London Handel Players - Telemann: Paris Quartets, Vol. 2 (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

CD1
01. Suite à 4 in D Major, TWV 43:D3: I. Prélude. Vivement
02. Suite à 4 in D Major, TWV 43:D3: II. Tendrement
03. Suite à 4 in D Major, TWV 43:D3: III. Vite
04. Suite à 4 in D Major, TWV 43:D3: IV. Gaiment
05. Suite à 4 in D Major, TWV 43:D3: V. Modérément
06. Suite à 4 in D Major, TWV 43:D3: VI. Vite
07. Suite à 4 in A Minor, TWV 43:a2: I. Allègrement
08. Suite à 4 in A Minor, TWV 43:a2: II. Flatteusement
09. Suite à 4 in A Minor, TWV 43:a2: III. Légèrement
10. Suite à 4 in A Minor, TWV 43:a2: IV. Un peu vivement
11. Suite à 4 in A Minor, TWV 43:a2: V. Vite
12. Suite à 4 in A Minor, TWV 43:a2: VI. Coulant
13. Suite à 4 in G Major, TWV 43:G4: I. Prélude. Un peu vivement
14. Suite à 4 in G Major, TWV 43:G4: II. Légèrement
15. Suite à 4 in G Major, TWV 43:G4: III. Gracieusement
16. Suite à 4 in G Major, TWV 43:G4: IV. Vite
17. Suite à 4 in G Major, TWV 43:G4: V. Modéré
18. Suite à 4 in G Major, TWV 43:G4: VI. Gai
19. Suite à 4 in G Major, TWV 43:G4: VII. Lentement – Vite

CD2
01. Suite à 4 in B Minor, TWV 43:h2: I. Prélude. Vivement – Flatteusement – Vivement
02. Suite à 4 in B Minor, TWV 43:h2: II. Coulant
03. Suite à 4 in B Minor, TWV 43:h2: III. Gai
04. Suite à 4 in B Minor, TWV 43:h2: IV. Vite
05. Suite à 4 in B Minor, TWV 43:h2: V. Triste
06. Suite à 4 in B Minor, TWV 43:h2: VI. Menuet. Modéré
07. Suite à 4 in A Major, TWV 43:A3: I. Prélude. Vivement
08. Suite à 4 in A Major, TWV 43:A3: II. Gai
09. Suite à 4 in A Major, TWV 43:A3: III. Modéré
10. Suite à 4 in A Major, TWV 43:A3: IV. Modéré
11. Suite à 4 in A Major, TWV 43:A3: V. Pas vite
12. Suite à 4 in A Major, TWV 43:A3: VI. Un peu gai
13. Suite à 4 in E Minor, TWV 43:e4: I. Prélude. À discrétion – Très vite – À discrétion
14. Suite à 4 in E Minor, TWV 43:e4: II. Gai
15. Suite à 4 in E Minor, TWV 43:e4: III. Vite
16. Suite à 4 in E Minor, TWV 43:e4: IV. Gracieusement
17. Suite à 4 in E Minor, TWV 43:e4: V. Distrait
18. Suite à 4 in E Minor, TWV 43:e4: VI. Modéré

In celebration of the 25th-anniversary of London Handel Players in 2025, SOMM Recordings released Telemann “Paris” Quartets, Volume 1 [SOMMCD 0698]. Critics lauded the album for its deep affection and impeccable musicianship, with Gramophone highlighting flautist Rachel Brown’s “easy agility” and the group’s rich, inviting tone; and BBC Music Magazine praising their attention to subtle, expressive details. Now, SOMM is releasing Telemann “Paris” Quartets, Volume 2 with LHP, featuring once again leading period-instrument specialists Rachel Brown flute; Adrian Butterfield violin; Gavin Kibble viola da gamba; Sarah McMahon cello; and Silas Wollston harpsichord.

In 1737, Georg Philipp Telemann paid a long-awaited celebrity visit to Paris at the invitation of four prominent French musicians: flute virtuoso Michel Blavet; Franco-Italian violinist Jean-Pierre Guignon; viol player Jean-Baptiste Forqueray the younger, and an unidentified cellist-harpsichordist known in the historical records as Prince Édouard. In preparation for this visit and in admiration of the musicians, Telemann had composed six Quadri, for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello, and continuo.

Telemann was one of the first great self-publishers, and his publication of the Quadri was such a success that the Parisian publisher Le Clerc brought out an edition without the composer’s permission. This, finally, was the spur for Telemann to take an eight month leave of absence from his full schedule in Hamburg to visit Paris. While there, he composed a second set of quartets—the six Nouveaux Quatuors recorded here. It was in the second half of the twentieth century that the editors of the Telemann Musikalische Werke collectively named these two sets of quartets the “Paris quartets.”

Like the earlier set of Quadri, the six Nouveaux Quatuors are scored for flute, violin, viola da gamba, and continuo, with an optional adaptation of the gamba part for cello. The set comprises six suites, each with six or seven movements, and Telemann exploits countless ways of combining the instruments to create a huge variety of textures.

All twelve quartets were played during Telemann’s Parisian visit by the four musicians who had invited him, with the composer himself at the harpsichord. Paris was taken by storm, and news of the quartets spread throughout Europe, with subscribers to the publication including musicians like Charpentier, Mondonville, Fasch, Pisendel—and a certain Mr Bach of Leipzig.

Telemann’s sojourn in Paris left a lasting impression on him. Two years after returning to Hamburg, he reported on the effect of his quartets: “The admirable performances of these quartets … would be worth describing were it possible for words to be found to do them justice. In short, they … procured for me in a very little time an almost universal renown and increased esteem.”