Heinz Holliger, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Iona Brown - Telemann: Oboe Concertos (1982)

Although this recording is now at least temporarily out of press it combines the finest oboist of our day, Holliger, with the most sensitive interpreter of Telemann in my experience: Iona Brown with the Orchestra of St. Martin and the Fields. That's particularly important because groups that don't understand or exploit Telemann's sense of musical drama, instrumental color and special effects, and ingenious interactions between orchestra and soloist can reduce a blood-pressure raising work to just baroque music. I expect to offer a more detailed sampler of Telemann recordings and comment in the future. For now let me point out the opening oboe concerto as a unique masterpiece. It begins with a catchy ostinato theme in the orchestra. The oboe weaves some melodies around this theme with increasing intensity until in after a dramatic transition the oboe takes up the theme in a high register - producing an unexpected dramatic effect. Buy or steal the record and listen to the Concerto in E (and others) carefully. Don't use the record as background music! If you do pay attention, I suspect you may never think of Telemann the same way in the future.