Le Théâtre Musical de Telemann may not be the most obvious title for an album of Baroque chamber suites, but it should not be taken in the sense of a stage work. Instead, the program of this 2016 release from Alpha suggests a theater of the imagination, or musical depictions of national musical characteristics, in which Telemann took an avid interest. His "ouvertures," of which he likely composed around 600, were collections of lively pieces in a variety of styles, for the most part dance music and character studies. ...
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Le Théâtre Musical de Telemann may not be the most obvious title for an album of Baroque chamber suites, but it should not be taken in the sense of a stage work. Instead, the program of this 2016 release from Alpha suggests a theater of the imagination, or musical depictions of national musical characteristics, in which Telemann took an avid interest. His "ouvertures," of which he likely composed around 600, were collections of lively pieces in a variety of styles, for the most part dance music and character studies. Ensemble Masques, a Canadian consort of strings and continuo led by harpsichordist Olivier Fortin, presents a program of three suites and one concerto, but the most picaresque are the Ouverture - Suite in B flat major, "Les Nations," with its exotic depictions of Turks, Swiss, Muscovites, and Portuguese, and the Ouverture - Suite in G major, "Burlesque de Quixotte," a rendering of scenes from Don Quixote . More abstract pieces are gathered in the Ouverture - Suite in A major, which...
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