Instrumentation:

flute or violin and figured bass (harpsichord or organ, with optional cello or bass viol)

Although Bach and Mattheson had composed preludes and fugues, and figured-bass exercises, respectively, in all 24 major and minor keys, but the equally German composer Johann Christian Schickhardt (ca. 1685–1762) was the first person to composed a set of sonates for flute and violin and figured bass in all 24 keys. They were published privately in London during the 1730s under the title L’alphabet de la musique, certainly a reference to the sequence of keys beginning with A major and minor. The sonatas are regular solo sonatas, following the principles of sonata composition of the 1710s and 1720s. They mix ‘chamber’ and ‘church’ elements and have often more movement than the standard four. Originally scored for flute or violin and figured bass, Schickhardt provided alternative readings for the recorder, by replacing the treble and bass keys by French-violin and baritone keys, respectively. Also variant readings were provided for other keys on the same notated scale degree, for example, C major instead of C♯ major. Whereas the sonatas are available in several modern editions in transposed versions for the recorder, the present edition is the first to present the pieces in their original format. Schickhardt’s extensive collection has been divided into twelve pairs of sonatas on the same tonic key, major and minor.

19??

ISBN n/a (paper)

1 score (20 pp.) + 1 part (flute/bass 12 pp.)

21 x 30 cm

€16 or US$16