Italian Recorder Quartet - Georg Philipp Telemann: Quadri [CD]

The quartets featured on this CD belong to the first collection of quartets that Telemannwrote in Hamburg in 1730, in anticipation of a trip to Paris (which he would only makein the autumn of 1737, staying in the French capital for eight months), invited by fourimportant French musicians: the flautist Michel Blavet, the violinist Jean-Pierre Guignon,the gambist Jean-Baptiste Forqueray and a cellist and harpsichordist named PrinceÉdouard. The collection was published in 1730 and contributed significantly to thespread of the composer's fame throughout Europe, particularly in France (so much sothat it was reprinted by the Parisian publisher Le Clerc in 1736); it includes six quartets,and was published under the Italian title Quadri a violino, flauto traversiere, viola digamba o violoncello, e fondamento: ripartiti in 2. concerti, 2. balletti, 2. sonate. The sixQuadri constitute a réunion des goûts, as they incorporate diverse national styles. Althoughtraces of the "German style" can be detected in each of them, the French styleclearly prevails in the suites, while the Italian style dominates the sonatas.