Today’s episode is dedicated entirely to Johann Friedrich Fasch, one of the most important German composers of the first half of the 18th century.
Johann Friedrich Fasch studied in Leipzig, where he met a number of musicians who would later became prominent composers, such as Georg Philipp Telemann, Christoph Graupner and Johann David Heinichen.
For most of his life, Fasch worked as chapel master at the court of Anhalt-Zerbst. His compositions were not exclusively performed there.
Several of his works have been preserved in the archive of the Darmstadt court, where Graupner was chapel master. Fasch also regularly sent compositions to Dresden, where they were performed by the court orchestra under the direction of Johann Georg Pisendel.
We will hear an overture (or suite for orchestra), Fasch’ only known solo sonata, and two concerts for multiple instruments.
Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688-1758)
1. Overture for three oboes, bassoon, two trumpets, strings and bc in D (FWV K,D3)
Kammerorchester Basel conducted by Julia Schröder
(cd: “Concerti & Ouvertüren” – deutsche harmonia mundi 88697446412, 2009)
2. Sonata for bassoon and bc in C (FWV N,C1)
Ensemble Barucco
(cd: “Sonatas” – Accentus ACC30644, 2024)
3. Concerto for two oboes, strings and bc in g (FWV L,g4)
Nele Vertommen and Nathalie Petibon, oboe. Musica Gloria
(cd: “Fasch’s Oboe – Music at the Zerbst Court” – Pan Classics PC 10435, 2022)
4. Concerto for two traversos, two oboes, two bassoons, strings and bc in d (FWV L,d7)
Il Gardellino
(cd: “Concertos” – Accent ACC 24399, 2008/2024)
additionally:
5. From Fantasy for two oboes, strings and bc in F (FWV O,F1): Lamento
Nele Vertommen and Nathalie Petibon, oboe. Musica Gloria
(cd: see 3)
