Fantasia No. 1 in C minor, TWV 40:26
- Master virtuosic solo fantasia style
- Execute rapid scalar passages and arpeggios
- Develop improvisatory character and freedom
- Command full alto recorder range including altissimo
About This Piece
Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Difficulty: Advanced
Notes Used: Full chromatic range from C4 to A6
Key: C minor
Movements: I. Grave - II. Vivace - III. Adagio - IV. Allegro
Fingering Review - Extended Range
I. Grave - Opening Movement
Noble dotted rhythms with rich harmonic implications. Tempo: ♩ = 40-45
Rich chromatic harmonies creating tension and release.
II. Vivace - Virtuosic Display
Brilliant sixteenth-note passages. Tempo: ♩ = 120-132
Broken chord patterns with wide leaps.
Climbing sequences building to climax.
III. Adagio - Expressive Interlude
Deeply expressive with extensive ornamentation. Tempo: ♩ = 50-55
Add trills, mordents, and appoggiaturas generously.
IV. Allegro - Finale
Energetic finale with dance-like character. Tempo: ♩ = 100-112
Brilliant passage work leading to final cadence.
Technical Exercises
Master the full harmonic and melodic minor scales.
Practice wide-ranging arpeggios.
Secure the highest notes (D6-G6) with alternate fingerings.
All chromatic passages smoothly executed.
Ornamentation Guide
Essential Baroque Ornaments:
- Trills (tr): Add extensively in Adagio and cadential points. Start on upper note.
- Mordents: Quick lower neighbor ornaments on accented beats.
- Appoggiaturas: Lean heavily on dissonant appoggiaturas, especially in Adagio.
- Port de voix: Anticipatory grace notes approaching main notes from below.
- Cadential trills: Extended trills with turn terminations at major cadences.
Breathing Strategies
- Grave: Breathe at natural phrase endings; sustain noble character.
- Vivace: Quick breaths between phrases; maintain rhythmic drive.
- Adagio: Circular breathing or stagger breathing for long phrases.
- Allegro: Catch breaths strategically; never interrupt rhythmic momentum.
Alternative Fingerings for Difficult Passages
- High D (D6): Standard 0-123-4567 or alternate 0-123-45--
- High Eb (Eb6): 0-123-456- or 0-123-4-67
- High F (F6): 0-12--456 or 0-12--4-6
- High G (G6): 0-1----56 with high pressure
- Fast chromatic passages: Use simpler fingerings even if tone is slightly compromised
Historical Performance Practice
Telemann's 12 Fantasias for Solo Instrument were published in 1732-33 for violin and for transverse flute, demonstrating his understanding of idiomatic writing for different instruments. The C minor Fantasia exemplifies the "fantastic style" - free, improvisatory, virtuosic, and expressive. The fantasia genre allowed composers to explore harmonic progressions, contrapuntal textures, and technical possibilities without the constraints of dance forms or strict formal structures.
Performance considerations:
- Treat this as a concert showpiece demonstrating complete mastery
- Allow rubato and expressive freedom while maintaining structural coherence
- Use dynamic contrasts extensively - terraced and graded dynamics
- Articulation should vary by movement: noble in Grave, brilliant in Vivace, singing in Adagio, dance-like in Allegro
- C minor's affect: serious, passionate, dramatic - maintain this throughout
Cadenza Suggestions
Improvise or prepare a brief cadenza before final cadence.
Concert Performance Goal: This fantasia represents the pinnacle of solo alto recorder repertoire. Your performance should demonstrate complete technical mastery: brilliant scalar passages, secure altissimo notes, expressive cantabile, and improvisatory freedom. Study multiple interpretations by professional recorder players. Record yourself and critique objectively. This piece should be memorized for maximum expressive freedom and audience connection.
Practice Strategy
- Work each movement separately until secure, then perform complete
- Practice Vivace and Allegro slowly with metronome, gradually increasing tempo
- Sing or play Grave and Adagio on piano to internalize harmonic progressions
- Record practice sessions to monitor technical accuracy and musical expression
- Study Telemann's other Fantasias to understand his compositional language
- Listen to recordings by professionals: Dan Laurin, Michael Form, Lucie Horsch
- Perform for colleagues and teachers to gain performance experience
- Consider this for auditions, competitions, and recital programs