# Johann Joachim Quantz



## lookingforclassical

"Johann Joachim Quantz (30 January 1697 - 12 July 1773) was a German flutist, flute maker and composer."

I've been listening to many of his works... most of them are pretty good.






Any opinions? I couldn't find a Guestbook about him.


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## Cheyenne

The the two flute quartets are great! I've loved that genre since I heard Telemann's played by Reinhard Goebel.


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## moody

Cheyenne said:


> The the two flute quartets are great! I've loved that genre since I heard Telemann's played by Reinhard Goebel.


I thought he was a watch.


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## Ukko

moody said:


> I thought he was a watch.


There is a Quantz quartz? Not good... not good. Lowers the aesthetic value of the mechanism.


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## Taggart

*Johann Joachim Quantz (1697 - 1773)*








Quantz was born in Oberscheden, near Göttingen. His father was a blacksmith who died in 1707 and begged Quantz to take up his profession. Quantz took instruction from his uncle, a town musician in Merseburg. In 1716, Quantz became a member of the town band in Dresden and studied counterpoint with Jan Dismas Zelenka, pupil of Fux. In 1718, Quantz was was appointed oboist in the newly formed Dresden Polish Chapel of August II. Because there were more experienced oboists in the orchestra, Quantz opted for the tranverse flute as his main instrument. The Dresden orchestra was very famous at that time. Quantz came into contact with the musicians Heinichen, Lotti, Pisendel, Veracini, Hasse, Ristori, Zelenka, Sylvius Leopold Weiss, Richter, Hebenstreit among others.

From 1724 to 1727 Quantz made a tour through Europe, made possible and funded by his employer. He visited Italy, France, England and The Netherlands.

When he returned to Dresden in 1728, he was promoted from the "Polnische Kapelle" to the orchestra "Sächsische Kapelle", which was also accompanied by a rise of salary. On a visit to Berlin he played for the Crown Prince of Prussia. Frederick arranged for Quantz to teach him the flute in spite of the objections of his father. During the 13 following years, Quantz would go twice a year to Berlin and later to Ruppin and Rheinsberg to give lessons to the future king.

From 1741 to the end of his life Quantz was composer and flute teacher of Frederick the Great in Berlin and Potsdam. By then he was well known and respected as a extremely versatile, widely travelled and experienced musician. His duties included giving regular flute lessons to the king, to direct and occasionally to take part in the evening chamber concerts, to make flutes and, naturally, to compose new pieces. His performance obligations were limited to the Royal Chamber Ensemble, excluding duties in the opera orchestra. His contract also contained a clause according to which his compositions were for the king's exclusive use, and could not be circulated outside the court in any way.

Every evening Frederick the Great played the flute accompanied by his best musicians. The concerts were generally arranged by Quantz, with the assistance of Benda, Graun and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and later Carl Fasch who replaced Bach when Bach went to Hamburg. The king's concerts generally lasted from 7 to 9. Frederick played six concertos and one sonata without a break during these chamber concerts. Later the number of concertos was reduced. Quantz only participated when a second flute was required.

Quantz made flutes from at least 1739 and was an innovator in flute design, adding a second key (Eb, in addition to the standard D#) to help with intonation, for example. Quantz is known today as the author of Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversiere zu spielen (1752) (titled On Playing the Flute in English), a treatise on traverso flute playing. It is a valuable source of reference regarding performance practice and flute technique in the 18th century.

Quantz died on the 12th of July 1773 at Potsdam. The king erected a monument for him in the churchyard outside the Nauener Tor.

Sources : wiki, Quantz website


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## Taggart

Some examples of his music

Concerto for flute in G major n. 161 (QV 5:174) - I. Allegro assai






Flute Quartet No.1 in D major






Concerto à 10 No. 4 in G


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## Ingélou

The Flute Concertos on YouTube - I'm listening now. I'm not a big fan of the flute sound and tend to prefer the bits in between, but that's like picking the cucumber out of cucumber sandwiches. This is lively and enjoyable music. :tiphat:


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