A noted eclectic composer, Telemann published several collections
of sonatas dedicated to the flute between 1728 and 1734, each
with its own diverse characteristics. The Metodische Sonaten,
published in two volumes between 1728 and 1734, mark an exceptional
combination of creativity and tradition in the most authentic
German style, whereas the Six Partitas of La Petite Musique
de Chambre (1728) pay homage to the elegant French style.
In the flute sonatas published in Der Getreue Musik-Meister
(1728/29), the instrument is expressed with Corellian idioms,
whereas the 12 Fantasies à traversière sans
basse (1732/33) can be considered an authentic summary of
the most fashionable musical styles of that period.
Amongst these works, all of which are as greatly appreciated
today as when they were first published, the Nouvelles Sonatines
came to light, published in Hamburg in 1730/31. This collection,
made up of six sonatas with a figured bass accompaniment,
has been until recently unexplored due to an incomplete
score with the bass part missing.
In this publication, the element of instrumentation is
rather controversial: the cover indicates that Sonatas 1,3,4
and 6 can be performed on either the flute or the violin,
whereas Sonatas 2 and 5 have been “adapted”
for the recorder, but could also be performed on the bassoon
or ‘cello. During the Telemann era, the interchangeability
of instruments was a commonly-used practice, securing success
on a commercial level as, putting the composer’s best
intentions aside, being able to satisfy a broad range of
instrumentalists guaranteed an increase in sales. The exchange
between flute and violin was extremely frequent, whereas
it was much rarer to find a choice in instruments of contrasting
high and low registers. Had the complete score survived
until today, we would probably have had a better chance
of understanding which instrumentation would have been the
most appropriate in Sonatas 2 and 5. From the information
available, however, we can conclude that the sonatas in
question were originally written for other instruments.
On a purely compositional level, the Nouvelles Sonatines
do not follow a single stylistic pattern or “methodic”
path similar to those present in the works by Telemann where
attention is drawn to the didactic intention. It is also
not completely clear as to why Telemann should call them
“sonatine”. The compositions that make up the
collection are what can be defined as standard dimension
both in relation to the period and the personal style of
the composer. Regarding the difficulty of performance, they
are by no means technically simpler, and therefore not written
for amateur instrumentalists. The description “nouvelles”
seems much more appropriate as the sonatas in this collection
often, although not always, explore more modern “territory”
that will later lead to the Galante style.
References to the less innovative Italian style are also
present, although consolidated, instinctive and of great
effect (in Sonatina I) as is the late French style with
extraordinary expressive passages in Sonatina VI. The most
interesting and significant moments, however, are those
laden with the new forms of expression, to be found in all
cantabile or melodic movements and by exceptional episodes
with popularesque influences present in Sonatine III e IV.
Sonatine II and V, on the other hand, do not display the
same personal and novel inspiration as the other works in
the collection, but, on the contrary, are often reminiscent
of Vivaldian style. This also supports the hypothesis that,
as previously expressed, these works were written before
1730 and simply “adapted” to be included in
the Nouvelles Sonatines.
In brief, the collection lacks homogeneity in one sense,
but exhibits the extraordinary ecleticism of Telemann that
alternates, in a well-balanced way, tradition and innovation.
The absence of the figured bass score should not condition
or limit the re-release of this collection. In fact, there
are numerous models where composition of a new figured bass
part can be drawn upon with great approximation but without
attempting to equal the original accompaniment as written
by Telemann.
