Blavet, M :: Sechs Sonaten [Six sonatas] op. 2 - Book 1

Michel Blavet (1700 1768) was one of the most outstanding flutists of his time. From 1723 he acted as flute teacher, as soloist at the Concerts spirituels and as a chamber virtuoso at the court and as solo flutist at the Paris Opera. With the exception of a few stage plays, he wrote almost exclusively compositions for his own instrument.

His Op. 2 appeared in print in 1731 and shows Blavet as a composer of good taste with a profound command of musical phraseology. His works gave the flutists a pleasant task and therefore they enjoyed great popularity especially in amateur circles. The composer used to put before his sonatas a special Announcement ( Avertissement ) which even nowadays gives the performer a lead for the interpretation. He says:

By Character Pieces the composer meant such numbers the purport of which he summed up with a title word. We find among these first and family names, but in accordance with the French ballet practice also captions like Gossip , The Insinuator , Goblin , Regrets , Tender Badinage and The Invincible .

Barenreiter presents the Sonatas, op. 2, in this new historically-detailed and -ornamented edition by Walter Kolneder.

Contents

• Sonata No. 1 'L'Henriette' op. 2/1
• Sonata No. 2 'La Vibray' op. 2/2
• Sonata No. 3 'La Dherouville' 2/3