Telemann: Overtures - Peire, Collegium Instrumentale Brugense (2012)

A generous selection of 33 Overtures (or Orchestral Suites) by Georg Philipp Telemann, formerly issued separately, now collected in one 8-CD set. Telemann’s Suites are written for strings and several solo instruments such as flute, oboe, bassoon or horn (each overture has a different instrumentation), beginning with a grand Overture in French style, followed by a suite of shorter dance movements.

The overtures are highly attractive works and deserve to be as popular as the suites of Handel (Water Music) and Bach (orchestral suites).

Excellent performances on modern instruments, however according to the historically informed performance practice, by the elite ensemble Collegium Instrumentale Brugense, conducted by Patrick Peire.

Although Telemann chose the title of ‘Overtures’, this was somewhat interchangeable with the genre of the Suite in his era. Each work opens with a three-part French overture, and this is followed by a series of varied, shorter pieces – encompassing everything from dances (drawn from the French tradition and beyond), fugues, chaconnes, passacailles, musical portraits, folk dances and evocations of scenes and characters.

In these eight discs, Collegium Instrumentale Brugense and Patrick Peire’s three separate volumes of Telemann Overtures have been collected together for the first time, creating a box set that is set apart by its breadth. Its overview of 33 Overtures illuminates Telemann’s hugely inventive approach to instrumentation, while revealing the wealth of subjects that he sought inspiration in.

The ‘Alster Overtüre’, for example, named after the Alster river in Germany, features a ‘Concert of Frogs and Crows’, while another Overture is inspired by Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Beyond this, the set is distinguished by authoritative performances. Collegium Instrumentale Brugense and Patrick Peire are experts in historical performance practice, but use modern instruments, making these recordings truly distinctive and rigorously researched.

Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Piet De Block, Manu Mellaerts, Steven Devolder, Steven Bossuyt, …
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis

Reviews: As I’ve repeated many times to students and to members of ensembles I’ve conducted, if there had been no Handel (or, God forbid, no Bach) we would be much more familiar with the music of Georg Philipp Telemann, who wrote a formidable number of vocal, instrumental, and stage works, many of them on a level equal to works by those other two giants. As these 33 “overtures” show (these works are better described today as “orchestral suites”), Telemann had no shortage of ideas nor lack of facility in creating lively, characterful, colorful, engaging music for both ensemble and for various solo instruments (trumpet, violin, horn, oboe, bassoon), scoring the works in such varied combinations that few of the overtures have the same instrumentation. He added even more interest by varying the number and types of dances in each suite, following an opening French-style Overture.

And dances weren’t the only subject of the movements in some of the suites: he devoted one overture, titled “Burlesque”, to stock characters of the commedia dell’arte (Comédie-Italienne in France)—Scaramouche, Colombine, Pierrot, Harlequin; another purports to combine the common dance movements of a suite with the programmatic concerns of someone suffering from “Le Podagre” (gout), complete with various remedies and sufferings(!); yet another depicts scenes from Don Quixote; and another, titled “Pour S.A.S. Monseigneur Le Landgrave de Darmstadt”, concludes with a very impressive “storm”. There’s even one whose subject is supposedly the stock market of the 1720s (and the tribulations of its investors), however any musical-programmatic clues are slim to none.

Although Handel was a far better melodist, and Bach was, well, the ultimate master of all things, Telemann could at least knock off a very credible “Water Music”-like entertainment if he wanted to. And he certainly loved to exploit the many possibilities of timbre and color offered by the instruments of his orchestra. The ultimate compliment to Telemann here is that you can put any one of these 8 CDs in the player, start listening anywhere, and never hit a dull spot or boring patch: it’s all good, because the music is based on expert craftsmanship and keen musical instincts that never lose sight of the music’s purpose—entertainment. And these are all aspects of this music that the musicians of the Collegium Instrumentale Brugense thoroughly understand—and similarly know how to exploit to the fullest extent of the laws of Baroque music style. They do it on modern instruments, but with a commitment to period interpretation and technique. And the playing is consistently first-rate. These recordings have been issued before, in separate, smaller sets; if you don’t have them already, don’t hesitate. This is Telemann for all to treasure.

Tracklisting:

1. Suite for 2 Trumpets, Timpani, Strings and Basso Continuo in D major, TV 55 no D 18 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century; Germany

2. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in G major, TV 55 no G 10 "Burlesque de Quixotte" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque

3. Overture-Suite for 2 Oboes, Strings and Basso Continuo in C minor, TV 55 no c 2 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

4. Overture-Suite for 2 Oboes, Bassoon, Strings and Basso continuo in D major, TV 55 no D 4 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 1720; Frankfurt, Germany

5. Overture-Suite for 4 Horns, 2 Oboes, Strings and Basso continuo in F major, TV 55 no F 11 "Alster" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

6. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in B flat major, TV 55 no B 5 "Völker" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

7. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in D minor, TV 55 no d 2 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

8. Overture-Suite for 2 Oboes, Bassoon, Strings and Basso continuo in B flat major, TV 55 no B 7 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

9. Overture-Suite for 2 Oboes, 2 Recorders, Strings and Basso continuo in A minor, TV 55 no a 4 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

10. Overture-Suite for Violin, Strings and Basso continuo in A major, TV 55 no A 4 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

11. Overture-Suite for Horn, 2 Flutes, Bassoon, Strings and Basso continuo in D major, TV 55 no D 23 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 1763; Darmstadt, Germany

12. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in G major, TV 55 no G 4 "Nations anciens et modernes" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 1721; Hamburg, Germany

13. Overtüre verbunden mit einer tragikomischen Suite for 3 Trumpets, Timpani, Strings and Basso continuo by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Piet De Block (Timpani), Manu Mellaerts (Trumpet), Steven Devolder (Trumpet),
Steven Bossuyt (Trumpet)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 12 Minutes 19 Secs.

