Isabelle Faust: Telemann

The Strad Issue: December 2025

Description: Effervescent playing brings a Baroque master to life

Musicians: Isabelle Faust (violin) Ute Hartwich (trumpet) Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin/Bernhard Forck (violin)

Works: Telemann: Violin Concertos: A major ‘The Frogs’ TWV51:A4, A minor TWV51:a1; Concerto in D major for violin, trumpet, cello, strings and continuo TWV53:D5; Suite in B minor for violin, strings and continuo TWV55:h4; Sonata in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo TWV44:1; Suite in D major for two violins ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ TWV40:108; Circle Canon in E minor for two violins TWV Anh.40:103 (attrib. Quantz); Fantasia no.3 in B minor for flute TWV40:4

Catalogue number: HARMONIA MUNDI HMM902756

Isabelle Faust is an inspirational soloist in these well-engineered recordings, switching effortlessly between Telemann’s various styles and instrumental genres and matching skilfully executed bravura in TWV53:D5’s Vivace with sonorous lyricism in TWV51:a1’s Adagios. Much of her playing is lightly bowed, as in the seven-movement Suite’s Ouverture and the ensuing dance-orientated movements.

She adds inventive extempore ornamentation as appropriate and exploits dynamic and timbral contrasts to great effect; her occasional introduction of sul ponticello is particularly striking, notably in TWV55:h4’s energetic ‘Rodomontade’ and TWV51:a1’s finale.

She and her colleagues revel in illustrating the programmatic content of TWV51:A4, creating a chorus of varied amphibian vocalisations in its opening Allegro and elsewhere. Further orchestral colour is provided by astute use of a bassoon (TWV51:A4) and a lute (TWV44:1), the latter seemingly driving TWV51:a1’s final Presto to its conclusion.

Adeptly partnered by the agile violinist Bernhard Forck, Faust uses artistic licence regarding tempos in TWV40:108’s fourth movement. Ute Hartwich is a polished trumpet soloist in TWV44:1; she also interacts well with Faust in TWV53:D5 above Katharina Litschig’s spry obbligato cello. However, the programme choices of a flute fantasia, rather than one specifically for violin, and the circular canon, which has long been attributed to Quantz, seem bizarre.

ROBIN STOWELL