Bach had a predilection for creating solo works for instruments that were more usually supplied with a keyboard accompaniment. It is thus only logical that, as well as the violin and cello, he also thought of making use of the typical melodic character of the flute in this way.

Through the skillful use of broken chords he even succeeds in creating the illusion of polyphony. It soon becomes clear that Bach’s lyrical cantilenas are convincing even without the support of accompanying chords on a...