Sonatas

Franz Xaver Richter (1709-1789) is one of the most important representatives of what is known as the Mannheim School, a style that influenced not only Mozart, but also the young Beethoven and even some of the early Romantic composers. The significance of Richter’s chamber music in the evolution of the major genres of Viennese classicism deserves to be recognised, showing the way as it does from the Baroque trio sonata to the immediate forerunners of the classical string quartet. Richter’s sonatas for flute, harpsichord obbligato and cello are milestones on that road. These pieces were written in the tradition of J. S. Bach’s sonatas with harpsichord obbligato and can bear comparison with the best works of Bach’s son Carl Philipp Emanuel. In this Wiener Urtext edition we present a selection of three sonatas that can also be played with a violin in the place of the flute. The piece may also be performed without the cello if necessary. Susanne Schrage’s advice on interpretation includes plenty of suggestions for an appropriate style of performance and ornamentation, which may be of interest to others besides flautists.