Baroque Wind Quartets – Come for the Telemann, stay for the Molter
By Ralph Graves
This release brings together music by two Kapellmeisters of Johann Wilhelm of Saxe-Eisenach. Georg Philip Telemann held the post first in 1709 and was succeeded by Johann Melchior Molter.
The works presented on this release provide an interesting contrast in style between the two. The release features three of Telemann’s 1752 “Paris” quartets. These are fairly substantial works, with plenty of complexity woven into the scores.
Molter’s two Sonata a Quadros, by contrast, have much lighter characters. Molter’s melodies are simple and tuneful, and the accompanying figures buoyant and sometimes playful.
The Camerata Bachensis delivers competently solid performances. The recorded sound is quite clean, with the wind soloist and violin right in front of the ensemble. The placement gives melody and countermelody equal prominence, which (in my opinion) adds to the interest of these works.
You might come for the Telemann but stay for the Molter. The more of his music I hear, the more I appreciate his compositional skill.
Telemann & Molter: Flute and Oboe Quartets
Camerata Bachiensis
Roberto De Franceschi, conductor
Brilliant Classics 95621
