for Flute or Violin and Basso Continuo-Published in 1728 Telemann’s sonatas are ‘methodical’ according to the meaning of the word at the time of their publication as in addition to the plain melody line given to the soloist in the first movements they alsoprovide an ornamented variant each time. This is instructive and very enjoyable music for today’s flautists and violinists.Henle’s luxurious new publication offers a solo and basso-continuo part in which the twoinstrumental lines are aligned for orientation plus another part that gives only an unrealised (but figured) bass line. The Henle edition also includes a full score with a stylistically appropriate continuo realisation.

In Sonata 7 in D major Balicourt opens with a suave intricately rhythmic Adagio. The following Presto with its delightful interplay between flute and bass including both octave doubling and stretto imitation is the most skittish movement to emerge from the composer’s pen. The finale is a ‘sandwich’ movement in which a Minuetto encloses a duple-metre Cantabile in D minor. Although the minuet could be said to exemplify one of those ‘easy’ movements referred to in Balicourt’s prospectus for subscribers its complex prescribed ornamentation requires sensitive handling. Sonata 8 in E minor is strategically placed as the final work inthe set being one of the longest as well as the most conservative; adopting the traditional four-movement configuration it continually harks back to the grand Handelian style. An eloquent Andante ushers in a Presto containing many slightly academic contrapuntal touches and much chromaticism. The subsequent Largo is only five bars long: its plain melodic line in minims and crotchets is the skeleton around which the flautist is expected to weave an elaborate embroidery. For the finale Balicourt introduces in effect a new version in triple metre of the second movement. The fact that all four movements are in E minor heightens the sense of unity which is expressed very concretely through their sharing of some thematic material.