The King did own, however, flutes constructed by other craftsmen, including a surviving flute made by Scherer in Paris and found at the State Instrument Collection of Berlin. Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, was the eldest surviving son of Frederick William I and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, sister of George II of England. . 31Thouret, Friedrich der Grosse als Musikfreund und Musiker, 109-10, cited by Helm, Music at the Court of Frederick the Great, 160. As a composer, a flutist, and an instrument builder, Quantz was the most important influence on the King's musical development and career. Reichardt, "Musikalische Anekdoten von Friedrich dem Grossen," Musikalisched Kuntsmagazin 2 (1791): 40, cited by Helm, Music at the Court of Frederick the Great, 37. 7J.F. Quantz was an important figure in Berlin not only as a performer and composer but also as an instrument builder. There was a joke in Potsdam, ascribed to C. P. E. Bach, concerning this pupil-teacher relationship: Question: Which is the most frightening beast in the world? 13J.F. In 1745 Frederick wrote to his servant Fredersdorf, Quantz is to make me two new flutes—but very special ones—one with a strong tone that is easily blown and one with a sweet high register, and he is to keep them until my return.29. 190 in C minor ("pour Potsdam"), Sonata for flute & continuo No. Burney's account described Frederick's loss of vitality as a patron in his later years. Lange, 1754-1778), ed. In 1756, his salary was increased to 500 thalers and it was increased again later as an incentive to stay in Berlin. 15Müller, Friedrich der Grosse, seine Flöten und sein Flötenspiel, 9. I was much pleased, and even surprised with the neatness of his execution in the allegros, as well as by his expression and feeling in the adagio; in short, his performance surpassed, in many particulars, anything I had ever heard among Dilettanti, or even Professors. The composer and soloist was always Quantz or the King. . 117 in A major, Sonata for flute & continuo No. Cedric Howard Glover (London: Blackie and Son, 1927), 229. .11. Along with the sonatas of Quantz and C. P. E. Bach, they represent the spirit of experimentation in the North German school preceding the Classical sonatas of Haydn and Mozart. 3Friedrich Förster, Friedrich Wilhelm I: König von Preussen, 3 vols. Spitta's "Vorwort" was translated for the author by Karin Loewy. He sometimes would cough quietly to show his displeasure of the King's playing or cry "Bravo" to show his enthusiasm.16 An anecdote by Franz Benda further illuminates the relationship. . First, the King used several flutes of different tonal character interchangeably, depending upon the character of the music. Answer: The lapdog of Mrs. Quantz. The picture given by Burney was of a busy but organized monarch who managed to find time for his principal avocation, music. Read Full Biography, Though royalty and the aristocracy played important parts as patrons of the arts in eighteenth-century Europe, few were as directly involved as Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, who was not only a…, Concerto for flute & string orchestra No 1 in G, Concerto for flute & string orchestra No 2 in G, Concerto for flute & string orchestra No 4 in D, Concerto for flute & string orchestra No. In addition, Frederick did not show appreciation for Bach's flute compositions which were dramatic and emotional in comparison to those of Quantz and the King. Frederick's relationship to C. P. E. Bach, his accompanist, was troubled in comparison to the devotion and respect that the King showed his mentor, Quantz. C. P. E. Bach never earned the high salary or enjoyed the prestige at court accorded to Quantz. They included C. P. E. Bach as first cembalist, Karl Heinrich Graun as Kapellmeister, Johann Fredrich Agricola as court composer, Franz and Joseph Benda as violinists, Johann Gottlieb Graun as concertmaster, and Johann Joachim Quantz as chamber musician and flutist. He then drinks one dish of coffee, and proceeds to business with his ministers, who come full fraught with doubts, difficulties, documents, petitions and other papers to read . . . 18Burney, Dr. Charles Burney's Continental Travels, 161. Quantz earned 2000 thalers per year, an honorarium for each new work, and one hundred ducats for each new flute that he constructed. 28Schwarz-Reiflingen, "Friedrich der Grosse als Flötist," cited by Helm, Music at the Court of Frederick the Great, 163. Especially noteworthy, however, are the slow movements whose formal plan is based upon features such as striking melodic contrast or continuous variation. He wrote the complete libretti for the operas Montezuma (1755) and Silla (1753), and for parts of I fratelli nemici (1756) and Merope (1756). "1 In addition, the Crown Prince must deny himself "operas, comedies, and other follies of the laity. It is easy to discover that these concertos were composed at a time when he did not so frequently require an opportunity of breathing as at present; for in some of the divisions, which were very long and difficult, as well as in the closes, he was obliged to take his breath, contrary to rule, before the passages were finished.12. Loewy has also performed extensively with Yuling Huang-Davie, pianist, at numerous colleges and art centers throughout the United States. Throughout his reign, Frederick was devoted to his mentor, Johann Joachim Quantz. Though royalty and the aristocracy played important parts as patrons of the arts in eighteenth-century Europe, few were as directly involved as Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, who was not only a… Marpurg, 1: 249, cited by Helm, Music at the Court of Frederick the Great, 162. Frederick was an accomplished flute player. There were also chorus members, dancers, costumers, designers, and librettists for the Court Opera.4 The new opera house opened in 1742, and two opere serie were produced each Carnival season. Geiringer attributed C. P. E. Bach's notable lack of success with Frederick to a problem of personality.33 Bach was not able to feign the devotion and enthusiasm in the King's musical affairs that was expected. 27Johann Joachim Quantz, "Herrn Joachim Quantzens Lebenslauf," Historisch-Kritische Beyträge zur Aufname der Musik, 5 Vols. 181 in E minor, Sonata for flute & continuo No. The opening material is also restated at the beginning of the second half in the dominant key, and at the return of the tonic key in m. 55. Frederick played keyboard as well as the flute. The manuscript copy of the Presto of Sonata 112 (255) IV illustrates the more conservative compositional tendencies of the King. Perhaps the King was a stricter adherent to the written notes than his mentor, Quantz. Frederick claimed that it was poorly made because of the faulty intonation. First he plays the natural scale of d-e--g-a-b--d and so forth, then d-, e-g, -a, g-b, a-, b-d, -e, etc., then d-e--d, e--g-e, -g-a- and so forth, through all octaves; then all the exercises are played in descending motion; then all of the foregoing is repeated one half step higher . 4New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Frederick II," by Ernest Eugene Helm. Georg Müller, in his pamphlet, Friedrich der Grosse, seine Flöten und sein Flötenspiel (1932), described the surviving eight flutes played by the King. The general consensus among musicians of the King's day was that he played considerably better than a dilettante and possessed a fine technique and tone. Another change in the flute mechanism made by Quantz did not withstand the test of time. 5 in A major, Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in D major. Frederick the Great, (or Frederic II of Prussia), was a keen musician and composer as well as ruler. Usually the performing group was comprised of eight or nine musicians, including the soloist, a keyboard player, a string quartet, double bass, and bassoonist.5 Frederick was greatly involved in the activities of the musicians in his employment. She has served as Chair of the National Flute Association’s Newly-Published Music Committee. (New York: Da Capo Press Reprint, 1967), 1: v-vi. (Potsdam, 1834), I: 25, cited by Asprey, Frederick the Great, the Magnificent Enigma (New York: Ticknor and Fields, 1986), 21. Elisabeth Schmeling, a famous singer, declared of his playing, "He did not blow.