Released on 16th October is the London Handel Players new album of Telemann’s Paris Quartets Volume 2: Nouveaux Quatuors, on SOMM Recordings.
In celebration of the 25th-anniversary of London Handel Players in 2025, SOMM Recordings released Telemann “Paris” Quartets, Volume 1: Quadri [SOMMCD 0698]. Critics lauded the album for its deep affection and impeccable musicianship, with Gramophone highlighting flautist Rachel Brown’s “easy agility” and the group’s rich, inviting tone; and BBC Music Magazine praising their attention to subtle, expressive details.
Now, they release Telemann “Paris” Quartets, Volume 2, featuring the Nouveaux Quatuors, written in Paris in 1737-8 whilst Telemann was in the city for an 8-month period. Like the earlier set of Quadri (released as Volume 1), the six Nouveaux Quatuors are scored for flute, violin, viola da gamba, and continuo, with an optional adaptation of the gamba part for cello. The set comprises six suites, each with six or seven movements, and Telemann exploits countless ways of combining the instruments to create a huge variety of textures.
somm-recordings.com/recording/telemann-paris-quartets-vol-2-nouveaux-quatuors