Telemann & the French style

Both viola da gamba and recorder were still popular in the 1730s, when Telemann wrote his Trio Sonatas. Telemann is the only German composer who wrote for the 'French' combination of soprano viola da gamba and recorder. This repertoire is the pinnacle of the use in chamber music of these two 'delicate' instruments that would soon fall into disuse due to the demands of larger concert halls and the symphony orchestra. The intimacy of these instruments is something special and was also used by French Baroque composers such as Marais and Dornel. It is well known that Bach had a predilection for the archaic sound of both the recorder and the viola gamba, the most famous example being the cantata 'Actus Tragicus' BWV 106 that he wrote at the age of 21. Later he also composed several Sonatas for viola da gamba. The Sonata BWV 1039, known in a version for two flutes and one for two violas, will be presented in a hypothetical reworking for flute and viola, in many ways following Johann Sebastian's own 'fluid' practice of rearranging his compositions to suit the needs of the Collegium Musicum.

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Erik Bosgraaf, soprano recorder, alto recorder, voice flute

Robert Smith, dessus de viole, bass viol

Alessandro Pianu, harpsichord
music of: P. Philidor, J-M. Hotteterre, J.H. d'Anglebert, M. Marais, L-A. Dornel, G.P. Telemann, J.S. Bach