Frederick II - Four Sonatas, Spitta Nos 21, 40, 76, 83

In the four sonatas presented here [in separate publications - MR 2298, 2299, 2300 & 2301 - or together in MR 2266] for the first time, the royal composer can lay uncontested claim to an above-average talent. The works stand out for their imaginative power, their skill and their stylistic variety. The grand rooms of Sanssouci Palace must have been filled with heartfelt Adagios and brilliant Allegros that confirmed the virtuoso flute technique of the Quantz pupil. The sonatas were recently recorded on CD (Hungaroton) by the editor who, as a performer, is a recognized expert on the music of J. J. Quantz and Frederick the Great.