Georg Philipp TELEMANN: Concerto a tre in F Major, TWV 42:F14: I. Allegro moderato – II. Loure – III. Tempo di minuet – Johann Sebastian BACH: Flute Sonata in E-Flat Major, BWV 1031: I. Allegro moderato – II. Siciliano – III. Allegro – Georg Philipp TELEMANN: Fantasy No. 2 in A Minor, TWV 40:3: I. Grave – II. Vivace – III. Adagio – IV. Allegro – Johann Sebastian BACH: Flute Sonata in E Minor, BWV 1034: I. Adagio ma non tanto – II. Allegro – III. Andante – IV. Allegro.

Heidi Molnar, Flute – Jozsef Molnar, Horn – André Manz, Harpsichord – Daniel Suter, cello.

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Concerto a tre in F Major.

This work is essentially a trio sonata. The combination of the alto recorder and horn lends it a particular appeal. It is the only composition originally written for this ensemble.

Fantasy in A Minor

Georg Philipp Telemann, with a vast and diverse body of work — whose significance cannot yet be fully evaluated to this day — seems to have particularly focused on the realm of chamber music without bass.

The Fantasy in A Minor is the second of the twelve fantasies written for the flute. They serve as faithful mirrors of that era. The joy of playing, the freedom in form, meter, and harmonic structure underline a propensity for improvisation. The language of melody alternates between baroque pathos and rococo elegance.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

The majority of J.S. Bach’s creative activity was dedicated to composing church music. However, between 1717 and 1723, as Kapellmeister of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen, he enjoyed greater freedom and utilized much of his time to write secular and instrumental music. Almost all of the instrumental music he transmitted to us originated predominantly during this period.

Sonata in E-flat Major, BWV 1031

This sonata, although presented as a duo, is essentially a trio sonata, as the harpsichord plays two melodic lines that, along with the flute part, create a three-voice counterpoint.

There are no surviving autographs of this sonata, but in four of its copies, J.S. Bach is credited as the author.

In the first movement “Allegro moderato,” the harpsichord takes the lead. Initially content with adding beautifully lyrical comments to the even flow of the keyboard, the flute remains present, albeit almost imperceptibly, until the final section where a charming little unison appears, bringing the movement to a close.

Mattheson described the key of G minor, in which the Sicilienne, the second movement, is written, as being both stern and graceful, yet tender. This exquisite Sicilienne is a small masterpiece that, despite Italian influence, recalls the character pieces in the style of François Couperin.

The final two-part movement is comprised of small motifs that repeat and evoke echo-like effects. Here, an approach to the galant style emerges, spreading with its aesthetic demands for clarity, precision, grace, and pleasure. It’s a musical competition between the flute and the harpsichord.

Sonata in E Minor, BWV 1034

In contrast to the E-flat major sonata, the harpsichord’s role here is merely a framework, and it falls upon the harpsichordist to harmonically complete the part, according to the figured bass indications.

Mattheson characterizes the qualities of the E minor key as contemplative, afflicted, and sorrowful. The first movement, “Adagio ma non tanto,” is deeply profound, while the two swift movements are animated by a kind of fervor.

The key of G major, in which the third movement “Andante” is written, would have something soothing, flattering, and consoling. The flute sings its noble melody with expression; the melody expands, but each time, a cadence brings about a return. The movement takes the form of an aria, thus structured in three parts.

What grandeur! The depth and spiritual dimensions, without mingling with Romanesque elegance, represent a late Baroque style unique to Germany.

According to: Gustav Scheck, “The Flute and Its Music”