The following articles were written to complement Rachel's various editions and recordings.
More articles - and in various translations - are to appear shortly.
Handel's Flute and Recorder Sonatas
Despite the enormously increasing popularity of the flute in eighteenth-century England, Handel wrote surprisingly little for the instrument. Many of his wind players in the orchestra, principally oboists, would have doubled on flute and recorder for a very occasional change of colour. It seems, too, that scholars think that several of the "Handel Flute Sonatas" may not have been written by him at all, or were actually conceived for another instrument and adapted for the flute by his publisher, John Walsh.
Mozart's Flute - Magic, Mediocre or Maligned?
Scarcely a mention of Mozart's flute concertos and quartets is made without reference to a certain letter datin from the time around their composition in which Mozart wrote: 'my mind easily gets dulled, as you know, when I'm supposed to write lots for an instrument I can't stand.' Was this merely an off-the-cuff remark or Mozart genuinely harbour a deep dislike of the flute? If so, on what grounds did he hold this opinion and was it a life-long aversion?
Telemann Fantasias · Telemann Fantasias (Japanese)
In the eighteenth century there was a widespread belief, even amongst players and scholars of repute, that wind instruments could not and should not perform alone on account of their inability to create and sustain harmony. Even cadenzas, the shortest of solo forays, were considered best when limited to one breath! Three of the greatest baroque composers, however, namely J. S. and C. P. E. Bach and Telemann, took a more imaginative approach, creating substantial works during which there is never a moment when the harmony is not clearly implied.