Johann Joachim Quantz 2023
This Week in Classical Music: January 30, 2023. Quantz, not an apparent alternative. Two – perhaps three nice composers have been born this week and, along with that, a number of extra of the decrease rung: Franz Schubert, on January 31st of 1797, Felix Mendelssohn, on February 3rd of 1809, and, presumably, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, on February 3rd of 1525, though the latter is way from sure. Of the “lesser ones,” Alessandro Marcello, the Italian composer who wrote the Oboe Concerto which Bach reworked into the well-known concerto for the keyboard (D minor, BWV 974), was born in Venice on February 1st of 1673. After which there was Johann Joachim Quantz. What caught our eye (and ear) was not as a lot his music however his patron. Simply the final week we wrote about Mozart and Emperor Joseph II, Mozart’s most necessary benefactor. Joseph, one of many enlightened monarchs of the 18th century, was very musical: he performed the keyboard (we all know that not simply from the film Amadeus, the place he’s introduced taking part in very poorly, nearly comically, but additionally from work wherein he’s portrayed sitting by the instrument with scores round). He additionally performed the violin and cello and, in line with his contemporaries, sang effectively. Joseph supported the creation of the German-language opera (what was then referred to as “Nationwide Singspiel“) and whereas he most popular the lighter opera buffa to opera seria, he commissioned Mozart for 2 operas: The Abduction from the Seraglio and The Impresario. Quantz’s patron, then again, was Joseph’s up to date and rival, the King of Prussia Frederick II the Nice. Frederick was concerned with music much more so than Joseph. In his youth, music was his major curiosity, far more than navy affairs which have been imagined to be most necessary to the younger king. He performed the flute and was a prolific composer, writing greater than 120 flute sonatas. He supported many composers, for instance, C.P.E. Bach and Franz Benda. In 1747 Frederick met Johann Sebastian Bach, after which Bach used a tune composed by the emperor because the theme for his assortment of keyboard items referred to as The Musical Providing. However in comparison with the opposite composers, Quantz spent extra time at Frederick’s courtroom than anyone else.
Johann Joachim Qauntz was born on January 30th of 1697 close to Göttingen. He studied music as a boy and ultimately turned a virtuoso flutist. In his early 20s, he traveled Europe, assembly Alessandro Scarlatti in Naples and Handel in London (Handel really helpful Quantz to remain there, recommendation he didn’t take). In 1728, in Dresden, Quantz met the younger Frederick, then nonetheless the Crown Prince and so they performed music collectively. Quickly after, although, Quantz settled in Dresden on the courtroom of August II, the Elector of Saxony, and stayed there for years. In 1740, after his father’s dying, Frederick, now King of Prussia, invited Quantz to return to Berlin. Quantz accepted; his place was that of a composer, flute trainer, and flute maker. He stayed on the courtroom until his dying in 1773.
Most of Quantz’s music is for the flute, his patron’s favourite instrument. He wrote round 200 sonatas and 300 concertos for it. We’ll hearken to a number of actions from Quantz’s concertos. Right here’s the 1st motion from his Flute Concerto in G minor (QV 5:196); right here — the twond motion for the Flute Concerto in G minor; right here – the threerd (closing) motion from the Flute Concerto in A minor (QV 5:236); and right here – the 1st motion from Concerto for Two Flutes (QV 6:8a). Click on on the recordings’ hyperlinks for particulars on the performances. We expect the music is good and never worse than, say, Gemignani’s music for the violin, which is significantly better recognized.
