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CHAN 0541 Cover 3/18/05 11:17 AM Page 1 CHAN 0541 CHACONNE CHANDOS early music CHAN 0541 BOOK.qxd 12/9/06 2:21 pm Page 2 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788) Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Trio Sonata in B flat major 19:36 Harpsichord Sonata in A major, H 186 15:55 in B-Dur • en si bémol majeur in A-Dur • en la majeur 1 I Allegro 6:43 10 I Allegro assai 5:46 2 II Adagio ma non troppo 6:02 11 II Poco adagio 4:39 3 III Allegretto 6:47 12 III Allegro 5:26 Franz Benda (1709–1786) Johann Gottlieb Graun (1702/3–1771) Violin Sonata in A minor 13:02 Trio Sonata in G minor 9:37 in a-Moll • en la mineur in g-Moll • en sol mineur 4 I Allegro ma non tanto 5:18 13 I Adagio 2:50 5 II Andante 4:34 14 II Allegretto 3:56 6 III Presto e Scherzando 3:04 15 III Allegro assai 2:47 Frederick the Great (1712–1786) Flute Sonata in C major 8:29 in C-Dur • en ut majeur 7 I Grave 2:50 8 II Allegro 3:40 9 III Tempo giusto 1:54 2 3 CHAN 0541 BOOK.qxd 12/9/06 2:21 pm Page 4 Johann Joachim Quantz (1697–1773) Music from the Court of Frederick the Great Flute Concerto in A major 12:06 in A-Dur • en la majeur 16 I Allegro 3:50 ‘Those who seek art, true and clear Burney, ‘His Majesty… allotted four hours a 17 II Larghetto 4:22 philosophy, and wit should come here’, wrote day to the study, practice and performance 18 III Presto 3:48 Princess Elizabeth of Rheinsberg about of music’. Frederick’s flute even went on TT 79:10 Frederick the Great’s court at Sans Souci. His campaign with him as an aid to relaxation interpretation of enlightened despotism together with the invaluable collapsible Collegium Musicum 90 required Frederick to be as personally harpsichord which folded into three parts to Rachel Brown flute involved with the arts as he was with a assist with the travelling. When in residence Micaela Comberti violin/viola military campaign. Princess Elizabeth at Sans Souci (which literally means free-and- Jane Coe cello continued: easy) Frederick frequently performed in the They will find everything in a state of royal music room of an evening, to a select Lars Ulrik Mortensen harpsichord perfection, as our master is in control of it all. I and chosen few. On one occasion Burney Simon Standage director/violin have never seen anyone work so hard as he had the good fortune to be included, and does: from six in the morning until one o’clock afterwards he wrote: flute Rachel Brown Rudolf Tutz, 1993, copy of Denner, c. 1720 he works at reading, philosophy and other I was carried to one of the interior apartments (Quantz; Bach Trio Sonata) noble studies. Dinner lasts from half past one of the palace, in which the gentlemen of the Roderick Cameron, 1987, copy of C.A. Grenser, until three o’clock. After that we drink coffee king’s band were waiting for his commands. c. 1750 (Frederick the Great) until four and then he gets to work again until This apartment was contiguous to the concert- violin Simon Standage Giovanni Grancino, Milan 1685 seven in the evening. Next music begins and room, where I could distinctly hear his majesty Micaela Comberti Fabrizio Senta, Turin c. 1660 (Quantz) lasts till nine o’clock. Then he writes, comes to practising solfeggi on the flute, and exercising play cards, and we generally sup at half past ten himself in difficult passages, previous to his viola Micaela Comberti John Cresswell, Sutton Coldfield 1992, based on or eleven… I can truthfully say that he is the calling in the band. Here I met with M. Benda, ‘Danks’ Amati (Graun) greatest prince of our time. who was so obliging as to introduce me to cello Jane Coe Jean Hyacinthe Rottenburgh, Brussels 1753 Frederick found great solace in playing the M. Quantz. harpsichord Lars Ulrik Mortensen double-manual by Michael Johnson, 1983, after flute. A pupil of Johann Joachim Quantz The concert began with a German flute Goermans/Taskin, 1764/1783 both on the flute and in composition, concerto, in which his majesty executed the Pitch: A = 415 Hz according to the English theorist Charles solo parts with great precision; his embouchure 4 5 CHAN 0541 BOOK.qxd 12/9/06 2:21 pm Page 6 was clear and even, his finger brilliant, and his opportunity to display his dexterity in language is both wonderfully rhetorical and so truly cantabile, that scarce a passage is to be taste pure and simple. I was much pleased, and playing virtuosic semiquavers. Frederick ties demandingly intense, with sudden pauses, found in his compositions which is not in the even surprised with the neatness