Show Store Sections+
Show Information+
Account+
Home CDE84679/80-2 JCF Bach 6 Sonatas for Pianoforte and Flute
CD 1 Sonata no. 4, C major Sonata no. 3, D major Sonata no. 5, A major
CD 2 Sonata no. 6, C major Sonata no. 1, D minor Sonata no. 2, D major
With a poised fluidity and an imagination hovering between Baroque and Classical, JCF Bach's music proves well worth exploring on this disc of his sonatas for keyboard and flute, add to this the seductive timbre of the period square piano
Born in Leipzig in 1732, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach was JS Bach's fifth son (coming between CPE Bach and JC Bach). He was described by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach as the strongest harpsichordist amongst the brothers and at the age of 17 became harpsichordist to Count Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst zu Schaumberg Lippe and for the next 45 years, until his death, JCF Bach was resident in Bückeburg in Lower Saxony, the capital of the tiny principality of Schaumburg-Lippe. Count Friedrich Wilhelm was eight years older than his new employee and the grandson of King George I of England (via one of the king's illegitimate daughters).
Schaumburg-Lippe was the smallest state in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Count was educated and musically literate, playing the clavier and probably the flute. Whilst his father's court had employed just one musician (!), Count Friedrich Wilhelm employed fifteen (including JCF Bach), including recruiting Italian musicians. JCF Bach took over as concertmaster in 1756 when the Italian musicians returned home.
The majority of JCF Bach's music remained in manuscript, and was the property of the Count, probably written for the Count's musical circle. Unfortunately the majority of this was lost in the Second World War. Thankfully, JCF Bach did publish a small selection of his music, and flute is a regular feature of his published music, and in 1777 he published Six Sonatas intended for keyboard with flute or violin. There are six of these and they have been recorded by flautist Ashley Solomon and keyboard player Jochewed Schwarz for Meridian.
This new recording does not just give us a chance to hear JCF Bach's six sonatas, but to do so on instruments that he might have recognised. Ashley Solomon plays a flute made in 2005 and modelled on on by Carlo Palanca from around 1750. Jochewed Schwarz plays not on a harpsichord but on a square piano by Johannes Zumpe and Gabriel Buntebart made in London in 1769 and currently in the Cobbe Collection at Hatchlands Park where the recording was made.
German instrument maker Johannes Zumpe came to London around 1750 and worked with harpsichord-maker Burkat Shudi before establishing his own workshop. Zumpe's speciality was small, square pianos, a simpler version of the piano hammer mechanism that had been invented in 1710. These were low-price, convenient instruments and they combined a modest amplitude of sound with some harpsichord overtones.
In 1778, the year after Count Friedrich Wilhelm died, JCF Bach was given permission to travel to London to visit his brother JC Bach. Here, JCF Bach was introduced not only to the new classical style but most probably to these new pianos. It is known that JCF Bach bought an English piano, most likely a Zumpe square piano, to take home to Germany.
There are six sonatas, each with three movements. Apart from the first sonata, all are in major keys and have a minuet as the third movement, whilst three have a polonaise as the second movement. The first sonata, the only one in a minor key, has a second movement which, fascinatingly, alternates between the melodic flute sections, with keyboard accompaniment, and recitatives for solo keyboard, for all the world like a movement from a vocal cantata.
There is a freedom and fluidity to the music and often it is akin to instrumental pieces by JCF Bach's brother, CPE Bach, and like CPE Bach, JCF Bach is a somewhat transitional figure. That his employer was fond of Italian music is perhaps reflected in aspects of these sonatas. They are engaging, fluid pieces and definitely not negligible.
Despite their title, the sonatas are most definitely not accompanied sonatas, the flute and keyboard are equal partners, complementing each other and intertwining. Sometimes it is the flute that introduces the ideas, and the ornaments in the two parts differ, thus giving performers scope for improvisation and freedom.
A word about the keyboard, because its sound is what hit me first when I started listen to these discs. There is a distinct percussive quality to the sound, and my first analogy would be to the cimbalom, the hammer dulcimer, which is perhaps not that far away. What the keyboard does is provide strong harmonic support for the flute, there is a clarity to the harmonic texture which does not always happen with a harpsichord. Also, there is a lovely contrast between the fluid flute and the more struck timbre of the keyboard. In Jochewed Schwarz's hands, the keyboard sound has a nice range of colours and subtlety, complementing Ashley Solomon's sophisticated playing.
