Country : Germany Label : Harmonia Mundi Genres and styles : Baroque Year : 2022

Antoine Tamestit – Telemann: Viola Concertos

· by Frédéric Cardin

In this particularly frigid January 2022 comes a breath of warmth and sunshine with this album by the excellent Antoine Tamestit. There are not many works for viola from the Baroque period, but when there are, they are good! Bach’s 6th Brandenburg Concerto features two violas, a daring move at the time. Here’s another daring artist: Georg Philipp Telemann, probably the most prolific composer in history. A tireless jack-of-all-trades, brimming with curiosity and open-mindedness, the man with 6,000 opuses (at least) was one of the first to write true concertos for the viola, an instrument that was long seen as a necessary evil, useful for filling out a middle range between the piercing, heroic high notes of the violin and the rhythmic assurance and the comforting, reassuring roundness of the cello. Telemann made it a true soloist and highlighted the particularities of this unloved instrument. While the Italians snubbed it, Telemann, the German, gave it its first dazzling performances, in the form of concertos, a solo suite, and a trio sonata. Ironically, these works sound very ‘Italian’ in their fiery outbursts and frank, radiant melodies. The program is completed by two Overtures (suites of dances in the French style, with an ample and solemn initial movement) with a vivid, very colourful, and even humorous character: the Burlesque, which musically draws the characters of the commedia dell’arte, and La Changeante, with strongly contrasting movements and explosive dynamics. It’s a pleasure, brilliantly rendered by the soloist Antoine Tamestit, who at the same time vigorously conducts the Berlin Academy of Early Music. A disc that feels good as soon as it starts, and doesn’t stop until the last second. Yeah!

Latest 360 Content

FIJM | Fievel is Glauque For Dessert… Dessert loaded!

FIJM | Fievel is Glauque For Dessert… Dessert loaded!

FIJM | Misc: Beat Bouquet Well Garnished!

FIJM | Misc: Beat Bouquet Well Garnished!

FIJM | Alexis Lombre and the Holy Spirit in the South Side of Chicago

FIJM | Alexis Lombre and the Holy Spirit in the South Side of Chicago

FIJM | Allison Russel’s Apotheosis Concert in Her Hometown

FIJM | Allison Russel’s Apotheosis Concert in Her Hometown

FIJM I Best Dressed, Most Possessed: Fantastic Negrito Stupefies Rogers Stage

FIJM I Best Dressed, Most Possessed: Fantastic Negrito Stupefies Rogers Stage

FIJM 2025 | Beth McKenna : raising her Momentum

FIJM 2025 | Beth McKenna : raising her Momentum

Nuits d’Afrique | Immersion In The World of Stogie T

Nuits d’Afrique | Immersion In The World of Stogie T

FIJM | Julius Rodriguez, Jazz Groove Ace

FIJM | Julius Rodriguez, Jazz Groove Ace

FIJM | Men I Trust Shines Brightly on The Place des Festivals

FIJM | Men I Trust Shines Brightly on The Place des Festivals

FIJM | Anomalie and Lettieri: A New Musical Friendship, Developing in Real Time

FIJM | Anomalie and Lettieri: A New Musical Friendship, Developing in Real Time

FIJM | Linda May Han Oh, A Role Model for Female Double-Bass Players

FIJM | Linda May Han Oh, A Role Model for Female Double-Bass Players

Nuits d’Afrique | La Chiva Gantiva As Seen by Rafael Espinel

Nuits d’Afrique | La Chiva Gantiva As Seen by Rafael Espinel

Suoni | The Spiritual Quest, The End in Transcendence

Suoni | The Spiritual Quest, The End in Transcendence

FIJM | Thundercat, A Feline on The Loose

FIJM | Thundercat, A Feline on The Loose

FIJM | Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston Exposed

FIJM | Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston Exposed

FIJM | Branford Marsalis Among Four MF’s Playin’ Tunes… Live!

FIJM | Branford Marsalis Among Four MF’s Playin’ Tunes… Live!

FIJM | About Derrick Hodge’s Idea of the Color of Noize

FIJM | About Derrick Hodge’s Idea of the Color of Noize

FIJM | Queen of Afrobeats, Ayra confirms her status as a Global… Starr

FIJM | Queen of Afrobeats, Ayra confirms her status as a Global… Starr

FIJM | Black Jazz by Marquis Hill

FIJM | Black Jazz by Marquis Hill

Festival de Lanaudière | Leonardo Garcia Alarcon/Monteverdi’s Coronation of Poppea: being marketwise

Festival de Lanaudière | Leonardo Garcia Alarcon/Monteverdi’s Coronation of Poppea: being marketwise

FIJM | Nate Smith and his Supremely Talented Quartet

FIJM | Nate Smith and his Supremely Talented Quartet

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | Tyrane Mondeny Presents Her Mandingo Soul

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | Tyrane Mondeny Presents Her Mandingo Soul

FIJM | Nai Palm? Creature of Exception! Hawa B? Future Star!

FIJM | Nai Palm? Creature of Exception! Hawa B? Future Star!

FIJM 2025 | Funky funky, Trombone Shorty

FIJM 2025 | Funky funky, Trombone Shorty

Subscribe to our newsletter