12 questions · Music
Georg Philipp Telemann, born in Magdeburg in 1681, essentially taught himself composition: his mother even confiscated the twelve-year-old's instruments so he would take up a 'respectable' profession. In vain: while studying law in Leipzig he founded a student ensemble, the Collegium musicum, took charge of opera performances, and was soon the most sought-after young musician in town. In 1721 Telemann took up the post he would hold for 46 years: music director of Hamburg's five principal churches. On the side he ran the opera house at the Gänsemarkt, put on public concerts and published his own music: a modern musical entrepreneur long before the word existed. His industry was proverbial: with well over 3,600 documented works, Telemann counts among the most prolific composers of all time, including some 1,750 church cantatas, the famous 'Tafelmusik' ('Table Music'), and 'Der getreue Music-Meister', Germany's first music periodical. In his lifetime Telemann was more famous than his friend Johann Sebastian Bach: indeed, Telemann stood godfather to Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel, who later succeeded him in the Hamburg post. A lifelong friendship also bound him to Handel, who sent rarities from London for Telemann's other great passion, gardening: exotic plants for the music director's flower beds. Did you know that Hamburg's authorities initially wanted to forbid their church music director from giving public concerts? Telemann prevailed, as he almost always did. He died in Hamburg in 1767, aged 86; only posterity unjustly pushed him into Bach's shadow, but his music has long since been rediscovered.
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Baroque
In his lifetime he was more famous than his friend Johann Sebastian Bach.
💡 Did you know? In his lifetime Telemann was far more famous than his friend Bach: the most prolific composer of the Baroque, indeed of music history.
Magdeburg
He largely taught himself composition: his mother even confiscated his instruments.
💡 Did you know? Telemann was almost entirely self-taught: against his family's wishes he taught himself to compose single-handed.
Hamburg
On the side he ran the opera at the Gänsemarkt and put on public concerts.
💡 Did you know? For 46 years Telemann was music director of Hamburg's five main churches: supplying the city with a vast stream of new music.
most prolific composer
Including some 1,750 church cantatas: three times as many as survive by Bach.
💡 Did you know? He admitted he could no longer count his own works.
Tafelmusik
Self-published in 1733 (among the subscribers): a certain Handel of London.
💡 Did you know? Telemann's „Tafelmusik“ was meant as refined dinner entertainment: subscribers across Europe, including Handel, pre-ordered the scores.
Carl Philipp Emanuel
His godson even succeeded him in the Hamburg post.
💡 Did you know? Telemann was godfather to Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel; the two families were close friends, and the son later inherited Telemann's post in Hamburg.
rare plants
Gardening was Telemann's other great passion: the friendship with Handel lasted a lifetime.
💡 Did you know? Handel joked that Telemann could write an eight-part piece as quickly as others write a letter.
law
On the side he founded the student Collegium musicum: which Bach later took over.
💡 Did you know? Telemann was meant to study law in Leipzig: but when his secretly composed music was noticed, his calling won out.
Der getreue Music-Meister
A 'lesson' with new pieces every two weeks: music by subscription, a pioneering feat.
💡 Did you know? With „Der getreue Music-Meister“, Telemann published Germany's first music periodical in 1728: music to play yourself, delivered in instalments.
self-publishing
He even engraved his own printing plates and organised Europe-wide subscriptions: an early musical entrepreneur.
💡 Did you know? Telemann was also a modern entrepreneur: he engraved his scores himself, printed and sold them under his own imprint and profited handsomely.
86
He died in Hamburg in 1767: in office to the last; his successor was his godson C. P. E. Bach.
💡 Did you know? Telemann lived to 86 and stayed creative to the last: a hale and astonishingly long composer's life.
Foto: Valentin Daniel Preisler · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann was a German Baroque composer and the most prolific composer in music history: more famous than Bach in his lifetime.
💡 Did you know? He was godfather to Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel and sold his music enterprisingly under his own imprint.
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