La Stagione Frankfurt - Telemann: Wind Concertos, Vol. 5 (2011)

The CPO label's series of Telemann wind concertos under German conductor Michael Schneider reaches its fifth volume with this release. How many Telemann wind concertos there are in all depends on whom you ask, but it would seem that there are enough for at least one more album. Despite the volume of the task, these releases have been consistently enjoyable, and this one has the added advantage of being devoted entirely to a single ensemble, La Stagione Frankfurt. (Earlier releases alternated between that group and Camerata Köln.) On audition here are six concertos, all for different combinations of solo and grouped winds, including one for the novel configuration of two horns and two oboes (the horns are silent in the slow movement). All of the instrumental writing is flattering and idiomatic, and some of the finales are plenty challenging for the soloists. The greatest interest perhaps lies not even in the instrumental idiom, but in the endlessly inventive ways in which Telemann riffs off the models provided by Vivaldi, who, even nearly 600 miles away, is an obvious influence on these works. Consider the unison opening of the slow movement to the Concerto in D major for flute, strings, and continuo, a typical Vivaldian move, but with an entirely original and almost Romantic continuation in the solo part from Telemann. In general the relationship between the soloist or small concertino group and the full ripieno ensemble is exploited by Telemann with maximum imagination. Excellent sound from the acoustically superior Deutschlandfunk Kammermusiksaal completes a satisfying picture. Try this; you may find yourself hooked into buying the entire set.