A stylistic analysis of the four Cantatas in Advent from the Cantata Cycle Der Harmonische Gottesdienst (1725/26) by Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Date
1992
Authors
Reul, Barbara Margaretha
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Abstract
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767), the famous German composer of the late Baroque, is known today primarily for his enormous output of secular music including such favourites as the Concerto for Viola, Strings and Continuo and the Musique de Table. However, very few music lovers are aware of the fact that during his long and extremely successful career as the Kantor and städtischer Musikdirektor of Hamburg between 1721 and 1767, Telemann supervised and provided music for virtually all musical activities in the Northern metropole, including the five main churches in Hamburg, the performances of the collegium musicum, and the local opera house. Telemann was also an astute businessman who owned a publishing company and revolutionized the music market when inventing a mail order system on subscription basis which allowed musicians all over Germany and other parts of Europe to purchase his sheet music directly from him. The fact that the buyer would often receive a complimentary long distance lesson from the composer himself, as Telemann tended to include detailed instructions for the less skilled performer together with the music, indicate the composer's dedication not only to teaching but also to his fellow human being.
After Telemann's death in 1767, however, the immense popularity of his music and personal fame declined quickly because of significant changes in the realm of church music. Telemann's once extremely fashionable compositions soon became outdated, with his musical productivity, according to various malicious nineteenth century critics, qualifying for nothing more than facile writing (Vielschrieberi), and Telemann the composer therefore being considered insincere and unworthy.
Fortunately, two musicologists of the twentieth century, Max Schneider and Rolland Romain, disagreed with their predecessors' opinions and restored Telemann's reputation by successfully initiating a revival reputation by successfully initiating a revival of his music and a renewed interest in his life. Frequent performances of Telemann's music and the early music movement in particular have helped considerably to reestablish Telemann's place in the history of music.
There are, however, still too many individuals who are afraid to rank Telemann among the top three German composer of the late Baroque, mainly because his style is supposedly not as sophisticated as that of J.S. Bach or G.F. Handel.
The following document presents a stylistic analysis of the four cantatas in Advent from Telemann's cantata cycle Der Harmonische Gottesdienst (1725/26), Telemann's first and commercially most successful publication. For a better understanding of the subject matter, the first three chapters embrace important background material such as the changing perspectives of Telemann's music in the last 330 years, the history of the German sacred solo cantata and Telemann's life and work as städtischer Musikdirektor and publisher. The last two chapters deal exclusively with the cantata cycle Der Harmonische Gottesdienst, providing an examination of the preface and a detailed analysis of the four cantatas in Advent, with special attention being given to Telemann's compositional style. Finally, the concluding chapter examines Telemann's changing image and importance as composer in the twentieth century.
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