Forgotten Chamber Works with Oboe from the Court of Prussia

In the mid-18th century, Frederick the Great’s Prussian court was a vibrant artistic hub, fostered by his passion for music. Among his court musicians were Johann Gottlieb Janitsch, Christian Gottfried Krause, and Johann Gottlieb Graun. All three men wrote for the oboe and left a number of delightful trio sonatas. Christopher Palameta—a former oboist with Tafelmusik—and his Montreal-based Ensemble Notturna take us back to Frederick’s court with its atmosphere of musical freedom and encouragement. This feels like music played by friends and that, surely, is the finest form of praise.