When Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) announced the publication of his Musique de Table, or Tafelmusik, in December 1732, he had already finished the composition of the work. In it, Telemann intended not only to provide music suitable for entertaining, he intended to demonstrate once and for all his superiority as a composer. He completely succeeded in both goals: each of the three parts of his Tafelmusik is not only entertaining, it is virtuoso music from a composer at the top of his form. The second part issued on Michaelmas (September 29) in 1733 consists of six separate works opening with an Overture and closing with a Conclusion that harmonically and orchestrally recapitulates the opening. Scored for oboe and trumpet with strings and basso continuo, the Overture in D major is in seven movements, starting with a three-movement French overture marked Lentement—Vite—Lentement and followed by four movements marked Air: first a joyous tempo guisto, then a bright Vivace, then a brilliant Presto, and closing with a lively Allegro.

© James Leonard, Rovi