Sonata in C major, TWV 41:C5
Sonatina in A minor, TWV 41:a4
Sonata in F minor, TWV 41:f2
Sonatina in C minor, TWV 41:c2
Sonata in F major, TWV 41:F2
Sonata in D minor, TWV 41:d4
Sonata in F minor, TWV 41:f1
Sonata in C major, TWV 41:C2

Acknowledged as one of the world's best recorder players, and having released over 30 critically acclaimed recordings on the BIS label over the last 35 years, I'm ashamed to admit that up until now his recordings had completely flown under my radar, despite I myself having sold many copies during my years in music retail. My excuse is that I was too busy listening to other things and I'm sticking to that story.

In the booklet notes, Dan Laurin himself points out that "for most players of the instrument, the Recorder Sonatas of Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) belong to our musical DNA." They certainly are in my opinion, consummate and quintessential examples of the instrument's musical and sonic qualities and capabilities. Telemann was a self-taught German composer and instrumentalist who held many important posts throughout the country as Kapellmeister and Konzertmeister. Compared to two of his most famous contemporaries, I find that his music presents more stylistic diversity than Vivaldi, and more expressive freedom than Bach.

Many of Dan Laurin's aforementioned recordings, including his 1987 debut on the BIS label, were devoted to the music of Telemann, and his mastery of the composer is plainly obvious in this return to the Sonatas. There's a technical ease to the faster movements, and a natural beauty of tone to the slow movements. And with commendable support and musical parity from Anna Paradiso (harpsichord) and Mats Olofsson (cello), each and every note of this new recording sound veritably authentic, but without the affectation so pervasive within HIP (Historically Informed Performance) productions.