some
of the da capos her ornamentation is excessive, to the extent that she
virtually rewrites complete lines. That is stylistically debatable in
itself; it is certainly not appropriate to this kind of cantata.
In the end it is Stefano Bagliano’s fine playing that helps
redeem this disc however, I don't expect anyone to purchase it only for his
playing. Much as I love Telemann's cantatas I am not tempted to listen to
this disc again. The vocal part leaves far too much to be desired. The lack
of English translations is a serious omission.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen