BACH, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)
Sonata No. 2
1.	Allegro moderato	3:43
2.	Siciliano	1:59
3.	Allegro	2:40
Sonata in G minor
4.	Allegro	4:15
5.	Adagio	2:48
6.	Allegro	3:55
Sonata in E major
7.	Adagio ma non tanto	2:06
8.	Allegro	2:17
9.	Siciliano	3:16
10.	Allegro assai	2:31
BACH, Carl Philipp Emanuel (1714-1788)
Sonata in E major
11.	Allegretto	6:53
12.	Adagio di molto	3:26
13.	Allegro assai	4:22
BACH, Johann Christoph Friedrich (1732-1795)
Sonata in D major
14.	Allegro	4:54
15.	Andante alla Polacca	2:34
16.	Tempo di menuetto - Trio	3:56
BACH, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750)
17.	Air (from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major)	2:40
18.	Ave Maria	2:43
19.	Arioso (Largo from Concerto for Harpsichord and String Orchestra)	2:56

To-day the Flute is most often made of silver or even gold, but is used in various forms in every primitive tribe world-wide, and examples from as long ago as 200 B.C. have been found in Egypt. By the time J.S. Bach travelled to Dresden to hear the King of Poland's orchestra in 1717 the 'transverse' flute was already being developed, with most made of box wood, and with a single D# key. Buffardin and Quantz were two of the principal flautists using this 'new' flute. By 1768 further keys had been added, and the player Tacet wrote Sonatas for this instrument, performing with J.C. Bach in London.

The Harp may be traced back to the plucking of a single string on a bow, and a drawing of such an instrument has been found on a Bismaya vase from around 3000 B.C. By about 2000 B.C. some form of sound-box had been added, but it wasn't until the 18th century that makers began experimenting with chromatic tuning systems. By 1720 the first pedal harp was in use, each string being raised by a semi-tone, and by 1782 Georges and Jacques Cousineau had developed the double action instrument. The modern harp design was now close to completion, the most recent perfection being carried out by Sébastien Érard, patenting his now standard 'double-action' harp in London in 1801.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1665-1750)Under the patronage of Duke Leopold, Bach's time in Cöthen (1717-1723) was a very stable and fruitful one. With no church music to produce he was able to develop 'order' and new standards of technical craftsmanship in instrumental and chamber works such as the two Clavierbüchlein for Friedmann and for Anna Magdalena, the Orgelbüchlein, and the Well-tempered Clavier (forty-eight Preludes and Fugues). His output also included the six Brandenburg Concertos, the Cello Suites, sonatas for flute, concertos for violin and keyboards, violin partitas and cello suites.
The Sonatas 2 and 6 on this recording are selected from two separate sets, containing three Sonatas each, written during this period. The first set is for flute (or violin) and cembalo, while Sonatas four to six are for flute (or violin) and basso continuo. These works may easily be considered trio sonatas, with the second solo instrument incorporated into the keyboard part.
Again from Bach's time at Cöthen comes the Prelude in C major, the first prelude from the Well-tempered Clavier. Here, though, it is used in its well-known role as the accompaniment to the luscious Ave Maria melody by Gounod (Paris 1818-1893).
The date of the Orchestral Suites is uncertain. They may come from the same period as the Flute Sonatas, or from Bach's time in Leipzig, but they were certainly performed to the Herzog von Cöthen, and definitely conducted by Bach himself between 1729 and 1736. The Air is from the Orchestral Suite No. 3. From this same period (1729-36) comes the Arioso, extracted from the Clavier Concerto no. 5 in F minor. This version utilizes the right-hand only from the harpsichord part of the movement.

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788)The third son of J.S. Bach, Carl Philipp became an eminent composer in his own right, holding positions with Frederick the Great in Potsdam fro 28 years, and in Hamburg for the final 21 years of his life. The Sonata in E major (1754) follows in the footsteps of J.S. Bach, being a revision of an earlier work for 2 flutes and basso continuo, incorporating the upper flute into the keyboard continuo in a re-working from the last years of Carl Philipp's life.

Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732-1795)The ninth and eldest surviving son of J.S. Bach, Johann Christoph initially studied music with his father. He also studied law, but in 1750, when his father was seriously ill, he left his career to become a musician at the court of Bückeburg, where he remained until his death. The Sonata in D major - originally for flute and keyboard ("claviercembalo") - is the second from a set of Six Sonatas published in 1777.