On 11 November at 8pm, Ensemble Temenos, with Chouchane Siranossian and Karel Valter, explores Telemann’s Paris Quartets at Geneva’s Lutheran Church: a dialogue between European musical traditions.
Telemann – Paris Quartets
The Art of Conversation
In 1730, Georg Philipp Telemann published his Six Quadri in Hamburg, scored for flute, violin, viola da gamba and basso continuo. They were so successful that a Parisian publisher reprinted them six years later without even seeking his permission! Invited by leading French virtuosos, Telemann finally travelled to Paris in 1737, where his quartets met with a triumphant reception. The composer himself would later recall the enthusiasm they inspired both at court and in the city.
Bringing together five works from this first collection, our programme reveals the richness of an art that unites Europe’s musical traditions: Italian vitality and virtuosity, the elegance and refinement of French dance, and German contrapuntal mastery. Moving between concertos, sonatas and suites, Telemann displays inexhaustible imagination, playing with forms, characters and colours. Flute, violin and viola da gamba converse as equals in music of remarkable freedom, each voice asserting its individuality while preserving the balance of the ensemble.
We are delighted to welcome back the exceptional violinist Chouchane Siranossian, widely acclaimed for her virtuosity and expressive intensity, alongside Karel Valter on traverso and Jonathan Pesek on viola da gamba, with Hadrien Jourdan and Marc Alomar providing the continuo foundation. Five musicians come together in music that combines the intelligence of dialogue with wonderful spontaneity.
Ensemble Temenos
Chouchane Siranossian, violin
Karel Valter, traverso (Baroque flute)
Jonathan Pesek, viola da gamba
Marc Alomar, cello
Hadrien Jourdan, harpsichord
Programme – Georg Philipp Telemann, Paris Quartets (Six Quadri):
Concerto primo in G major
Sonata seconda in G minor
Second Suite in B minor
Sonata prima in A major
Concerto secondo in D major
Wednesday 11 November 2026, 8–9pm
Lutheran Church, rue Verdaine 20, place du Bourg-de-Four, 1204 Geneva
With the support of the City of Geneva.
Further information: https://www.lesconcerts.ch
