"This passion, TWV 5:50 in Telemann's opus, was first performed in 1765 as part of the rotating 4 Gospel sequence the composer was obliged to provide between 1722-1767. In other words this is a late work.Well Al Segno appears to be a German label belonging to Artelier Music of Munster, but prior to this disc I'd never heard of it. The Hamburg Telemann Orchestra is equally anonymous but the booklet (notes and text in German only) reveals that the conductor is Johannes Pausch who in 1991 commenced reediting and year by year performing the surviving passions of Telemann and founded the Hamburger Telemann Orchester and Altonaer Kantorei.Soloists are entirely new names: Daniel Gloger (Evangelist), Hans Christian Hinz (Jesus), Matthias Luerderitz (Caiaphas and Pilate), Susanne Wilsdorf (Sop.), Meinderd Zwart (male Alto), Henning Kaiser (Tenor), Tom Sol (Bass).Only quibble is that CPO is producing a series of Telemann choral works under four conductors (Remy, Schneider, Helbich, Max) which are are at least as good as this one (or better), and when CPO records a live version they generally reduce the price to 2-for-1 levels. CPO's productions also benefit from packaging and notes. There doesn't seem to be much difference with CPO-WDR coproductions on sound engineering however. Perhaps there ought to be a rule against early music conductors writing their own notes, for the 9 pages of turgid German prose provided by Pausch say virtually nothing about Telemann himself and instead provide dreary musicological history and details of editions. Frankly who cares? One of the attractions of Telemann is that the composer often gives his works a lighter touch than Bach. Where is that light touch here? Thankfully it does shine through in the performance."