G. Ph. Telemann’s Concertos for Four Violins withoutbassocontinuoin the aspect of onomatopoeic and figurative rhetoric

Abstract

Statement of the problem. In musicology there has long been a tacit belief that Baroque music is the music of rhetoric, rhetorical figures and affects. In Baroque aesthetics, rhetoric, which is an important element of Baroque poetics, is perceived as an integral part of the content of a musical piece that together with form, harmony, counterpoint and musical expression form its integral substance. The study of Baroque music from the perspective of the rhetorical aspect gives a clearer comprehension of the work, understanding the context, and the competent interpretation of the composer’s idea. Analysis of recent research and publication. The theoretical assumptions of this article are based both on historical treatises (M. Praetorius, Ch. Bernhard, J. Mattheson) and authoritative works of researchers who studied theoretical issues of historically informed performance of the late XX – early XXI century (D. Bartel, L. Dreyfus), including relatively new works (M. Zgółka, P. Zawistowski, A. Mocek). M. Zgółka (2016) adopts a rather traditional approach to rhetoric, which operates with rhetorical figures and affects, and at the same time offers an innovative division of rhetoric into three varieties. Referring to the most important treatises L. Dreyfus (2004) makes us think about the relevance of making parallels between oratory and musical rhetoric highlighting common features and differences. A. Mocek’s (2019) view on musical rhetoric and on the studies devoted to it is quite critical. The main objective of the study is to examine G. Ph. Telemann’s Concertos for Four Violins without basso continuo from the perspective of figurative and onomatopoeic rhetoric. The scientific novelty. In this research for the first time, Telemann’s Concertos were analyzed from the perspective of onomatopoeic and figurative rhetoric. The concept of division of rhetoric into three categories (onomatopoeic, figurative, symbolically mystical) was proposed by the Polish violinist and theorist M. Zgółka (2016). The author uses the following methods in this research: historical, typological, comparative and structural-functional analysis. Results. The analysis of four concertos demonstrates that G. Ph. Telemann uses not only figurative type of rhetoric but also onomatopoeic, successfully combining these two categories. In comparison with, for example, A. Vivaldi or H. I. F. von Biber, the palette of sound imitative techniques in the concertos of G. Ph. Telemann is not so diverse and comprehensive, however, elements of onomatopoeic rhetoric can be found both in fast and slow movements: sound of organ or bells as well as sound images of nature. The composer does not refuse from the elements of figurative rhetoric. Like in his duo sonatas, these are mainly represented by figures that describe a melodic motion. Such techniques are often found in polyphonic quick movements. In the lyrical slow movements, similarly to the duo sonatas, harmony, polyphony and intervals are brought to the fore. Conclusions. G. Ph. Telemann’s cycle of Concertos for Four Violins without continuo is an interesting example of chamber music not only in terms of composition but also from the view point of the usage and combination of various types of musical rhetoric. Knowledge of the rhetorical component brings researchers and performers to a new, more comprehensive level of understanding of the composer’s music, allowing us to consider the emotional content not only of the work as a whole, but also of each single intonation.