Cocktail Party Fact: Telemann got to visit Paris because of a copyright violation. A collection of his quartets appeared in Paris in a pirated edition. The pirated quartets made him so popular he was invited to the French capital and spent eight months enjoying the acclaim — and patronage — of his fans.

Commitment Factor: About 12-15 minutes per quartet.

Vital Statistics: High Baroque (1737). A set of quartets for violin, flute, viola da gamba, and harpsichord. They’re called the Paris Quartets because they were written in Paris, as a sequel to a pirated set published in Paris in 1730. The pirated quartets are frequently given the same nickname.

What to Listen For: The Paris Quartets are the best known examples of Telemann’s chamber style. They employ the same instruments as the trio sonata — two melody instruments, a harpsichord, and a viola da gamba. Telemann chose the flute, the harpsichord, and the gamba because they were the fashionable instruments in 1737 France. He called these pieces concertos and suites, not sonatas, and they share some of the spirit of Vivaldi’s concertos. The dances in the suites are all standard dances of the Baroque, treated in an international style by an internationally famous composer. The Paris Quartets are lively, charming, well crafted works — a perfect musical treat for Parisians who were enjoying the first years of the reign of Louis XV.