Telemann: Polonoise

In 1705, German composer Georg Philipp Telemann left Leipzig to spend six months in Poland as music director to the court of Erdmann II, Count of Promnitz. The music he heard, both at court and in the local taverns, made a huge impression on him. This thrilling album lifts the lid on the music Telemann was inspired to write, and it’s full of the lively rhythms and piquant harmonies that he encountered. The *Polonié* and *Polonesie* suites that open the album are filled with the colorful dances that he transcribed during his stay, while the earthiness of the *Partie polonoise* (tracks 16-22) is utterly compelling. The musicians of Holland Baroque prove to be scintillating guides.