Gustav Leonhardt, Barthold, Sigiswald & Wieland Kuijken - Telemann: Paris Quartets Nos. 1–12 (1997)

This is one of only two complete recordings of Telemann's Paris Quartets available as a single set, and is much superior to the old Bruggen set. The Kuijkens are all very stylish and engaging performers, and they play these works very well.
Telemann wrote a lot of very good chamber music, but these quartets show him at his best. They are full of wonderful melodies, and some amazing rhythmic quirks. If Telemann had not been so prolific, these works would be considered absolute masterpieces on the order of the Brandenburg Concertos of Bach. They are that good.

Track List:

CD1. Quadri (Hamburg, 1730)
No. 1: Concerto Primo
01. Grave – Allegro (2:40)
02. Largo (0:35)
03. Presto (2:19)
04. Largo (0:36)
05. Allegro (3:48)
No. 2: Concerto Secondo
06. Allegro (3:27)
07. Affettuoso (3:49)
08. Vivace (3:58)
No. 3: Sonata Prima
09. Soave (3:26)
10. Allegro (2:18)
11. Andante (3:54)
12. Vivace (2:25)
No. 4: Sonata Seconda
13. Andante (3:15)
14. Allegro (2:38)
15. Largo (3:27)
16. Allegro (2:42)
No. 5: Première Suite
17. Prélude: Viternent (1:27)
18. Rigaudon (2:27)
19. Air (3:39)
20. Replique (2:30)
21. Menuet I – Menuet II (5:56)
22. Gigue (2:43)
No. 6: Deuxième Suite
23. Prélude: Gaîment (1:17)
24. Air: Modérément (2:38)
25. Réjouissance (2:00)
26. Courante (2:11)
27. Passepied (2:23)

CD2. Nouveaux quatuors en six suites (Paris, 1738)
No. 7: Premier Quatuor
01. Prélude: Vivement (2:12)
02. Tendrement (2:24)
03. Vite (3:16)
04. Gaiement (4:37)
05. Modérément (2:38)
06. Vite (2:58)
No. 8: Deuxième Quatuor
07. Allègrement (2:33)
08. Flatteusement (4:06)
09. Légèrement (2:15)
10. Un peu vivement (3:17)
11. Vite (1:50)
12. Coulant (5:50)
No. 9: Troisième Quatuor
13. Prélude: Un peu vivement (2:06)
14. Légèrement (3:21)
15. Gracieusement (2:35)
16. Vite (3:00)
17. Modéré (4:06)
18. Gai (1:46)
19. Lentement – Vite (5:12)

CD3. Quatrième livre de quatuors (Paris, c. 1752)
No. 10: Quatrième Quatuor
01. Prélude: Vivement – Flatteusement (6:13)
02. Coulant (2:32)
03. Gai (1:49)
04. Vite (1:36)
05. Triste (3:27)
06. Menuet: Modéré (4:50)
No. 11: Cinquième Quatuor
07. Prélude: Vivement (2:08)
08. Gai (2:06)
09. Modéré (5:15)
10. Modéré (4:03)
11. Pas vite (1:52)
12. Un peu gai (2:55)
No. 12: Sixième Quatuor
13. Prélude: À discrétion – Très vite (4:50)
14. Gai (3:09)
15. Vite (1:28)
16. Gracieusement (3:17)
17. Distrait (3:11)
18. Modéré (4:42)

Performers:
Gustav Leonhardt
Barthold Kuijken
Sigiswald Kuijken
Wieland Kuijken