Wyndi May
March 19, 2010
MUS-302: Program Notes
Bach: A Classical Baroque
Johann Sebastian Bach: Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major
Composed: 1730-34
Length: 10:30
Orchestration: Flute solo, harpsichord accompaniment
Commissioned for Pierre-Gabriel Buffardin
First Published: Mid-19th Century, C.F. Peters
While on a concert tour through Dresden in 1717, Johann Sebastian Bach came in contact
with French organist, J. Louis Marchand. German musicians knew Marchand was a talented
organist but his arrogance quickly made him unpopular through the country1. Bach challenged
Marchand to an organ-playing contest, which Marchand accepted. After secretly listening to
Bach play, Marchand fled Dresden, accepting defeat. Bach was known for his mastery of the
keyboard, particularly organ.
During his visit, J.S. Bach met, and was impressed by, Pierre Gabriel Buffardin, the
principal flautist in Dresden2. Buffardin’s talent prompted Bach to consider the flute as a solo
instrument. After his departure from Dresden, Bach had to return to Cöthen to fulfill his duties
as Kapellmeister to the Duke. Upon returning, Bach began composing the first of his eight
“Johann Sebastian Bach.” Soylent Communications, 2010. 6 March, 2010.
http://nndb.net/people/520/000059343/.
2
Marshall, Robert L. “J.S. Bach’s Compositions for Solo Flute: A Reconsideration of Their Authenticity and
Chronology,” Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. 32, No. 3 (Autumn, 1979), 478.
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pieces for solo flute. His involvement with flute as a solo instrument spanned from 1718 to
17413.
Many of Bach’s pieces before experimenting with flute were fugal in nature. Endless
note runs and interplay between solo instrument and basso continuo or harpsichord became a
trademark style for him. Bach’s Flute Sonata in Eb Major was the second flute piece written for
Buffardin4. Compared to his other flute works, the Sonata in Eb Major is lighter in mood and
composition5. It follows in typical three-movement sonata format (fast-slow-fast) that Bach
adopted from Antonio Vivaldi6.
The first movement, Allegro moderato, exemplifies a style out of the norm for Bach –
Galant, featuring song-like melodies, light accompaniment, and short phrases. Allegro moderato
opens with an eight measure harpsichord solo. It features the typical violin techniques found in
many of Bach’s works – “rapid oscillation between a repeated note and a moving line that on a
violin is accomplished by alternating strings”7. However, when the flute comes in, the melody is
simple and the harpsichord accompaniment is lightened to a basic bass line. When the flute
rests, the harpsichord picks up the quicker lines once again. There is a constant interplay
between the two voices. A brief use of counterpoint leads us back to the violin-like harpsichord
solo similar to the one found at the beginning. The flute’s reentry is now higher and sweeter
sounding than before. There are interjections of violin features through the flute part in shorter
phrases. Towards the end of the movement, the flute takes over the extensive solo while the
Marshall, “J.S. Bach’s Compositions for Solo Flute,” 497.
“J.S. Bach – Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major (BWV 1031).” Classical Collection, Inc. 2007. 3 March, 2010
http://www.classicalcollectioninc.com/f8abach.html.
5
Haskell, Harry. “Notes on the Program.” The Carnegie Hall Corporation, 2009. 3 March, 2010
http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/events/evt_10667_pn.html?selecteddate=04292009.
6
“Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb, BWV 1031.” All Music Guide. 3 March, 2010.
http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/3060.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about.
7
Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. (New York: W.W.
Norton & Company, 2010), 444.
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harpsichord returns to its bass line. The harpsichord plays eighth notes while the flute plays
sixteenths and vice versa. Counterpoint enters once again to end the movement.
Siciliano, the second movement, provides a drastic change in pace. Also representative
of Galant style, the flute plays an extremely lyrical, “haunting”8 melody, typically in two
measure phrases while the harpsichord plays an appreciated accompaniment. There is little
interplay between the voices as the flute carries the melody much of the time. The harpsichord
takes over briefly just before a reintroduction to the melody. This movement, while beautiful, is
not typical of Bach’s violinistic fashion.
Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major’s third movement, Allegro, returns to the Bach modern
audiences know and love. The flute and harpsichord work as equal partners9 in this fast paced
final movement. The movement is almost entirely counterpoint. When the two voices are not
sharing rhythms, they pass the sixteenth note passages between each other. There are a few
points, around the middle, in which the flute acts as accompaniment while the harpsichord takes
the melody. The two unite in rhythm to conclude the movement and the piece. This final
movement exemplifies J.S. Bach’s style through its constant moving lines in both melody and
accompaniment.
The contrasting styles of the first and second movements compared to the third spark
debate as to whether it was J.S. Bach who composed the Flute Sonata No. 2 or his second oldest
son, Carl Philipp Emanuel. “One of the two surviving manuscript copies of Sonata No. 2 in Eb
Major was copied by Carl Philipp Emanuel…who himself wrote many works for the flute”10.
The fact that this sonata is not as dense and violinistic as other works of J.S. Bach makes it easy
to believe that perhaps it was the work of C.P.E. Bach.
“Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb, BWV 1031.” All Music Guide.
“Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb, BWV 1031.” All Music Guide.
10
“J.S. Bach,” Classical Collection, Inc.
