Kim Patrick Clow wrote:

>There is a new cd on DG-Archiv featuring String Concerti/Divertimenti
>of Telemann, with Musica Antiqua Koln with Reinhard Goebbel
>conducting.
>
>He also doubles as liner notes author. ...
>
>First: Reinhard Goebbel suggests that theres never ever been a
>satisfactory explanation as to why Telemann turned down the
>offer of the Kantorship of Leipzig. ...
>
>Any thoughts on this and why would Maestro Goebbel (who is no slouch
>in understanding Baroque music and or history) would suggest that theres
>never been a reasonable explanation of Telemann's turning down the job
>in Leipzig?

Let me begin my stating that I'm no Bach or Telemann expert.  Having
bought this recording just a few days ago myself and reading the
liner notes by Goebbel, I story came to mind which I heard back in my
undergraduate music history course, to wit: the person chosen to take
the Leipzig position had to marry the ugly daughter of the Elector (or
something like that).  Understandably, there may have been some who wished
to pass on the job.  Am I remembering this correctly, or was this another
position in another city which I'm (mis)remembering? This may be the
"non-serious" reasoning behind Telemann's refusal.

>Second: Reinhard Goebbel said that the position in Leipzig would had
>been a step down for Telemann, and was only a step up for Bach.  Telemann
>had kept his official title of ChapelMaster from his previous courts by his
>continual supply of music to those courts.  Bach, was moving up according
>to Goebbel.  That I really would disagree with.  Telemann essentially had
>the same sort of position in Hamburg: he was a civil servant for the
>city-state of Hamburg.  Just as the position was in Leipzig.  Bach had
>already held a position of ChapelMaster.  So I am a little muddled as
>to why Maestro Reinhard Goebbel would make such a comment as this one.

It seems to me that Goebel lays out his reason in the notes: Telemann was
born into and lived in the "Protestant ecclesiastical 'aristocracy'".  He
therefore viewed the Leipzig position -- comparable, according to Goebel,
more or less to a servant's status -- as beneath him.  It seems Goebel is
referring to class differentiation rather than anything having to do with
job descriptions -- an element of the sociological framework of Telemann's
music and biography to which the author refers in his liner notes.  (This
may also answer the first question issued by Kim above.)

I'm not a reviewer by trade, but I recommend highly this new disc by
Goebel.  (I can't offer specific product information since I don't have
the CD with me, but it is on the Archiv label.) All but one of the pieces
is new to my ears; I've heard the G major "Concerto Polonois" before on
Hogwood's Telemann CD.

Mark K. Ehlert