The four Bach flute sonatas presented in this volume offer a genuine variety both in style and transmission. The first two are thoroughbass sonatas conceived for flute, string bass and harpsichord. Their time of origin is uncertain and might even date back to Bach’s Köthen period. In the transmitted version with obbligato harpsichord, the sonatas in b minor and A major BWV 1030 and 1032 are most probably arrrangements of earlier, no longer surviving works.
The compositional interweaving of the sonatas for flute and harpsichord reaches its apogee in the contemplative b minor sonata, which is a masterpiece of the flute repertoire. By contrast, the A major sonata is captivating for its brilliant joyfulness and radiant colour.