Hamburger Admiralitätsmusik (Hamburg Admiralty Music) TWV 24:1 is a secular oratorio for soloists, choir and orchestra composed by Georg Philipp Telemann to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hamburg's admiralty. It was first performed on April 6, 1723, along with Telemann's Wassermusik (Hamburger Ebb' und Fluth) at a banquet for the city's merchants, sea captains, and councillors that lasted until dawn. The work is on a nautical theme and set to verses by Michael Richey, a professor at the Johanneum school in Hamburg where Telemann also taught.
Structure
Overture in D major
ChorusUnschätzbarer Vorwurf erkenntlicher Sinnen!RecitativeSo lange mir der Augen Licht erlaubtAria (Hammonia)Ich nähre dich mit tausend FreudenRecitativeJawohl, glücksel'ge StadtAria (Mercurius)In der Börse gepresstem GetummelRecitativeBerühme dich, Mercur, der Ruhe nichtAria (Themis)Die Freiheit schmeichelt zwarRecitativeUnleugbar ist dein RuhmAria (Mars)Frecher HarpyienRecitativeIch höre ...Aria-Round SongGlück zuRecitativeMit was für unverrhofften ChörenAria (Hammonia)Mit euch, ihr holden beidenRecitativeDer Elbe dienstbefliss'ne Wellen Aria (Neptunus)Dein Wohlergehn, o SchönsteRecitativeUnd ich, o meines Ufers KöniginAria (Albis)Schwelt, ihr wasserreichen GrundeRecitativeSchau, mächtiger NeptunAria-Duet (Hammonia/Albis)Erwähle, mit gewog'ner HandRecitativeWelch angenehmer AufenthaltChorus of The Nymphs And TritonsSage, schönster NymphenchorRecitativeMein Glück ist ungemeinAria (Mercurius)Wann Himmel und Erde veraltenRecitativeMit innigstem ErgötzenAria (Albis)Steh aller Welt zum Wunder daRecitativeWünscht jedermann dem werten HamburgAria (Neptunus)Gewogener Sternen erfreuliche SchlüsseRecitative and ChorusIhr GötterAria (Albis)Ihr munteren HörnerRecitativeSo recht!Concluding ChorusHamburg, du Ehre
Scoring The Hamburger Admiralitätsmusik was composed for: 6 soloists SATBBB, 2 piccolos, recorder, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, oboe d'amore, 2 bassoons, 3 trumpets, 3 horns, drums, 2 violins, viola, cellos and basso continuo.Telemann's secular oratorios, Robert Poliquin, Université du Québec (translated from the original French)
Roles: Hammonia (S), Themis (A), Mercurius (T), Neptunus (B), Mars (B), Albis (B)
Recording Telemann: Hamburger Admiralitätsmusik; Overture in C (Mieke van der Sluis (soprano), Graham Pushee, Rufus Müller (tenor), Klaus Mertens, David Thomas, Michael Schopper (bass); Alsfelder Vokalensemble, Bremen Baroque Orchestra; conductor: Wolfgang Helbich). cpo 999 373-2.
References
Nicholas Anderson, Review of the CPO recording of Hamburger Admiralitätsmusik, BBC Music Magazine. Stephen Rose, Program Notes, Academy of Ancient Music, April 28, 2007