What connects Telemann and Eisenach?
Georg Philipp Telemann acted as concertmaster with Pantaleon Hebestreit from 1708 until 1712 (until 1709 director of the royal „chamber music“), soon enough he was court music director and and Secretary in Eisenach.
With the establishment of a court orchestra in residence of Johann Wilhelm of Saxe-Eisenach (1669-1729, reigned from 1698), he managed to bring a small but very ambitious ensemble to blossom which consisted of eleven musicians who received a salary (1711). During his tenure at Eisenach Telemann created a very large amount of music: cantatas, dozens of sonatas and concertos, instrumental and great sacred music. A historical genre key position constitutes the musical setting of the first cantata volume „spiritual singing and playing” by Erdmann Neumeister (1710/11). Telemann remained connected to the Eisenach court as a visiting music director until 1729. During the time at Eisenach he made the acquaintance with the Bach family and he married Amalia Louise Juliana Eberlin, a marriage which ended tragically with his wife’s death after giving birth to their daughter in 1711.