Telemann Sonatas for Two

“Whether searching for sight-readable tunes for a wedding gig, wishing to bolster the duet repertoire of a private lessons studio, or to casually make music with friends, players will find that Deborah Greenblatt’s arrangements of eight sonatas by Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann offer the intermediate player a wealth of accessible material. The core of the collection is Telemann’s six canonic sonatas, originally written for two recorders or two violins. Also included are his Sonata in G, originally written for flute and violin, and Sonata No. 1 in F, originally written for recorder and basso continuo. Each canonic sonata follows a three-movement form and was composed as a unison canon, meaning that except for the piece endings, each part is identical, though offset by several beats. Hearing this succession of exact parts creates a nice interchange that can be especially helpful for a duo learning to match playing style and articulation. To contrast, the four-movement and slightly more challenging sonatas in G and F contain some canon writing, but generally follow a melody-harmony format. Greenblatt’s edition is easy to read and provides the most important notations---bowings, ornaments, and dynamics... A solid offering of several enjoyable duets.”

“The indefatigable Greenblatt team has brought out Telemann’s Sonatas for Two violins, violas, cellos, basses or mandolins. The first six are intermediate level canons; the remaining two sonatas are more difficult. As all the tunes are in the same keys, the books can be mixed and matched for any combination. Enjoy playing with a friend on another instrument or take turns playing lead or harmony parts. Telemann’s vibrant and imaginative tunes never disappoint and are enhanced by Greenblatt’s clear bold printing and layout.”