Fasch did not publish any music during his lifetime,
and sources for performances of Fasch have to be drawn
from either original manuscripts or the few modern
editions that have been prepared from his music. This
is partly why this collection of Fasch's chamber music
comes as a bit of a surprise as the core of his
instrumental output is made up of orchestral music --
he has 87 "overture" suites, 64 concerti, and 19
symphonies. Fasch's surviving chamber output is modest
by co...(+)
FaWV N:d2.
Fasch did not publish any music during his lifetime,
and sources for performances of Fasch have to be drawn
from either original manuscripts or the few modern
editions that have been prepared from his music. This
is partly why this collection of Fasch's chamber music
comes as a bit of a surprise as the core of his
instrumental output is made up of orchestral music --
he has 87 "overture" suites, 64 concerti, and 19
symphonies. Fasch's surviving chamber output is modest
by comparison -- 18 trio sonatas and 12 sonatas in four
parts; the seven works here account for slightly more
than one-fifth of Fasch's entire chamber music legacy.
Most of the music was probably composed in the
mid-1730s for a Collegium musicum that Fasch had
founded in Zerbst in the 1710s, which went head to head
for a time with similar ensembles led by Bach and
Telemann. Of the seven pieces included, the Sonata in C
for bassoon is the most interesting. Fasch manages to
keep the bassoon out of its usual barking or
percolating role and writes for it in the same flowing
manner as one would for the flute -- the first-movement
Largo is particularly lovely, and Epoca Barocca wisely
includes a lute in the continuo to provide contrast
with the low-throated solo instrument. The D minor
Quadri for oboe, violin and bassoon is missing its
alleged violin part however; Epoca Barocca
reconstituted it through having the violin answer to
the bassoon part.
Although originally written for 2 Oboes, Obbligato
Basson & Continuo , I created this arrangement for
Woodwind Quartet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet & Bassoon).
SHEET MUSIC