These duets are amongst the most enduring and best loved works of Telemann's prolific career.

Part of the secret lies in their flexibility. These are not arrangements of larger scale pieces, but simple canonic duets, presented as they were written. Telemann wrote them with a variety of different instruments in mind, restricting the range to two octaves.

Part of their charm lies in their wit. Each duet consists of a single melody line with the second player joining the first a bar or two into the piece, in much the same way as children do when they sing rounds like Frere Jacques or London's Burning. Telemann manages to build whole movements and modulations whilst maintaining the canon.

The final attraction is the melodies themselves. Telemann was a master melodist and every duet captures a different mood.

This volume contains three sonatas, each with three movements. Volume 2 is available from my homepage

Sonata 1 in G Major

Vivace

Adagio

Allegro

Sonata 2 in G Minor

Presto

Largo

Vivace

Sonata 3 in D Major

Spirituoso

Larghetto

Allegro Assai