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Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767): Concerto for 3 Violins in F Major, TWV 53:F1
Allegro-Largo-Vivace
00:00 Opening
00:18 I-Allegro
06:10 II-Largo
11:00 III-Vivace
14:20 Credits
Cynthia Keiko Black • Tomà Iliev • Jude Ziliak, solo violins
David Wilson, violin • Ramón Negrón Pérez, viola • William Skeen, violoncello • Steven Lehning, violone • Corey Jamason, harpsichord
Eddie Frank, video • Chris Landen, audio
American Bach Soloists • Jeffrey Thomas, Artistic Director
Filmed in May 2021 in the Great Hall at the Castello di Amorosa (Calistoga, California).
How we made the video: americanbach.org/Videos-Backs...
The solo concerto was one of the most significant musical developments of the Baroque era. Certainly, Vivaldi is remembered for his gargantuan contribution to the genre, having composed about 350 solo concertos (230 for violin) and some 45 double concertos, half of which are for two violins. Although Telemann probably wrote more compositions-most recently numbered at over 3,000-he wrote fewer solo concertos than Vivaldi. Fifty or so are known, along with 15 double concertos, 7 triple concertos, and 4 using four or more solo instruments. Bach, too, was captivated by the idea of double and triple concertos, and extended his interest to a concerto for four harpsichords which is a more-or-less direct transcription of a concerto by Vivaldi for four violins. The question of equal versus unequal distribution of technical demands comes to mind quickly, as it would have been considered carefully by the composer.
In Telemann's Concerto for 3 Violins in F Major, the calls for virtuosity are quite evenly shared among all three soloists. In fact, an impression of musical egalitarianism is one of the first things that one notices about this particular composition. Collaboration seems to be the theme, and it is always noticeable. Solo passages are never more than a few measures long, and the central movement brings the three soloists together in a most collaborative way. Moving further toward shared responsibilities (and shared riches), the final movement seems to be hardly a concerto at all, rather more like a grand sinfonia for all the participants. That final Allegro has a particularly palpable joie de vivre and melds the full ensemble together into an especially enthusiastic sense of unity.
© 2021, American Bach Soloists
American Bach Soloists (ABS) are leading performers in the field of Baroque music, dedicated to historically informed performances of Bach and his contemporaries. ABS provides meaningful, memorable, and valuable musical experiences for our audiences through inspiring performances and recordings, and it supports the preservation of early music through educational programs for students and emerging professionals. Under the leadership of co-founder and Music Director Jeffrey Thomas, the ensemble has achieved its vision of assembling the world’s finest vocalists and period-instrument performers to bring this brilliant music to life.
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