Die Tageszeiten TVWV 20:39

The cantata cycle Die Tageszeiten, which was composed in Hamburg in 1757, is one of the outstanding late works of Georg Philipp Telemann. A Symphonie and four cantatas (each of which consists of an aria, accompagnato, aria, and chorus) portray, in a richly sensitive manner, the course of a day, beginning with the awakening of nature to the sunset. The poetry of Friedrich Wilhelm Zachariae and Telemann’s music herald the beauty of nature, as well as the greatness of God revealed within it. Colorful instrumentation and pictures in sound corresponding to each time of the day, delicate compositional structure, and an ingenious realization of the text characterize this work, whose musical idiom is at times reminiscent of Haydn.

Scoring: Soli SATB, Coro SATB, 2 Fl, 2 Ob, Fg, Tr, 2 Vl, Va, Vga, Bc