14. Overture-Suite for Orchestra in E minor, TV 55 no e 7 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 17th Century; Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 11 Minutes 8 Secs.

15. Overture-Suite for Violin Solo, 2 Violins, and Basso Continuo in B minor, TV 55 no h 4 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Dirk Lippens (Violin)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1720; Frankfurt, Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium

16. Overture-Suite for Orchestra in E minor, TV 55 no e 3 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Elisabeth Schollaert (Oboe), Bram Nolf (Oboe), Luc Loubry (Bassoon),
Dirk Lippens (Violin), Philippe Benoit (Flute), Lindey Vanden Berk (Flute)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century; Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 13 Minutes 13 Secs.

17. Overture-Suite for 3 Oboes, Bassoon, Strings and Basso continuo in C major, RV 55 no C 4 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Dirk Lippens (Violin), Elisabeth Schollaert (Oboe), Bram Nolf (Oboe),
Luc Loubry (Bassoon)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 4 Minutes 9 Secs.

18. Overture-Suite for 3 Oboes & Bassoon in D minor, TV 55 no d 3 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Bram Nolf (Oboe), Luc Loubry (Bassoon), Jan Maebe (Oboe),
Elisabeth Schollaert (Oboe)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century; Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 18 Minutes 33 Secs.

19. Overture-Suite for 2 Horns in F major, TV 44 no 7 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Alex van Aeken (French Horn), Ivo Hadermann (French Horn)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 10 Minutes 30 Secs.

20. Overture-Suite for 2 Oboes, Bassoon and Strings in B flat major, TV 55 no B 11 "La Bourse" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Bram Nolf (Oboe), Elisabeth Schollaert (Oboe), Luc Loubry (Bassoon)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 18th Century; Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 21 Minutes 31 Secs.

21. Overture-Suite for 2 Horns and Strings in E flat major, TV 55 no Es 1 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Ivo Hadermann (French Horn), Alex van Aeken (French Horn)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 1736; Hamburg, Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 12 Minutes 41 Secs.

22. Overture-Suite for 3 Oboes, Strings and Basso continuo in C major, TV 55 no C 6 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Jan Maebe (Oboe), Elisabeth Schollaert (Oboe), Luc Loubry (Bassoon),
Bram Nolf (Oboe)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Frankfurt, Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 19 Minutes 35 Secs.

23. Overture-Suite for 2 Recorders, Strings and Basso continuo in F minor, TV 55 no f 1 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Marc Peire (Recorder), Ruth van Killegem (Recorder)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 18 Minutes 9 Secs.

24. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in B flat major, TV 55 no B 8 "Burlesque" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 12 Minutes 29 Secs.

25. Overture-Suite for 2 Oboes, Bassoon, Strings and Basso continuo in G minor, TV 55 no g 9 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Koen Coppé (Bassoon), Elisabeth Schollaert (Oboe), Bram Nolf (Oboe)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 1765; Germany
Date of Recording: 2006
Venue: Studio Steurbaut, Gent, Belgium
Length: 14 Minutes 34 Secs.

26. Overture-Suite for 2 Trumpets, Strings and Basso continuo in D major, TV 55 no D 17 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Steven Devolder (Trumpet), Manu Mellaerts (Trumpet)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 17th Century; Germany
Length: 13 Minutes 0 Secs.

27. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in E minor, TV 55 no e 8 "L'Omphale" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 1724; Hamburg, Germany

28. Overture-Suite for 2 Horns, Strings and Basso continuo in F major, TV 55 no F 16 "pour S.A.S. Monsei by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Luc Loubry (Bassoon), Alex van Aeken (French Horn), Ivo Hadermann (French Horn)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Length: 2 Minutes 14 Secs.

29. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in G minor, TV 55 no g 2 "La Changeante" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

30. Overture-Suite for Violin Solo, 2 Oboes, Strings and Basso continuo in G major, TV 55 no G 7 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: 17th Century; Germany

31. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in A major, TV 55 no A 2 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany

32. Overture-Suite for Recorder, Strings and Basso Continuo in A minor, TV 55 no a 2 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Ruth van Killegem (Recorder)
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Darmstadt, Germany

33. Overture-Suite for Strings and Basso continuo in D major, TV 55 no D 13 "La Gaillarde" by Georg Philipp Telemann
Conductor: Patrick Peire
Orchestra/Ensemble: Collegium Instrumentale Brugensis
Period: Baroque
Written: Germany










Thanks to the original releaser