of his up his sonata with an energetic and light- abrupt key changes, dramatic flourishes, and power of the human voice to sing; and he is so execution in the Allegros, as well as by his hearted finale in triple metre, which features piercing and expressive chromatic notes. In affecting a player, so truly pathetic in an expression and feeling in the Adagio; in short, a fetching minor seventh figure just before his own words, by ‘constantly varying the Adagio, that several able professors have assured his performance surpassed, in many particulars, the double barline. passions he [the player] will barely quiet one me that he has frequently drawn tears from any thing that I had heard among dilettanti, or The musical giant at Frederick’s court was before he arouses another’. Bach’s ‘Sonata II a them in performing one. even professors. His majesty played three long J.S. Bach’s second surviving son by his first Flauto Traverso, Violino e Basso’ – Trio Burney rated Benda alongside C.P.E. Bach as and difficult concertos successively, and all with wife (Maria Barbara), Carl Philipp Emanuel, Sonata in B flat major – displays his strong one of the only two musicians at the Berlin equal perfection. who appropriately is represented by two foundation in baroque counterpoint which court to have a truly original voice. M. Quantz bore no other part in the works on this disc. But frustratingly for he skilfully marries with the latest rococo Interestingly for posterity, Benda’s Violin performance of the concertos tonight than to C.P.E. Bach, Frederick did not perceive his sentiments. But he is at his most daring in Sonata in A minor has survived in three give the time with the motion of his hand, at exceptional talents, as Burney relates: his keyboard works – as the Harpsichord versions: one simply offers the bare harmonic the beginning of each movement, except now The Prince had certainly great professors in his Sonata in A major demonstrates – which bones whilst the two others (one of which is and then to cry out bravo! to his royal scholar, service, though he was never partial to Emanuel were quickly published and widely performed on this disc) are richly at the end of solo parts and closes; which seems Bach, the greatest of them all. circulated. ornamented. Graun’s Trio Sonata in to be a privilege allowed to no other musician As a consequence C.P.E. Bach tried Johann Gottlieb Graun joined Frederick’s G minor also appears to exist in multiple of the band. constantly to obtain a new post. He was not musical establishment in 1732 (that is to say versions, two to be precise: one scored for At Berlin, French music was out of fashion successful in this respect, however, until 1768 eight years before Frederick ascended to the two violins and continuo and the other for and Italian music (especially Italian opera) when he succeeded Telemann as director of throne) and when Franz Benda came the violin and viola with continuo – and it is this was in. Frederick’s Flute Sonata in C major the five principal churches in the leading following year Graun took him on as a pupil latter setting that is played here. German is typical of the Italian style in being cast in intellectual centre of Hamburg – after thirty in composition. Graun was Konzertmeister of composers had a liking for trios using an alto three contrasting movements. It opens with a years in Frederick’s employment. the Berlin Opera orchestra which, according voice complementing the treble but the Grave in which the attention is C.P.E. Bach was the central figure in the to Burney, he made the most brilliant instrument generally employed for that characteristically directed to the solo part – influential North German empfindsamer Stil orchestra in Europe. Benda took over the purpose is the viola da gamba. The use of the which is aptly adorned with trills and (the ‘highly sensitive style’), in which the position of Konzertmeister on Graun’s death. viola [da braccia] is extremely rare but yearning appoggiaturas – by means of a clear transmission of strong emotions was all Both Graun and Benda were violinists of the perhaps it might be taken as a precedent by simple bass line consisting largely of repeated important. It was this style which was to first order: Johann Adam Hiller eulogised violists short of baroque chamber repertoire quavers. The following spirited Allegro provide the seeds of the classical and indeed Graun as a ‘great violinist’ and C.P.E. Bach to arrange other second violin parts for their provides the flautist with plenty of the romantic styles.