Georg philipp telemann brief biography of benjamin
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Georg Philipp Telemann (1681 – 1767)
The era of the German late baroque brought forth Bach and Handel, two of the greatest musical geniuses. But Georg Philipp Telemann, born in 1681, was considered equal, if not superior, to them at the time.
Telemann was the most fruitful composer of his time. He was a man who was apparently always and restlessly active throughout his life.
He began writing his first opera at the age of twelve. As an adolescent he composed music for performances of religious dramas at his school. He gave up music when he went to Leipzig to study law at the university there. But when his talent was discovered, he was commissioned to write a cantata for the city’s main church every two weeks. At twenty-one, he became director of the Collegium musicum and the opera house. Three years later, in Sorau in Brandenburg (today in Poland), he worked as a conductor for the Count of Promnitz. Around 1708 he moved to Eisenach, where he conducted the court orchestra and composed cantatas and instrumental works. In 1712 he moved to Frankfurt where he soon became municipal music director. In 1721 he finally settled in Hamburg, one of the wealthiest German cities. There he became director of church music at the five main churches. A special attraction of Ha
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If you grew up playing classical music, I’d wager that you played something by Georg Philipp Telemann. The odds would be in my favor—he composed about 3000 works over his lifetime (more than Bach and Handel, combined). Granted, he had a very long career to do so, having been a child prodigy on several instruments and going on to live a very long and productive life. Vivaldi turned out a huge number of compositions, but Telemann truly worked like an incredible machine (for you, Gert).
Interestingly, Telemann’s parents were set against his having any career in music, notwithstanding his obvious gifts—Telemann was an accomplished musician on several instruments by the age of 10 and had even composed an opera by 13. No music for you! His parents sent him to Leipzig to study law instead. But greatness has a way of sneaking out and one of his compositions was performed locally, was a hit, and he was off and running in what was decidedly the antithesis of a legal career.
Teleman’s music was wildly popular during his lifetime and he was considered the superior composer to J.S. Bach. Why? I don’t think that’s much of a mystery. Bach was, outside of a few major choral works, an instrumentalist.
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