Absolute record holder in music, Telemann signed about 6000 works of all kinds. That is to say, there is plenty of material to delve into his catalogue and make some beautiful discoveries. This is the case with the invigorating program of energy and attractive melodies offered to us by violinist Isabelle Faust, accompanied by the Academy of Ancient Music of Berlin. The “Overture-Suite in B minor” includes exciting passages that Faust handles with bewildering ease and above all with a sure hand that maximises the inherent electricity of this inspired score. The other highlight of the album (although the whole program is excellent), is the “Violin Concerto in A major, The Frogs,” which includes frog vocalisations with a violin sliding as desired. A perfectly successful touch of humour that does not betray the musical quality of the master’s writing. I would go even further: it reveals Telemann’s avant-garde aspirations. You would indeed have difficulty believing that the sounds heard were written down in a score over 250 years ago. The “Violin Concerto in A minor” and the one for violin, trumpet, cello and strings in D major also have a lot of spirit, without having as much character. The “Sonata for Trumpet and Strings in D major” and its French character are elegantly deployed, while the “Gulliver’s Travels Suite for 2 violins” is curiously rather bland, compared to the rest, but not without merits. All in all, a brilliant album that makes you want to return to it very frequently.
