Sonate à quattro in D minor

Sonate à quattro in D minor

Largo – Allegro – Largo – Allegro

Johann Friedrich Fasch was a composer whose work stood on the cusp between the Baroque and Classical eras. In this concert we have the particular case of the Sonate à quattro which, with the inclusion of a viola, clearly stands half way between the Baroque trio sonata and the Classical string quartet. Unlike the trio sonatas, these new quartets with basso continuo were not written for amateurs, but were aimed at the virtuosos of the Court ensembles and their highly musical audiences. We are reminded of the aristocratic houses of Esterhazy and Razumovsky. A quartet or a sonata with three concertante instruments and a bass is actually the touchstone of a real contrapuntist.

Fasch was an exact contemporary of Bach, Handel and Telemann. He was hugely prolific, but found himself in Zerbst rather than Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin or Hamburg. His D minor Sonata opens with a sombre Largo. The fugal Allegro is brightened with lively concertante elements. The second Largo is particularly attractive followed by an exciting Finale.

Francis Humphrys