June 26, 2018. Georg Philipp Telemann’s three surviving “concerto-suites” are collected in a marvelous recording by Philadelphia’s own Tempesta di Mare. The ensemble’s newest release, Georg Philipp Telemann: The Concerti-en-Suite, makes a winning case in favor of a composer deserving of more attention.
You may have heard at least some of Tempesta’s performers in a live WRTI broadcast on June 22nd hosted by Meridee Duddleston. It was a marvelous half-hour that spotlighted some of Tempesta di Mare’s principal players, with co-directors Gwyn Roberts and Richard Stone.
This recording, on the Chandos label, brings an enlarged Tempesta together (30-plus musicians) to play works by the German Baroque composer.
The compositions themselves suggest the combination of a concerto and a French dance suite (of which Bach wrote a ton for all sorts of instruments).
The pieces begin with a concerto movement featuring a soloist, then unfold as bourées, minuets, gigues and the like, with prominent solo roles throughout.
It’s really a wonderful collection and the first to bring together Telemann's three surviving compositions in this genre.
Georg Philipp Telemann: The Concerti-en-Suite adds a great recording to Tempesta di Mare’s already large discography.