Gabriele Formenti, Gabriele Toia - Music at the Court of Friedrich II, King of Prussia (2020)

Tracklist

01. Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079: Thema regium-Canon perpetuus
02. Flute Sonata in A Minor: I. Largo
03. Flute Sonata in A Minor: II. Allegro di molto
04. Flute Sonata in A Minor: III. Vivace
05. Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: I. Adagio
06. Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: II. Allegro ma non tanto
07. Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: III. Andante
08. Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: IV. Allegro moderato
09. Sonata in D Major: I. Largo
10. Sonata in D Major: II. Poco allegro
11. Sonata in D Major: III. Vivace
12. Sonata in B Minor, QV 1:168: I. Larghetto
13. Sonata in B Minor, QV 1:168: II. Allegretto
14. Sonata in B Minor, QV 1:168: III. Presto
15. Flute Sonata in G Major, Wq. 123: I. Andante
16. Flute Sonata in G Major, Wq. 123: II. Allegro
17. Flute Sonata in G Major, Wq. 123: III. Tempo di minuetto
18. Abschied von Potsdam (Passacaglia)



Few historical figures had such a relevant importance for the transverse flute as that of Frederick II of Prussia, “the Great”. An enlightened sovereign and a passionate musician, Frederick II von Hohenzollern preferred practising for hours under the guidance of his flute teacher, the authoritative musician Johann Joachim Quantz, instead of providing for the war duties to which his role called him. Beyond any other consideration about his figure, however, Frederick II is today an absolute reference point not only for flutists, but also for all those who are passionate for Baroque music. In his court, in fact, some of the most important musicians of the time could be found; they were drawn to Potsdam not only by the prestige, but also by the actually copious money which the King generously invested in order to secure for himself the very best musicians. Thus, an unrepeatable concentration of musical talent could be found in a single place: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Quantz (whom we cited above), the Graun brothers and Franz Benda, to cite but few. This discographic project aims therefore to recount that fragment of music history, and to describe the atmosphere which deeply impressed even the great Johann Sebastian Bach during his famous journey to Court in 1747. That occasion would provoke the creation of one of Bach’s most complex compositions, i.e. the Musical Offering BWV 1079. It is not by chance, therefore, that the album opens with the famous Thema Regium, which, according to legend, was dictated by Frederick himself to J. S. Bach. Later, we find a composition by Frederick himself. In this A-minor Sonata are found all the stylistic elements recognizable in most of the music composed at his Court – indeed, today we speak of a “Berlin style” with reference to the works explicitly conceived for Frederick’s transverse flute.
This piece is followed by a Trio Sonata by Bach, which survived in no less than two versions: one is for viola da gamba and obbligato harpsichord (BWV 1027), and another for two transverse flutes and continuo (BWV 1039). Here we propose a new and unpublished adaptation for solo transverse flute with obbligato harpsichord. Compositions by Carl Heinrich Graun, Johann Joachim Quantz and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach complete this journey inside Frederick’s court. In their works, a knowledgeable compositional style for the flute emerges; it is enriched (as in the case of the famous G-major Sonata by C. P. E. Bach) by typically style galante elements, which Frederick’s preferred music would increasingly favour. In the programme’s conclusion, there is a contemporary homage to Frederick II and to his Court, i.e. Abschied von Potsdam. Positioned as an ideal coda at the end of the album, Abschied von Potsdam pays homage to a joyful – but, at the same time, dramatic – moment in the life of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
It was his farewell, in 1768, to Frederick’s Court, where he had worked for almost thirty years, and suffered a treatment which did not correspond to his value. His occasion for abandoning the court was his appointment as Musical Director and Cantor in Hamburg, replacing Georg Philipp Telemann after his death. This piece is a Passacaille with an introduction and coda, grounded on a series of ten notes (four of which are repeated). They are drawn by lot and constitute a line upon which the Variations are weaved. For this last piece only, I decided to use a modern ebony Böhm flute with silver mechanism, capable of rendering all of the piece’s dynamic nuances. Finally, I wish to mention that this discographic project began after I got acquainted with the copy of Frederick II’s flute realized by the Milanese flute-maker Fabio Di Natale. This instrument, unique in its genre, convinced me to realize this homage to Frederick II and to his court. I would like therefore to thank Fabio Di Natale for lending me this precious instrument.

The precious original flute, completely inlaid in ivory, is today in the possession of an Italian collector who acquired it from a French merchant of art and musical instruments.
The Flute was given in exchange for another rare keyboard instrument which the Italian collector owned and in which the merchant was very interested.
Asked for more information about the flute’s provenance and history, the merchant affirmed that the instrument had come to him after many plights originating from one of the many historical Franco-Prussian wars.
Seemingly, at that time, a Prussian officer had become a prisoner of a French one – or possibly vice-versa.
As a matter of fact, the instrument, along with other valuable objects, was bartered in exchange for the freedom of one of the two officers.
The original instrument’s tuning is between 392 and 400 Hz, and it certainly originally included several extra bodies which however have not survived to present-day. The headjoint can be divided into two parts and lengthened through a tenon and a barrel (which are, however, completely blocked today); they would have permitted to perfectly tune the extra bodies following Quantz’s style. The instrument can still be played, but just for very short times, because the numerous micro-fissures (which are present especially in the headjoint) tend to enlarge themselves dangerously during usage, compromising the structure’s sound and integrity. The original flute is entirely inlaid, and, along with the King’s monogram, in the headjoint it has other symbols (such as the deer, the oak leaf etc.) under the shield-shaped etching.
These same royal symbols are found in many other of the King’s belongings, so that the flute is certainly attributed as an instrument once owned by Frederick II. The reconstructed copy, in synthetic ivory, is tuned at 415 Hz and reinterprets the original, while faithfully maintaining the proportions among the joints and the sounds.
I dedicated particular care to the meticulous reconstruction of the decorations and of the symbols found in the original flute, among which, of course, the magnificent monogram of the King, made of two intertwined letters which can be interpreted both as F & R (for Federicus Rex) and as J & Q (for Johann Joachim Quantz). Quantz was a famous musician, the King’s teacher and possibly the ideal builder of this instrument.

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