Customer Reviews

Quantz: Flute Sonatas

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Quantz was an eighteenth century composer, flute-maker and flutist at the court of Frederick the Great, Frederick himself being an accomplished amateur flutist. Mary Oleskiewicz (who has also written the informative liner notes for this recording) plays a selection of Quantz flute sonatas on a special 2-keyed baroque flute, built as a result of her considerable research into the composer and his own extant original instruments. The result, like all historical performances, is an acquired taste, and I wouldn't advise listening to the whole CD at first in one sitting. The Quantz replica flute sounds not unlike a recorder, but richer and more expressive. The keyboard accompaniment is both fortepiano and harpsichord, and all her accompanying colleagues are as distinguished as she is. These are delightful pieces, not without depth, beautifully interpreted and recorded, at a bargain price. Not to be missed.

This is an outstanding album, the performances are spontaneous-sounding and very well done. Ms Oleskiewicz's traverso playing knows no equal, she has a sound that will make strong men weep and a deep, innate musicality. Pitch and intonation are both flexible when the music demands it (as is characteristic of the style), and unerringly accurate. It is a joy to listen to this disc. And it is a deeper joy to realize how far the historical performance movement has come; in only a generation, recorded performances of this quality have become expected.

--A good recording...--one sonata with piano, 3 with harpsichord, 2 trios for 2 flutes, --the one in Eb played with piano instead of harps., ...there isn't one dud on this album. --Played on wooden baroque flute, --this music is warm, joyful, and easy to like....what i didn't like was the 'booming' cello on half the tracks.