Georg Philipp Telemann

March 14, 1681 – June 25, 1767

He was born in Magdeburg, Germany in 1681 to a family not particularly gifted in music. Telemann’s father died in 1685, leaving his mother to raise and oversee the education of the children. Georg began to discover music at age 10, and quickly showed talent, composing his first opera by age 12. But this talent was not approved of by his family. His mother confiscated all of his musical instruments and in 1693 sent him to a new school, hoping that this change would put the boy on a more lucrative career path. However, the superintendent of this school approved of his talents, and Georg continued to compose and expand his knowledge of music on his own. By the time he completed his studies Georg had learned to play (almost entirely by himself) the recorder, organ, violin, viola da gamba, flute, oboe, chalumeau, double bass and bass trombone

In 1701, He entered Leipzig University intending to study law, but it was not long before his musical talent was discovered and he was commissioned to write music for two of the city’s main churches. He also founded a 40-member Collegium Musicum to give concerts of his music. The next year, he became the director of Leipzig’s opera house and cantor of one of its churches, which angered an elder composer whose prominent musical position was threatened by Georg’s activities.

He left Leipzig in 1705 to become Kapellmeister for the court of Count Erdmann II in Sorau (now Zary, Poland). Here he composed many overtures and suites in his two years at the post. An invasion of Germany by Sweden forced Count Erdmann's court to evacuate the castle. Georg apparently visited Paris , where he met Johann Sebastian Bach. The major position of his life was his appointment in 1721 as musical director of the five main churches in Hamburg, a position he would hold for the rest of his life. Here he wrote two cantatas for each Sunday, as well as other sacred music for special occasions, all while teaching singing and music theory and directing another collegium musicum, which gave weekly or bi-weekly performances. Telemann also directed the local opera house for a few years, but this proved a financial failure.

When the position once held by his jealous elder in Leipzig became vacant, Telemann applied for the position. He was the favored candidate, even winning the approval of the city’s council, but declined the position (after using the offer as leverage for a pay raise in Hamburg). When he declined the job, it was offered to Christoph Graupner, who also declined it, paving the way for J.S. Bach, who accepted the position. Georg augmented his Hamburg pay with a few small positions in other courts and through publishing volumes of his own music.

Starting around 1740, his output decreased as he began to focus more on writing theoretical treatises. During this time he corresponded with some younger composers, including Franz Benda and his godson, C.P.E. Bach. Following the death of his eldest son Andreas in 1755, Telemann assumed the responsibility of raising his grandson Georg Michael Telemann, and beginning the future composer’s education in music. Many of his sacred oratorios date from this period. In his later years,

His eyesight began to deteriorate, and this led to a decline in his output around 1762, but the composer continued to write until his death on June 25, 1767.