12 Viola da Gamba Fantasias, TWV 40:26–37 is a remarkable collection of solo fantasias by Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann, first published in Hamburg in 1735. For centuries these works were thought lost, until their rediscovery in 2015 and publication in a new edition in 2016.
Each of the twelve fantasias has its own distinctive mood and technical character:
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C minor (Adagio – Allegro – Adagio – Allegro)
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D major (Vivace – Andante – Vivace Presto)
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E minor (Largo – Presto – Vivace)
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F major (Vivace – Grave – Allegro)
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B-flat major (Allegro – Largo – Allegro)
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G major (Scherzando – Dolce – Spirituoso)
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G minor (Andante – Vivace – Allegro)
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A major (Allegro – Vivace – Allegro)
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C major (Presto – Grave – Allegro)
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E major (Dolce – Allegro – Dolce – Allegro Siciliana Scherzando)
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D minor (Allegro – Grave – Allegro)
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E-flat major (Andante – Allegro – Vivace)
Written at a time when the viola da gamba was falling out of fashion, these works demonstrate Telemann’s inventive genius, blending broken chords, counterpoint, virtuosic passages, pizzicato, and shifts between galant and fugal styles.
Since their rediscovery, the Fantasias have been reintroduced to the concert stage and recorded by leading gambists, quickly becoming an essential part of the modern viola da gamba repertoire.
Target audience: Advanced musicians and Baroque enthusiasts seeking expressive and technically demanding solo repertoire for the viola da gamba.
| Arrangement | Guitar |
| Genres | Classical |
| Level | 4 |
| NumberOfPages | 44 |
| Publisher | Mel Bay Publications |
| Contributors | Cross, Paul-Ballam(Composer) |
| Language | English |
| ISBN | 9781513483306 |