Del Signor Graun

6 Sonatas for Flute and Obligatto Harpsichord by C. H. Graun (1704-1759) and J. G. Graun (1703-1771) from unpublished manuscripts at the Staatsbibliothek Preuβischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin

Although today we quickly associate the names of Quantz or Emmanuel Bach with the musical environment of the court of Frederick the Great of Prussia and with the Berlin Enlightenment, the first name that should occur to us when evoking the soundscape of Frederick's long reign should be Graun. The works by the Graun brothers are clearly orientated towards the future as the overall balanced shape, symmetry of proportion, translucent textures and slow harmonic rhythm are all definitely gallant. The capriciousness of the melodies, the ornamental refinement, the delicate craft of dynamics and articulations, and the global whimsical quality of the discourse are all characteristic of the Empfindsamkeit.

Each of these sonatas is a discernible musical metaphor to the more graceful, indulgent and voluptuous side of the Frederickian Golden Age – that dreamlike quality occasionally forgotten in the shadows of the strong rationality and intellectuality of Prussian Enlightenment but nonetheless appreciated as its most natural and desirable compliment — and clearly evident in the Rocaille interiors of the Potsdam palaces. With this humble excursion into the vast corpus of Graun’s chamber music, may we also encourage a full rediscovery of these two extraordinary composers.

CD I
Sonata [per il] Flauto Traverso et Clavicembalo in D, WenG 29 – C. H. Graun:
1. Largo
2. Poco Allegro
3. Allegretto

Sonata [per il] Flauto Traverso et Clavicembalo in G, WenG 56 – C. H. Graun:
4. Adagio
5. Allegro
6. Largo
7. Vivace

Sonata [per il] Flauto Traverso e Cembalo in F, WenG 110 – Graun:
8. Adagio non troppo
9. Allegretto
10. Allegro non molto

CD II
Sonata per il Flauto Traverso e Cembalo in D, WenG 36 – Graun
1. Adagio
2. Allegro non molto
3. Allegro

Sonata per il Cembalo obligato [e] Flauto Traverso in C, WenG 97 – C. H. Graun:
4. Adagio
5. Allegro
6. Largo
7. Allegro e Vivace

Sonata per il Flauto Traverso è Cembalo in F, WenG 116 – J. G. Graun:
8. Adagio
9. Allegro ma non tanto
10. Allegretto

Credits
Joana Amorim, Traverso
Fernando Miguel Jalôto, Harpsichord

Recording, editing and mastering by Joseph Chesshyre.
Design by Alex McCartney.

Phonographic Copyright (p) – Veterum Musica

Copyright (c) – Veterum Musica
Recorded at – Mosteiro de São Pedro de Cete, Paredes, Portugal, 12th to 15th of September 2016

Image Title, Author and Credits — Antoine Pesne (1683-1757) Self-portrait with his daughters Henriette Royard and Marie de Rège at the easel (1754); Berlin, Staatliche Museen, Gemäldegalerie; Copyright: bpk / Gemäldegalerie, SMB / Jörg P. Anders

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