Telemann, Georg Philipp

(14 March 1681, Magdeburg, Germany – 25 June 1767, Hamburg)

   A self-taught musician and perhaps the most prolific composer of the 18th century, he entered Leipzig University in 1701 and was soon composing for St. Thomas and St. Nicholas, important city churches. In 1704, he was appointed organist at the New Church, a third Leipzig church, and his productive activities there aroused the ire of Johann Kuhnau, the Leipzig cantor. By June 1705, he moved to Sorau to be Kapellmeister to Count Erdmann II, and by 24 December 1708 he was in Saxe-Eisenach to serve Duke Johann Wilhelm and was appointed concertmaster in August 1709. Desiring the comparative freedom of a church composer, he won the post of Kapellmeister at the Barfüsserkirche in Frankfurt and arrived on 18 March 1712. On 17 September 1721, he took up his last post as cantor of the Johanneum Lateinschule and music director of the five main churches of Hamburg.

   Because the Hamburg services required cantatas before and after the sermon and at the conclusion, it is believed that Telemann composed about 1700, of which 1400 survive, about 12 liturgical cycles. Four cycles were published, highly unusual at the time, and in general his cantatas circulated widely and continued to be heard in Protestant churches throughout Germany until the end of the century. Twenty-three liturgical passions exist as well as five other passion oratorios and seven sacred oratorios. He also composed about 15 motets with continuo, a Magnificat, and several Latin masses and psalm settings.