Johann Sebastian Bach

4 Sonatas for Flute and Basso continuo/obbligato Harpsichord BWV 1034, 1035, 1030, 1032

Alongside the violin, the transverse flute is one of the preferred solo instruments in Johann Sebastian Bach's chamber music, even if the circumstances surrounding the composition of the individual works are not completely known. Three of the seven flute sonatas are attributed to Bach, but cannot be verifiably proven to have been composed by him. This is reflected by the allocation of the sonatas into two volumes whereby BA10961 (BWV 1034, 1035, 1030, 1032) contains the four sonatas by Bach and BA10962 (BWV 1033, 1031, 1020) the three sonatas attributed to him.

For this edition, flautist and teacher Cathrin Ambach arranged the sonatas for two flutes so that they can be accompanied by a second flute in lessons without the need for a keyboard instrument. By retaining the original Urtext flute solo part based on the “New Bach Edition” and with the elegant arrangement of the continuo or harpsichord accompaniment, the two flutes can play together at a comparable musical level in a high-quality and Bach-like manner. This edition is compatible with the Urtext performing editions of the sonatas based on the “New Bach Edition” (BA5198 and BA5220).