Sonata in A Minor TWV 41:a3 - Oboe and Piano

Magdeburg, Frankfurt am Main, and Hamburg are three of the many German cities bombed to loblolly by the Allies during World War II, but they were also three important cities in the life of Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767), a composer possibly more famous than Bach in his day.  Telemann was born in Magdeburg, worked nine years in Frankfurt am Main (1712-21), and became a great figure of German music over 46 years in Hamburg (1721-1767).  His position at Hamburg involved overseeing the music in five churches and a boys' school.  In 1723 the post of Thomaskantor in Leipzig was open and Telemann was first choice.  He accepted, but was not released by the Hamburg authorities (who nonetheless increased his salary).  His friend Bach, who got the job, was third choice.  Upon Telemann's death, Bach's son and Telemann's godson, Carl Philip Emmanuel, was his successor in Hamburg. 

Telemann was a prolific composer of sacred and secular music, vocal and instrumental, including opera.  One often sees an estimate of more than 3,000 compositions, approximately half of which are lost.  Telemann was married twice.  His first wife died from complications of childbirth.  His second wife was unfaithful and finally left him for another man, but not before having nine children with Telemann.  She also frittered away his money on gambling debts. 

Telemann was a pioneer in self-publishing his music through a periodical, in this case entitled Der getreue Musikmeister, issues of which he published in 1728 and 1729.  The Sonata for Oboe and Basso Continuo in A minor is from this publication. 

Brief editorial preface.  Editors Edward Higginbottom and Peter Still.  Includes piano score, solo oboe part, and basso continuo part.