G. P. Telemann
Suite in A Minor
for Flute and Strings
Georg Philipp Telemann , organist and composer, was born on March 14, 1681 in Magdeburg, Germany and died June 25, 1767 in Hamburg, Germany. Today, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) are probably the most famous composers of the Baroque Period
(1600-1750) in music; however, Telemann was born before, and outlived,
both Bach and Handel, was more famous during his lifetime than either
and, most remarkably, wrote more music than Bach and Handel combined!
One of the main differences between Baroque style and that of the
Classical Period (1750-1825) which followed, was the use of counterpoint
- literally note (point) against (counter) note (point).
With
21st century ears, we tend to hear a single melody, usually the highest
part, with (harmonic) accompaniment; however, much of Telemann’s
music consists of several melodies, all of which are equally important.
Telemann is considered to be a link between late Baroque and the
Classical Period. By the age 10, he had taught himself to play the
violin, flute, zither and keyboard.
At the start of the 18th century, music was only available to nobility
or through the church - public concerts or even music stores didn’t
exist. Telemann was a true innovator in making music available to the
general public; in Leipzip in 1702, he formed a student society called Collegium musicum,
one of the first series of concerts that was actually open to the
public - J. S. Bach took over as conductor in 1723, resulting in Bach’s
developing the keyboard concerto, specifically for the summer concerts
held in Zimmermann’s garden on Windmühlstrasse in Leipzig.
Telemann did his own advertising and started a subscription service for
his works, most of which he even engraved himself. His works for flute
include 11 Concertos, 3 Double Concertos (for 2 flutes or flute and recorder), 12 Fantasias for unaccompanied flute, numerous Sonatas and the famous Suite in A Minor for flute and strings.
SUITE in A MINOR
The Symphony developed from the Orchestral Suite, which in turn, developed from the Dance Suite
- collections of shorter dance pieces. J. S. Bach wrote four
Orchestral Suites between 1717 and 1723, while he was conductor of the
court orchestra in Cöthen - including his Suite No. 2 in B Minor for
flute and strings.
Like Telemann, Bach’s Suites use Continuo (Harpsichord and
Cello) and are made up of six or seven “movements” (using the
terminology of the symphony), opening with an “Overture” (the actual
name by which Bach referred to his Suites) written in the French style:
slow introduction (using dotted rhythms) followed by a faster, more
lively (and contrapuntal) main section, concluding with a slow section,
alluding to the opening. The Overture, which is, by far, the longest
movement, is then followed by shorter “dance” movements (i.e., movements
using the structure and style of various dances - Minuet, etc.).
Unlike Bach’s Suite in B Minor, which is a Suite, which happens to employ the Flute, and occasionally feature it, Telemann’s Suite in A Minor uses the Flute as a Solo Instrument, only employing it in the tutti sections in the Overture.
All of the movements of Telemann’s Suite in A Minor have French titles, including, surprisingly enough, Air a L’Italien (an Air in an Italian style).
Little of the history of this work is known; it was not published
until 1936 - based on an 18th Century manuscript which had no forward,
title page or date, at the Hessian State and High School Library in
Darmstadt.
Solo Flute part - 9”X12” - 16 pages - $14.95
with
CD - 8 smp files:
- No. 1 - Overture (4/4, Lento, quarter = 64; 6/8, con anima, dotted quarter = 72; 4/4, Lento, quarter = 64)
- No. 2 - Les Plaisirs (2/2, Allegro vivo, half = 120)
- No. 3 - Air a L’Italien (4/4, Largo, eighth = 72; 4/4, Allegro, quarter = 104)
- No. 4 - Two Minuets (3/4, Moderato, quarter = 120)
- No. 5 - Rejoussance (4/4, Vivo, quarter = 120)
- No. 6 - Two Passepieds (3/8, Allegro, eighth = 144)
- No. 7 - Polonaise (3/4, Moderato, quarter = 100)
- Complete (All 7 movement)
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