Frederick II (1712-1786) wrote a history of Prussia, prose, poems, plays and opera libretti. He had a keen interest in the Enlightenment in France, entertaining a friendship with the writer and philosopher Voltaire. The cosmopolitan ruler - affectionately nicknamed Frederick the Great by his subjects - seldom spoke German. Instead, he preferred to speak and write in French, but was also versed in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Arguably his favorite language of all, though, was music.
As a child, Frederick had to take music lessons in secret because his father thought little of his musical interests. Shortly after ascending the Prussian throne, he commissioned the construction of the State Opera Unter den Linden in Berlin, bringing prominent musicians to his court. His residences in Berlin and nearby Potsdam became centers of German musical life.
Frederick was an avid composer, producing 121 sonatas for flute, four flute concertos, a symphony and various arias - all written in a consistently gallant and melodious style (The monarch wasn't interested in the modern music of his time, including that of Mozart and Haydn). Kings who wrote music weren't uncommon. The English rulers Richard the Lion Hearted and Henry VIII as well as many from the Habsburg dynasty shared the avocation. Frederick's sisters Wilhelmine and Anna Amalie were also artistically gifted.
1. 00:00 Allegro
2. 04:16 Grave
3. 09:05 Allegro assai
Emmanuel Pahud (flute)
Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord/cembalo)
Kammerakademie Potsdam
An excerpt of the first movement appears in a tv series in 4 parts from 1985 named "Johann Sebastian Bach" (an East German/Hungarian collaboration):
• Video