Telemann: Tafelmusik, Second Production

Of Telemann’s vast instrumental output, the Musique de Table is probably the most important and impressive part. Musique de Table or Tafelmusik was music intended to be played as background, or rather entertainment for festive banquets. Telemann composed his in three different productions or cycles, which are formally quite similar, but differ as to instrumentation. All consist of an orchestral suite, a quartet, an orchestral concerto, a trio sonata, a solo sonata with continuo and an orchestral conclusion, which, as a finale to the whole cycle, really represents the final movement to the opening orchestral suite. Each of these constituent parts is a complete composition in itself and can be performed separately.