GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN

March 24, 1681 – June 25, 1767

Georg Philipp Telemann, a German baroque composer, organist and kapellmeister, was born on this day in Magdeburg. He lived at the same time as Johann Sebastian Bach, who was four years younger than him. Bach was less well known than Telemann at the time, and he greatly appreciated and supported his work. Telemann wrote over 3600 works and according to that it would be said that he left behind a rich opus consisting of over 40 operas, 145 cantatas, 15 masses, 40 passions, 6 oratorios and more than 600 concert works. He was equally dedicated to writing vocal and instrumental works. With folklore elements, as well as the permeation of the French and Italian spirit, his works possess a lavish palette of sound colors, dialogues between melodies, dynamic rhythmic flow and original sound of one time.

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) – Concerto for Recorder and Viola da Gamba, TWV

Phillipwserna, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Translation: Jelena Čolović