Words: 1567
G. Branding. Quanta traveled to Italy In 1724 to study counterpoint and flute. Later, he journeyed to Pans, whilst he was there he added a second key to his flutes, changing the fingering position on the instrument, but making it easier to play. Quanta then returned to Dressed and there he was made a member of the court Capable. From 1728 he taught Prince Frederick of Prussia on the flute before moving to Berlin in 1741. Instead of playing in the pit orchestra at the opera, Quanta served The King and played private evening concerts for him. The repertoires at these concerts were mainly Quanta’s own work.
Quanta composed over 200 flute sonatas and 300 flute concertos. As well as his work with vocal composition. Among these works. Quanta composed ‘Concert in G major. Quanta began making flutes in 1739. He made eighteen instruments that can now be found in museums in Germany, the USA and Japan. I Quanta’s flutes are unlike other baroque flutes in a number of interesting ways. In 1724 (whilst In Pans) he Invented a second key for D#. Although the Be key already existed on the flute, Quanta thought that adding a D# would help with tuning and intonation.
Even though the Quanta flute was good, it had little influence on 18th century European instruments. This was because Quanta was not a commercial Instrument maker: few people had the opportunity to own or play one. Concert In G major was composed In the late Baroque period to early classical period. Even though it could have been composed in the classical period, by it has many of the 1 OFF his training in counterpoint and flute, and although the piece does have references to the classical period (the sonata form) it is primarily a Baroque piece of music. The Baroque era was a period of European music between 1600-1750.
The word Baroque means strangeness, abnormality and extravagance, applying more to art than music. It is used to describe art architecture as well as music. The Baroque period had many defining characteristics; the basso continuo (figured bass line) originated in the Baroque period. The basso continuo is accompaniment used in most genres of music throughout the baroque period, and consisted of cello and harpsichord continuo. Another characteristic of Baroque music is the mood interpretation. In Baroque music, there is generally one mood throughout one piece.
Often this relates to the eye of the music. A happy mood is more likely to be in major keys such as movement one and three of ‘Concert in G’ unlike movement two, which is in a minor key and therefore has a sadder mood. What is happy will stay happy throughout the piece and what is sad continues to the end. Composers molded the musical language to fit the moods and affections. Many different forms are used in Baroque music, such as Binary (ABA) Ternary (ABA) Rondo (ABACA). Concert in G is written more in Sonata form which refers to the classical period that it could have been composed in.
Sonata Form is (Exposition: {Theme} Development {Variation} Recapitulation: {Theme} Many types of music were introduced in the baroque period, such as The Chorale, Opera, and Dance Suites. Other characteristic that Baroque music have are the ornamentation in the melodic lines, and the repetition of phrases with varying dynamic or pitch contrasts. This can be exampled in most of ‘Concert in G’ especially the Cadenzas in movement one. Concert in G is a flute concerto, meaning a piece for solo flute and continuo. Concertos were used greatly throughout Baroque period.
Generally, it is a three movement work, usually with a fast movement, slower movement, and a fast to finish off. This is shown in ‘Concert in G’. The first movement of Concert in G is an allegro assai, literally translating to ‘quite fast’. The tempo does not vary throughout this movement, it stays steady and the piece is organized in a 4/4 meter or simple quadruple. During the first bar of the flute solo, the theme is stated. The melodic line continues in the key of G major, and is highly ornamented, with many trills and mordents to giving the piece the characteristics from Baroque era.
Concert in G relies on good intonation skill because of its many scale type melodic runs that can sound flat descending, or sharp ascending. The sequencing in bar 28 is very typical of both the period and style of the piece. Sequencing can be found throughout the entire concerto. The melody line continues, remaining highly ornamented, and using semi quavers. The melody again uses sequencing (Bars 36-38) This sequencing causes the piece to modulate first into A major, followed into B minor, and then D major. During these progressions, the rhythmic pattern of the sequencing changes slightly, but continues much as before.
This section of the movement ends in D. The restatement of the theme is in in D major instead of G; however, the piece quickly modulates back into G through arpeggio phrases and scale type runs using rest of the section is made up of runs that include accidentals and more sequencing, there is an introduction of a new melodic idea; however, it is only used twice on ‘raying pitches. From then on, the piece is made up of scale or arpeggio lines :especially bar 104 onwards) until the ending of the section in G. The rest of the movement is then a reinstatement of the original theme in the original key of G.
As Nell as a conclusion to the movement, the end section includes Cadenzas (Bar 117 and 146) which shows the ornamentation and improvisation of the Baroque period. This movement is in ABA Coda form or ternary form. These movements were written to be performed with continuo to give a more complex texture than Just melody and accompaniment, however, this piece is largely performed with Just piano, giving it a different texture. Ere second movement is ‘Arioso e most’ which translates to ‘Airy and sad’. The piece is in G minor, however it does hint towards B major occasionally.
Much like the first event, Arioso e Messy has a steady tempo, but is in % or simple triple unlike the Allegro assai which is simple quadruple. The piece shows these modulations again through rhythmic line repeated on different pitches, much like the first movement. Much like the first movement, the melody line is again highly ornamented, typical of the Baroque musical style. There seems to be a trill on any note longer than a quaver. The phrases in this movement seem to be more expressive, and there seems to be more of a shape to the phrases. This could be because it is a slower, sad movement, and is therefore easier to be expressive with.
The melody is fragmented slightly with the accompaniment, whether the flute is accompanied by continuo or piano (which again, gives the piece a different texture). This movement of the concerto uses articulation to convey the mood effectively. There are many legato, slurred, minor lines throughout the piece, emphasizing the mood of the movement (bar 12) and again, being more expressive within phrases. As Baroque characteristics suggest, the sad mood is consistent throughout. Again, much like the first movement, this piece has a cadenza using many runs ending on Ax’s, and much ornamentation, before resolving to a G minor chord. E third movement ‘Presto’ translates to quickly. The movement has (like the other two) has a steady tempo, and is in 2/4 or simple duple. The movement itself is much like the first in that it is fairly fast, and has many semiquaver runs. As well as this it has the characteristic of the same mood throughout the entire piece and is, much like the other movements (and much like the Baroque period characteristics suggest) highly ornamented. The movement, much like the other movements has the statement of the theme in the first bar, followed by the reinstatement of the theme SST in varying keys.
Much like the first movement, Presto begins in G major and then uses sequencing, and progressions to change key. The third movement modulates keys. It modulates into A major, and D major, as well as some minor modulations. The third movement is the longest movement of the three, and consists of mainly semi quaver arpeggio lines throughout, as well as scale type runs. The theme is reinstated Ionian Quanta composed a beautiful concerto for flute and continuo, and was influenced by the Baroque period, France, Belgium, the King of Prussia, and by the composers he met such as Vivaldi and Handel.
His music is a reflection of what he knew and who he was influenced by, as well as reflection on himself as a person. Ninth all of these factors combined, Quanta wrote many varied flute pieces, that are essential to any flautist. Http://www. Youths. Com/watch? V=dweebs-cuff This is my favorite recording of the Concerto by Quanta. This is because of its fluid sound and technique shown by Johannes Walter (flute). I think the articulations and accuracy shown by him are technically perfect. Johannes Walter showed good dynamic contrast and a good interpretation of the piece as I know it.