This disc gives us a small glimpse into a forgotten, and largely lost, musical world. JCF Bach is somewhat undeservedly squashed between his brothers, but this disc shows his music well worth exploring.
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732-1795) - Six Sonatas "für das Clavier mit Begleitung einer Flöte oder Violine"Ashley Solomon (Baroque flute)Jochewed Schwarz (square piano)Recorded, February 2023, The Cobbe Collection Trust, Hatchlands PArk, East Clandon, SurreyMERIDIAN CDE84679 2CDs [51:50, 50:50]
Johann Christoph Friedrich’s Six Sonatas “für das Clavier mit Begleitung einer Flöte oder Violine” (for any keyboard with accompaniment of a flute or violin) were written some time before 1776 and printed and published in Riga in 1777.
The French word “Clavier” on the cover page of the printed score was used in a broad sense for any keyboard instrument during the 18th century. “Clavicembalo” and “cembalo” referred to plucked instruments but others, including the popular new square piano, could be used as well. The melody instrument part, specified “Flauto Traverso”, does not “accompany” the keyboard but is rather an equal partner which complements, entwines and frequently introduces the musical ideas.
The keyboard part of the printed edition uses the soprano c – clef, a common mid-18 century practice. The scarceness of articulation marks and dynamics in the keyboard part allow players to perform the music according to the instrument at their disposal, their own taste and the dialogue with the flute. As is often the case, the ornaments of the flute part and those of the keyboard melody do not necessarily correspond, providing some scope for reflection and improvisation.
Written in standard three movement form, these sonatas are cheerful and pleasant, with many movements having an obvious dance character. All but one end with a minuet & trio and three have a polonaise as second movement. The one exception is the d minor, the only sonata in a minor key, its second movement alternates between the melodious flute sections accompanied by the keyboard, and solo keyboard recitatives.
Ashley Solomon
Active as a soloist and chamber musician Ashley Solomon is the director of Florilegium, and much of his time is spent performing with this ensemble that he founded in 1991. They regularly perform at major international festivals and concert series and have made 37 recordings for Channel Classics, many of which have garnered international awards.
As a soloist, he has performed worldwide, including concertos in venues including the Sydney Opera House, Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) and Konzerthaus (Vienna).
Since 2003 Ashley has been training vocalists and instrumentalists in Bolivia, working on the remarkable collection of music held in archives by the Moxos and Chiquitos Indians. In 2008 he was the first European to receive the prestigious Bolivian Hans Roth Prize.
Combining a successful career across both theory and practice, Ashley Solomon is Head of Historical Performance at the Royal College of Music, having been appointed a professor in 1994. In 2014 he was awarded a Personal Chair and in July 2017 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM). He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Music (FRCM) in 2019.
Jochewed Schwarz
Early keyboard instruments player Jochewed Schwarz performs in her homeland Israel and abroad, especially in venues devoted to the preservation and presentation of playable historical instruments. Passionate about chamber music she created and leads various early music concert series. An experienced continuo player, she gladly joins chamber ensembles and orchestras in concerts.
Her performances and recordings in harpsichord-duo DuoChord with fellow-harpsichordist Emer Buckley are receiving considerable attention from both the public and music critics. DuoChord specializes in reviving the well documented but hitherto neglected late 17th and 18th century practice of performing on two keyboards chamber music originally written for other instruments.
She is also currently working on the publication of forgotten music manuscripts composed by Israeli cellist and composer Joachim Stutschewsky as well as researching harpsichord playing and historical performance practice of Early Music in British Mandate Palestine, with special focus on harpsichord player Frank Pelleg.
Ashley and Jochewed share an appreciation of historical music instruments, insistence on understanding the music written for them as well as its cultural background and the desire to present music long forgotten, implementing their rich experience and gathered knowledge.
Instruments
Ashley Solomon, Baroque flute by Martin Wenner, 2005 (after Carlo Palanca c. 1750)
Jochewed Schwarz, square piano by Johannes Zumpe and Gabriel Buntebart, London 1769. The Cobbe Collection Trust, Hatchlands Park.
CDE84679/80-2 JCF Bach 6 Sonatas for Pianoforte and Flute
