The two latest-composed duos, F. 56 and F. 58, present unusual technical challenges due to their "flute-unfriendly" keys and the inclusion of tricky high Fs, which most composers avoided.
Critical Reception
Johann Philipp Kirnberger, a former pupil of Johann Sebastian Bach, singled out Wilhelm Friedemann Bach's flute duos in his 1771 treatise as "perfect models and a measuring stick" for music of their type.
Composer Biography
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach's mother died in 1720, a traumatic experience that mirrored his father Johann Sebastian Bach's loss of his own parents around the same age.
Composer Biography
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, the composer of these duos, was the second child of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, born in Weimar in 1710.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach reveals a lighter side and possibly a sense of humor in the rollicking giga dance movements that conclude several of his duos.
Compositional Technique
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach's flute duos feature rigorous counterpoint, including fugues and canons, and often use an incipient sonata form.
Performer Biography
Manuel Granatiero, one of the performers, founded the Accademia Ottoboni in Rome in 2004, named after a great patron of music.
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