Johann Joachim Quantz: Concertos for Flute, Strings and Basso Continuo

Concerto in G minor, QV 5:206, Eric Lamb, Flute 01 00:00:00 QV 5:206 I. Allegretto 02 00:07:29 QV 5:206 II. Amorevole 03 00:11:38 QV 5:206 III. Presto Concerto in G minor, QV 5:196, Frank Theuns, Transverse flute 04 00:16:48 QV 5:196 I. Allegro di molto ma con brio 05 00:23:01 QV 5:196 II. Larghetto 06 00:29:33 QV 5:196 III. Presto Concerto in E minor, QV 5:120, Christoph Huntgeburth, Traverse flute 07 00:33:27 QV 5:120 I. Allegro ma non tanto 08 00:38:36 QV 5:120 II. Affetuoso 09 00:42:20 QV 5:120 III. Vivace Concerto in A minor, QV 5:236, Frank Theuns, Transverse flute 10 00:46:20 QV 5:236 I. Allegro di molto ma con Spirito 11 00:52:47 QV 5:236 II. Andantino 12 00:59:12 QV 5:236 III. Piu tosto Moderato ma Gustoso Concerto in G minor for 2 Flutes, QV 6:8a, , , Flutes 13 01:04:40 QV 6:8a I. Allegro 14 01:11:40 QV 6:8a II. Amoroso con sordini 15 01:16:53 QV 6:8a III. Presto Concerto in E minor, QV 5:117, Ernst-Burghard Hilse, Flute 16 01:22:02 QV 5:117 I. Allegro 17 01:29:07 QV 5:117 II. Arioso 18 01:34:06 QV 5:117 III. Presto Concerto in E minor, QV 5:124, Eric Lamb, Flute 19 01:39:01 QV 5:124 I. Allegro ma non tanto 20 01:46:02 QV 5:124 II. Adagio assai 21 01:50:21 QV 5:124 III. Allegro assai Performed by: - Die Kölner Akademie orchestra: 01,02,03,19,20,21 - Des Königs Flötenmeister: 04,05,06,10,11,12 - Ensemble Sans-Souci Berlin: 07,08,09 - Arion Baroque Orchestra: 13,14,15 - Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin: 16,17,18 Johann Joachim Quantz (Hanß Jochim Quantz) was born in Oberscheden near Hanover on 30 January 1697 and died in Potsdam on 12 July 1773. He succeeded in establishing an exceptional career primarily as flautist and composer, but also as author and flute maker. When his father died prematurely in 1707, he was initially apprenticed to his uncle, Justus Quantz, a city professional musician in Merseburg. Quantz during the course of his apprenticeship familiarized himself with a number of instruments, concentrating on the violin, oboe and trumpet. In a later published autobiographical summary, he reported that he additionally became familiar with all other instruments including cornetts, trombones, hunting horn, recorder, bassoon, German double bass and other. Through his teachers, Quantz became familiar with the works of leading composers at that time such as Telemann, Heinichen, Biber and Corelli. During a three-month mourning period at the Merseburg court in 1714, Quantz was temporarily employed as a city wait in Radenberg and Pirna where he first came into contact with copies of several violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi: their ritornellos would “in later periods serve as a good model“ as described in his autobiography. Quantz was appointed by August II, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, as an oboist in the newly formed chamber ensemble “Polish Chapel“ which was active both in Warsaw and Dresden. For Quantz, this meant promotion from city wait to the profession of orchestral musician and e abandoned the violin, up till now his primary instrument, in favor of the oboe. At a later point, Quantz reports: “I was however hindered from progressing on both instruments, which was a matter close to my heart. My dissatisfaction prompted me to devote myself intensively to the transverse flute which I had up until then only practiced on my own“. A large proportion of the compositional output of Johann Joachim Quantz has been preserved up to the present day, in particular the works written for the crown prince and subsequent King Frederick II. The approximately 291 surviving flute concertos from the most substantial group of works alongside vocal music, several orchestral works, trio and quartet sonatas and around 184 sonatas for transverse flute and basso continuo (this video). It is probable that some of these works were composed during the Dresden period and were subsequently incorporated into repertoire in Berlin, but the majority of the concertos were created specifically for Frederick II and took the stylistic preferences of the royal flute pupil into consideration. These works show that Quantz was able to blend the wide palette of impressions gained from his teachers and his extensive travels to Italy, France and England to form a highly individual style. Cover art: The Berlin Cathedral #RecordareDomine