Hidden treasures Georg Philip Telemann Ouverture burlesque (1717 22)

History (based on the Grove Dictionary of Music): The history of classical music, like any other art form, is hinged upon a myriad of overamplified legends and ironic twists of fate. Georg Philip Telemann (16811767) is a striking example of the latter: virtually forgotten in the 19th century and rediscovered only in recent times, the composer s contemporaries were virtually unanimous in counting Telemann among the best composers of his time, comparing him favorably to composers of his own generation, namely Bach and Handel, and even writing, after his death, that his name is his eulogy. Though showing signs of a great talent at an early age, Telemann was pushed by his family toward studying law, but even in his university career at Leipzig he gravitated toward music. After his efforts to conceal his musical gifts from the other students were confounded by a roommate discovering a setting of Psalm VI that had somehow found its way into his luggage, Telemann s musical career went on almos