Georg Philipp Telemann left a huge legacy of works in all the established vocal and instrumental genres. Out of this nearly endless amount of music, Sigiswald Kujiken and La Petite Bande have selected two suites and two instrumental concertos focussing on the recorder, as well as viola da gamba, violin and oboe, as solo instruments.

These works demonstrate Telemann’s pronounced stylistic variety: virtuoso, Italian elements dominate in the famous A-minor Suite for recorder, TWV 55:a2 (which could have served as the model for J S Bach's B-minor Suite for transverse flute), whereas the Suite in D major for viola da gamba, TWV 55:D6 is rather orientated on French models.

Telemann employs both measured and energetic dance movements, as well as onomatopoetic character pieces. The Concerto in G major, TWV 43:G6 for recorder, oboe, violin and basso continuo is actually more of a quartet, for there is no orchestra with which the soloists could enter into dialogue. In the Double Concerto for recorder and viola da gamba in A minor, TWV 52:a1, an orientation towards the more recent gallant style can already be observed.

This diversity is performed with great virtuosity and a wide range of colours by La Petite Bande, playing here in chamber-music instrumentation.