//ssemf Telemann///Michel Blavet //Georg Philipp Telemann and Michel Blavet// / Telemann composed and published the first set of his remarkable "Paris Quartets" in 1730 after having been invited to Paris by the most prominent French instrumentalists. He finally left Hamburg for Paris seven years later, where all 12 of his new quartets, in part greatly tailored to the French style, were performed, almost surely with Telemann himself playing harpsichord. The second set of quartets were published in 1738 during this eight-month stay. Two years later Telemann related his experience in Paris: "The admirable performances of these quartets by Messrs Blavet (transverse flute), Guignon (violin), the younger Forcroy [i.e. Forqueray] (viola da gamba) and Edouard (cello) would be worth describing were it possible for words to be found to do them justice. In short, they won the attention of the ears of the court and the town, and procured for me in a very little time an almost universal renown and increased esteem." This program consists of two quartets from his 1730 set entitled "Quadri a violino, flauto traversiere, viola da gamba o violoncello, e fondamento", and two from the 1738 publication entitled "Nouveaux quatuors en six suites". Harpsichordist *ELISABETH WRIGHT* has taught for almost 4 decades at Indiana University School of Music and as one of North America's most highly respected harpsichordists has collaborated with numerous artists of international renown. Viola da gambist *SUSIE NAPPER* is co-founded and director emeritus of the Montreal Baroque Festival and teaches at McGill University, the University of Montreal and the Royal Conservatory in Copenhagen. She was awarded the «Prix Opus» 2002 for «Personality of the year» by the Conseil québécois de la musique, was named «Woman of Merit for the Arts» in Montreal in 2011 and is in demand for performances throughout the world. Baroque violinist *DAVID GREENBERG* has performed in North America, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Far East as a Baroque violinist and Cape Breton fiddler and has performed with many of North America's most well known period instrument orchestras and ensembles. Baroque flutist *JEFFREY COHAN* is artistic director of the Salish Sea Early Music Festival and has performed in 25 countries on flutes from the renaissance through the present.            ✷  ✣  ✷  ✣  ✷  ✣  ✷ — Monday, *February 26*, 2024 at 7:00 PM: • *Telemann Paris Quartets* • with David Greenberg (baroque violin), Elisabeth Wright (harpsichord), Susie Napper (viola da gamba) & Jeffrey Cohan (baroque flute) ***St, Luke's Memorial Episcopal Church*     3615 N Gove Street in Tacoma www.salishseafestival.org/tacoma    — suggested donation $20 to $30 (a free will offering; please pay as you wish)              ✷  ✣  ✷  ✣  ✷  ✣  ✷ Susie Napper, Jeffrey Cohan, Elisabeth Wright ... and Antoine Forqueray (viola da gamba), for whom Telemann wrote the Paris Quartets along with Michel Blavet (top) and Jean-Pierre Guignon (not pictured): /Seattle Baroque Trio/ /Antoine Forqueray /