G.P. Telemann: Collected Works

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767),
if his mother had had her way, would never have become a composer. Despite the fact that he composed large-scale works from a very early age, his mother insisted that he should study law in Leipzig. But it was soon evident that his heart lay in music. Passing through Halle on his way to Leipzig, he took the opportunity to make acquaintance with George Frideric Handel, with whom he established a friendship. Telemann showed perseverance (a trait which was to stand him in good stead), and stuck to his ambitions as a composer. He gained a post in Leipzig, where he founded the Collegium Musicum later directed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Posts in Sorau, Eisenach (where he got to know Bach) and Frankfurt followed, and in 1721 he gained a top position as music director of nearly all the major churches of Hamburg.