As Ingomar Rainer correctly
points out in his booklet notes, approaching
these pieces demands a certain amount
of decision taking. For me, the first
problem to be dealt with is that of
putting modern flutes against a typically
baroque accompaniment of harpsichord
and cello. If you feel you can get over
hearing the harmonic rich sound of high-tech
flutes in this setting, you will also
have to deal with an uncompromisingly
contemporary style of playing, which,
while not necessarily insensitive to
the music, has all of the vibrato and
in-your-face sheer power with which
the baroque traverso just cannot compete.
If these things don’t worry you, then
there are rewards to be had from having
put aside these particular period preconditions.
Both flautists perform with absolute
security, and all performers here are
entirely in tune with Bach’s idiom,
through phrasing to articulation, and
topped off with neatly executed and
tasteful ornamentation.
More commonly heard
as part of the repertoire are Bach’s
sonatas BWV 1030-35 for solo flute and
continuo – usually harpsichord, and
cello where the accompaniment is genuine
continuo rather than ‘obbligato’ keyboard.
The sonatas here fall generally under
the heading of trio sonatas, with some
appearing in a number of guises – BWV
1039 for instance you may already have
in your library as a sonata for viola
da gamba or cello and harpsichord. The
version here is of course by Bach himself,
and sounds very good indeed – the music
having all the richness of any of the
composer’s best concertos.
There are those movements
which have been attributed to Bach in
the past, but which are now thought
to be more likely the work of one or
other of his sons. BWV 1036 and BWV
1038 are the interlopers here, and on
these recordings it is fairly easy to
hear why the hand of the master may
be once or even twice-removed. These
are highly attractive works, but like
an imitation of Shakespeare, the sheer
intensity of musical invention is less
eternally present in these works: there
is a certain amount of ‘waiting for
the next good bit’. An abundance of
less elegant modulations and rather
unmemorable melodic lines and shapes
can easily convince that this is the
kind of thing Bach might have nodded
over with paternal pride, but would
never have considered up to standard
as his own work.
BWV 1029 is originally
for harpsichord and viola da gamba and
harpsichord, but has been effectively
arranged for the flute-duet combination
by Rainer and Schmeiser. The same is
true of BWV 1038, which was constructed
using the violin sonata BWV 1021 as
a basis, and is now also considered
to be by one of Bach’s sons. The equal
partnership of melody and counter-melody
is something to which the ear needs
to become accustomed in these works,
but both flautists have the true chamber
musician’s feel for balance, and know
when to project less, or when to rise
above the lines of the other.
The balance of the
recording is very nice in the Wyastone
Leys acoustic, with the harpsichord
balanced appropriately fairly low, mixing
with the sounds of the other instruments
rather than jangling too much through
the texture of the whole. These works
can of course be found in as versions
in various trio sonata sets, but I’ve
been unable to find an equivalent release
with the flute duet as solo. This Nimbus
CD has to be seen as a welcome addition
to the Bach catalogue, and while being
a very pleasant listen indeed, should
also inject some added life into the
flute fraternity.
Dominy Clements
Hansgeorg Schmeiser and Jan Ostrý
(flutes) 
