Customer Reviews

Telemann: Six Cantatas 1731

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This is an interesting collection of solo secular cantatas by Telemann. Voice type is not specifed in the sources, and here three cantatas are taken by soprano Maria Jonas and three by bass-baritone Klaus Mertens. Interestingly, these cantatas feature arias which alternate with a 3rd-person narration instead of the first-person recitatives one finds in Handel's earlier secular cantatas or Bach's secular cantatas. The music is generally pleasant and expressive, as one would expect of Telemann in this period.

Sadly, although I am a fan of Telemann's cantatas and I have several recordings of his vocal music on this label (cpo being a major force in recording Telemann's output), I have to say this is perhaps the least successful recording I have yet heard. Klaus Mertens is wonderful, as usual. But the soprano unfortunately tends to sing quite flat, making her arias difficult to listen to. She sings expressively, and is clearly educated in performance practice, but the inaccurate pitch is too severe for me to overcome. Fortunately this disc still has 40 minutes of music sung by Mertens, but I do wish a better soprano had been found.

Pass on this disc, and if you're unfamiliar with Telemann's extensive catalogue of vocal works, start with the 1724 or 1744 Kapitansmusik instead - they both have some of the most gorgeous Baroque music I've ever heard. [Georg Philipp Telemann: Kapitänsmusik 1724 [Hybrid SACD] - [George Philipp Telemann: Kapitansmusik 1744]

The MusicFiend from Seattle has already said what needs to be said: soprano Maria Jones is dreadful, the indestructible Klaus Mertens is better than ever, the instrumental ensemble is excellent, and the six cantatas from 1731 are truly a joyful noise -- Georg Philipp Telemann in his most easy-flowing exuberant beauty-foremost mode. I'm giving this CD one more star than the Fiend gave it because of Mertens, who has amped up the expressivity of his singing to match his wonted technical prowess. Oddly, I suspect that Mertens's example, and the current fashion among sopranos for a touch of old-style 'can-bellow' mannerism, might have contributed to the out-of-control quality of Jones's performance.