The flute and the harp: a marriage consecrated by Mozart’s double concerto. The dilettante flautist, Duc de Guines, who commissioned this work, and his daughter who, according to Mozart ‘played the harp magnificently’, were among the countless flautists and harpists enlivening the otherwise somewhat dull musical ‘soirées’ held in salons of Paris and London to St-Petersburg till well into the nineteenth century. Celebrated contemporaries such as N.-Ch. Bochsa, Cramer, Furstenau, Krumpholz, Nadermann, Woelfl etc. promptly turned out dozens of sonatas, polonaises, nocturnes, variations and paraphrases for these beloved salon instruments.

However it is much more difficult to find works by more important composers. As most of the already mentioned compositions for flute and harp were published optionally for violin and harp, it would appear perfectly legitimate that violin music (by Rossini and Paganini) be performed on the flute, and be presented together with original works for flute and harp on side of the record.

Rossini: Andante con variazioni

Donizetti: Larghetto and Allegro (Sonata) for flute

Spohr: Pot-pourri of themes from Mozart’s ‘Magic Flute’ & Sonata in E major Op. 113 for flute and harp

Paganini: Variazioni di Bravura