The seemingly nonsensical photo on the cover of this CD, showing a bass viol supporting a tipping boulder, is matched by the equally puzzling title The Virtuoso Godfather. In fact each feature of the package corresponds to what's inside. The English historical-instrument ensemble Charivari Agréable, based at Oxford University, has a useful view of Telemann's music: in the words of musical director, keyboard player, and annotator Kah-Ming Ng, Telemann generally "eschewed the overt musical acrobatics redolent of the Vivaldian ...
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The seemingly nonsensical photo on the cover of this CD, showing a bass viol supporting a tipping boulder, is matched by the equally puzzling title The Virtuoso Godfather. In fact each feature of the package corresponds to what's inside. The English historical-instrument ensemble Charivari Agréable, based at Oxford University, has a useful view of Telemann's music: in the words of musical director, keyboard player, and annotator Kah-Ming Ng, Telemann generally "eschewed the overt musical acrobatics redolent of the Vivaldian concerto, preferring to experiment with colors, sonorities, and textures." Thus, the "virtuoso" aspect of his music has more to do with instrumental balance and with the shaping of individual phrases than with sheer speed. The "godfather" part is simpler: Telemann served as godfather to the two younger composers featured, Georg Philipp Kress and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Performances of Telemann are getting better and better, and as they do the old image of the composer as a dull...
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