Having died in 1767 at the age of 87, Telemann (who sometimes liked to sign his works with his pseudonym, Melante) left behind an abundant body of work, like his longevity. The first part of his life was filled with travel. In 1701, during his first journey to Leipzig, Telemann stopped in Halle to meet the young Händel, aged 16. How moving to find, on the list of the many subscribers to the publication of the ‘Tafelmusik’, the name of Handel, DMus, in London, thirty years later.

It is said that at the end of his life, Telemann, who had settled in Hamburg, spent much time on his garden, carefully growing the bulbs of hyacinths and of tulips that his old friend Handel sent him from London. The works featured on this programme are like these flowers that Mr Melante cultivated so lovingly: souvenirs of a life that was rich in journeys, friendships, music. 

 

Telemann
Cantata extract from the Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, for John the Baptist's birth, Die Kinder des Höchsten sind rufende Stimmen (TVWV 1:349)

Haendel
Sonata for violin and continuo in D major (HWV 371)

Bach
Aria extract from the Cantata BWV 36, Auch mit gedämpften, schwachen Stimmen wird Gottes Majestät vershrt

Bach
Aria extract from the Cantata BWV 57: Ich ende behende mein irdisches Leben

Bach
Aria extract from the Cantata BWV 58: Ich bin vergnügt in meinem Leiden

Haendel
Sonata for cello and continuo in F major (HWV 370)

Telemann
Cantata extract from the Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst, for the Annunciation's day: Gott will Mensch und sterblich werden (TVWV 1:694)

 

Magali Léger, soprano
Guillaume Humbrecht, violin
Julie Blais, harpsichord or organ