This volume presents 13 pieces of sacred music from Telemann’s cycle “Neues Lied” based on poems by Gottfried Simonis. In 1717 Telemann composed the music to be used between Trinity Sunday and the end of the church year, in 1720/21 those meant for the first half of the church year. The edited pieces include compositions from both phases: those written for the final Sundays of the 1717 church year as well as those from the first Sunday of Advent until the third Christmas day of 1720/21.
The sacred pieces are introduced by a four-part dictum, followed by alternating arias and recitatives, and concluded by a chorale verse. The magnificently constructed introductory tutti movements are characterized by prima practica polyphony and the arias contain rich word painting to describe the emotions, while Telemann’s instrumentation shows a carefully directed use of color. Another distinguishing mark of this cycle is the rich and expressive harmony of each individual composition.
An instructive Foreword includes information on the complex genesis and the characteristics of the cycle. The Critical Commentary analyses and describes the works’ sources and history. As now established in the volumes of the “Telemann Musical Works”, an edition of the texts has been included. The volume is rounded off by facsimiles of both the music and text sources.