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Johann Sebastian Bach’s style is entirely Baroque. Music historians agree that Baroque
music utilizes “extravagance, decoration, and focus on expression”11. Composers of this time
wrote out ornaments rather than allowing them to be improvised as they had been in the past.
Much of J.S. Bach’s music was violinistic, taking after Vivaldi’s techniques. He would write
endless runs and scales for his solo instruments. His phrases are long and typically do not allow
much time to breathe. Many listeners of the time believed the music was too complicated and
dissonant, making it hard to listen to. Although seen as too modern during his life, Bach’s music
was considered old-fashioned by his death12.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, in regards to his father’s music, is quoted as saying, “The art
has advanced to great heights: the old style of music no longer pleases our modern ears”13. As
was one of the first composers of the Classical era, he sought to simplify music. He utilized
Galant style. Music was just as much for the audience as it was for the performers. Alberti bass
was introduced, helping simplify the sound of the piece. Accompaniment was light; solos were
melodic. Phrases were typically shorter, allowing for plenty of breathing space. The overall
shift in sound from Baroque to Classical was complex to simple.
The fact that J.S. Bach’s Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major uses much of the technique
emphasized in the Classical era makes an argument for the piece to actually belong to C.P.E. It
may have been C.P.E.’s composition, but was written under J.S.’s supervision14. The more
simplistic accompaniment and lighter melodies also contribute to the argument for C.P.E. as
composer. However, C.P.E. credits the sonata to his father15.
11
Burkholder, A History of Western Music, 293.
Burkholder, A History of Western Music, 439.
13
Johann Sebastian Bach.” Soylent Communications, 2010.
14
Marshall, “J.S. Bach’s Compositions for Solo Flute,” 471.
15
Haskell, Harry. “Notes on the Program.”
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The piece’s use of counterpoint makes it difficult to argue that it was not J.S. Bach’s. It
may have features of Classical style that C.P.E. would have used, but there is too much evidence
supporting J.S. Bach as the actual composer. The fugal patterns he uses through voice
interchange of the melody is characteristically J.S. The third movement almost confirms any
doubts as to who the composer is. The longer phrases and continuously moving melody mimic
many of his other pieces, orchestral or otherwise.
Regardless of which Bach actually wrote the Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major, it is still a
Bach sonata. The mere fact that it comes from such a highly prestigious musical family is
enough to keep it going in the standard flute repertoire.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Born: March 21, 1685, Eisenach
Died: July 28, 1750, Leipzig
“He is the father, and we his children.” – W.A. Mozart
Johann Sebastian Bach came from a large, musical family. He learned violin from his
father and organ from his older brother, Johann Christoph. Bach initially worked as the church
organist at Arnstadt in 1703 and Mühlhausen four years later. It was at Mühlhausen that Bach
began taking on private students in composition and organ, a side job that would continue to his
death16. He took on various concertmaster and music director jobs before settling in Leipzig in
1723. He became cantor and civic music director of the St. Thomas School, Germany’s leading
university. Bach composed for every genre of music, excluding opera, depending on what the
position he held required of him. His catalogue (BWV) holds over one thousand pieces, but
16
Burkholder, A History of Western Music, 441
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there are probably many that have been lost. In 1750, he died of a stroke, possibly caused by
diabetes. Although he was not highly acclaimed in his lifetime, his reputation flourished after
his death17.
17
Burkholder, A History of Western Music, 441.
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Bibliography
Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music.
New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2010. 439 – 441
In this selection of pages, Burkholder briefly discusses J.S. Bach’s life and family. He
also lists the numerous positions Bach held throughout his life and how those positions
influenced his compositions.
“Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb, BWV 1031.” All Music Guide. 3 March, 2010.
http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/3060.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about
This website provides a brief overview of J.S. Bach’s Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major. It
also provides recordings for listening to this piece.
Haskell, Harry. “Notes on the Program.” The Carnegie Hall Corporation, 2009. 3 March, 2010
http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/events/evt_10667_pn.html?selecteddate=0
4292009
This website provides Carnegie Hall’s program notes on Emmanuel Pahud’s performance
of J.S. Bach’s Flute Sonatas in E minor, B minor, Eb Major, and E Major.
“J.S. Bach – Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major (BWV 1031).” Classical Collection, Inc. 2007. 3
March, 2010 http://www.classicalcollectioninc.com/f8abach.html.
This website gives a brief history and analysis of Bach’s Flute Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major.
“Johann Sebastian Bach.” Soylent Communications, 2010. 6 March, 2010.
http://nndb.net/people/520/000059343/.
This website provides information on J.S. Bach’s life as well as a brief overview
of his son’s, Carl Philipp Emanuel, life. It also goes on to discuss the
influence J.S. Bach has had on various composers.
Marshall, Robert L. “J.S. Bach’s Compositions for Solo Flute: A Reconsideration of Their
Authenticity and Chronology,” Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. 32,
No. 3 (Autumn, 1979), 463 - 498.
This journal article discusses J.S. Bach’s flute pieces. It focuses on solving the mystery
as to whom the true composers of each sonata were as well as when they were written.
Wolff, Christoph et al. "Bach." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 6 Mar. 2010
<http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/40023pg10>.
This article discusses J.S. Bach’s life and accomplishments in depth.
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