Frederick II, King of Prussia, was a gifted musician who built up a court orchestra noted both for it's quality and it's size. Great musicians such as Graun, Quantz and C.P.E. Bach were members and contributed hugely to it's standing. A patron of the fine arts, Frederick was a highly accomplished flautist whose works, performed in small private concerts, show a remarkable range of forms and expressive effects with slow movements offering long-breathed arcs of melody. The pieces by Alessandro de Marchi, conceived in the spirit of improvisation, provide a revealing impression of contemporary performance practice. This new release of Frederick the Great's flute sonatas relates to the450th anniversary of the Staatskapelle Berlin, first established as the Royal Prussian Court Orchestra by the monarch. Claudia Stein became first flute of the orchestra at the age of 23. She recorded Weinberg's Flute Concertos for Naxos in 2019 (8.573931), which received 5 stars from Pizzicato: 'Stein plays them absolutely ravishingly, with a touch of melancholy.'

Tracklist:

Prelude In A Minor
Flute Sonata In A Minor, Spif 14: I. Andante Ma Sostenuto
Flute Sonata In A Minor, Spif 14: II. Allegro Assai
Flute Sonata In A Minor, Spif 14: III. Allegro E Scherzando
Flute Sonata In C Major, Spif 82: I. Grave
Flute Sonata In C Major, Spif 82: II. Allegro
Flute Sonata In C Major, Spif 82: III. Tempo Giusto
Variations On Tempo Guisto (After Fredrick The Great's Sonata In C Major, Spif 82): Var. 1
Variations On Tempo Guisto (After Fredrick The Great's Sonata In C Major, Spif 82): Var. 2
Variations On Tempo Guisto (After Fredrick The Great's Sonata In C Major, Spif 82): Var. 3
Variations On Tempo Guisto (After Fredrick The Great's Sonata In C Major, Spif 82): Var. 4
Fughe E Capricci, Op. 1: I. Preludio
Flute Sonata In C Minor, Spif 84: I. Recitativo
Flute Sonata In C Minor, Spif 84: II. Andante E Cantabile
Flute Sonata In C Minor, Spif 84: III. Alla Breve
Flute Sonata In A Major, Spif 114: I. Affettuoso
Flute Sonata In A Major, Spif 114: II. Allegro
Flute Sonata In A Major, Spif 114: III. Presto
Flute Sonata In F Major, Spif 118: I. Grave
Flute Sonata In F Major, Spif 118: II. Staccato. Allegro Di Molto
Flute Sonata In F Major, Spif 118: III. Tempo Giusto
Prelude In G Minor
Flute Sonata In G Minor, Spif 116: I. Adagio
Flute Sonata In G Minor, Spif 116: II. Moderato
Flute Sonata In G Minor, Spif 116: III. Presto

UPC: 747313425075
Label: Naxos
Release Date: 9.25.20
Format: CD

Frederick Ii / Stein / Marchi - Flute Sonatas (CD)