City of Light, State of Enlightenment

In 1737 Georg Phillip Telemann traveled from Hamburg to Paris at the invitation of four Parisian instrumental stars, confirming his fame as one of Europe’s most revered and popular composers. Telemann’s book of six Quadri for flute, violin, viola da gamba, and basso continuo, had just been reprinted in Paris, where quartets were all the rage. These six, together with a subsequent book of six Nouveaux Quatuors, came later to be known as the “Paris Quartets,” and formed the backbone of an innovative, forward-looking compositional style then ascendant throughout Europe. With longtime collaborator Héloïse Degrugillier, Filament takes a deep dive into Telemann’s iconic quartets, pairing them with works of other Parisians, including François Couperin and Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre.