Carl Friedrich Abel (1723–87) worked as a composer and musician at the Dresden court of Frederick the Great, a famous hotspot for composers at that time (Frederic himself was a great patron of the musical arts, and a respectable composer himself). Among the composers residing was Quantz, a virtuoso on the flute, who inspired Abel to write for this fashionable instrument.

The works on this recording are written in the Viennese Classical Style, charming, melodious and full of sparkle and wit. Giorgia Browne, solo flutist of several famous Early Music orchestras, knows the style extremely well, and delights in the music’s spirited and joyful character, expertly accompanied by Nordic Affect, a band playing authentic instruments.

Although Abel is known as one of the last and greatest virtuosos of the viola da gamba, his instrument declined in popularity towards the end of the 18th century, leading him to compose for other instruments; some of his most successful results can be heard in the music recorded on this disc. Abel’s ability to compose particularly fine music for the flute can be traced back to his time working at the Dresden court, which possessed one of the greatest orchestras of the era.

Among the musicians working there were the flautists Buffardin and Quantz - the latter a prolific composer of flute concertos and sonatas for Frederick the Great, a notable patron of the arts. It is likely that Abel himself was a skilled flautist, and the instrument’s popularity at the time created a great demand for new compositions.

The works featured on this disc are less well known than Abel’s music for viola da gamba, and are performed less often. However, they provide an insight into 18th century music’s transition from Baroque complexity to the melody-driven Classical style.