GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN

Concerto for Viola & Strings

Full Score
Edited from the urtext
by Alan Bonds
 PREFACE

This edition was prepared from the original ms at Darmstadt University and later
published by Bärenreiter Verlag (1955).
It’s main purpose is to ornament the first movement in the manner of the period.
This idea is based on Telemann’s six Method Sonatas for Violin or Flute.
The original advertising material stated that “The Sonatas will be very useful to those
that wish to apply themselves to cantabile ornamentation”.

Telemann offers two versions of the cantabile movements (usually the first movement)
- one unadorned, the other floridly ornamented in accordance with French and Italian
taste.
Interestingly, none of the ‘slow’ movements (usually the 3rd) has extra ornamentation.
They are sometimes quite ornate and sometimes marked with words like semplice.

By good chance, the B flat major Method Sonata 1st movement has the same time
signature of 3/2 and marked Largo. It too has the same Chaconne-like phrasing
commencing on the 2nd beat of the bar. Likewise, many of the half-notes are marked
staccato in the ornamented version. Therefore it provides an excellent model for
embellishments in the 1st movement of the Viola Concerto.

My version is a fairly basic attempt. Players should try the B flat Sonata and then try
out their own.

But I am certain that the soloist would not have entered playing the same material as
the orchestra. It would have been unthinkable to a baroque string player. It provided the
ideal opportunity to show off their virtuosic skills of improvization and ornamentation.
I am also sure that the staccato markings in the 1st movement indicate a dance-like lilt,
perhaps derived from the Chaconne.

Alan Bonds
Perth, Western Australia
July 2016

abonds@swiftdsl.com.au
Viola solo
Concerto in G major
I Largo for Viola, Strings and Continuo G. Ph. Telemann

II Allegro
Viola solo
Viola solo
III Andante

Cadenza

IV Presto
Viola solo
Violin 1 Concerto in G major
for Viola and String Orchestra Georg Phillip Telemann
Largo

12

18

24

30

35

41

47

52
Violin 1 2
Allegro

10

19

27

31

41

49

56

63

67

73
Violin 1 3
Andante

12

15

21

27

Presto

12

20
Violin 1 4
26

33

39

45

51

60

70

78

85

91

98

104
Violin 2 Concerto in G major
for Viola and String Orchestra Georg Phillip Telemann
Largo

11

17

23

29

35

41

47

53
Violin 2 2
Allegro

10

19

27

31

37

44

53

61

66

72
Violin 2 3
Andante

12

15

21

28

Presto

13

22
Violin 2 4
29

35

41

48

57

64

76

84

90

96

103
Viola Concerto in G major
for Viola and String Orchestra Georg Phillip Telemann
Largo

12

18

24

29

35

41

47

53
Viola 2
Allegro

12

19

25

30

36

43

52

58

64

71
Viola 3
Andante

13

17

22

27

Presto

13

22
Viola 4
29

35

41

48

57

64

73

82

89

95

102
Basso Continuo Concerto in G major
for Viola and String Orchestra Georg Phillip Telemann
Largo

12

18

23

29

35

41

47

53
Basso Continuo 2
Allegro

11

17

23

29

35

42

48

54

61

71
Basso Continuo 3
Andante

15

19

23

27

Presto

13

20

27
Basso Continuo 4
33

39

45

52

58

65

71

77

85

91

97

103