Music at Sanssouci: The Court of Frederick the Great
11/4/2016, 27 Tracks, 1:47:09
Featuring
Christoph Huntgeburth
Antje Schurrock
Raphael Alpermann
Davitt Moroney
Jaap ter Linden
Janet See
John Holloway
Martha Cook
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Johann Gottlieb Graun
Friedrich II von Preussen (Frederick the Great)
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Did you know?
1/6
Historical Context
Frederick II (1712-1786), King of Prussia, had Sanssouci Palace built from 1745 as a summer residence, intended as a refuge for himself and his guests.
Composition History
Johann Sebastian Bach's (1685-1750) Musical Offering was published two months after his 1747 visit to Sanssouci, based on a complex theme given to him by Frederick II.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Frederick II, a passionate flautist and composer, used his flute concertos to give the flute a dominant position over the orchestra, reflecting his own role.
Composer Biography
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788), a court musician for Frederick II, was paid significantly less than his colleagues, earning only 300 thaler compared to their 2000 thaler.
Compositional Technique
Frederick II's sonatas, like those of Giuseppe Tartini, typically follow a three-movement structure (fast-slow-fast) rather than the more common four-movement form.
Historical Context
Frederick II's wife, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, never visited Sanssouci Palace, living separately in Berlin where she also hosted concerts.
