Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767), who is considered one of the most prolific composers in Western music, was born in Magdeburg, which was part of the Electorate of Brandenburg. Like most composers of the Baroque era, he received his first musical training by learning to play the organ at a local church. In 1701 he enrolled at Leipzig University to study law, but he soon began composing works for several of Leipzig’s Lutheran churches. After a brief stint in Eisenach, Telemann moved to Frankfurt am Main in 1712, where he became music director for two of the city’s main churches. A highly productive and successful composer, Telemann wrote music for churches and civic ceremonies as well as for ensembles and individual musicians. In 1721, he moved to Hamburg, where he was appointed cantor of the famous Johanneum Latin School and music director of the city’s five major churches. He was to spend the rest of this life in Hamburg and shape the city’s musical culture.
Telemann composed this concerto for recorder and bassoon in 1750. More than any other composer of the German Baroque era, Telemann is credited with elevating the status of the recorder through his compositions by exploring the instrument’s full range.