J.S. Bach flute sonata in E minor (BWV 1034) for transverse flute and basso continuo (figured bass) around the 1720s, during Bach's Cöthen period, while serving as a Capellmeister for Prince Leopold. There is some evidence that this sonata might have been written a bit later, after Bach moved to Leipzig, around 1724. There is no surviving autograph manuscript by J.S. Bach. The primary source is a copy made by his student and clerk, Jean-Théophile Goldberg (the namesake of the Goldberg Variations).
Many scholars believe it was written for Pierre-Gabriel Buffardin, the principal flutist of the Dresden Court Orchestra, whom Bach visited in the 1720s. Even though there's no formal dedication, the high technical demands, particularly the wide leaps and complex ornamentation, suggest it was written for a top-tier virtuoso.
The year 1724 was one of the most intense and prolific of J.S. Bach's life. He was in the midst of his second year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, composing a new cantata every single week. Additionally, he premiered the first version of the St. John Passion in April 1724.
Despite his crushing church workload, Bach remained deeply interested in the transverse flute, which was then a relatively "modern" instrument in Germany. He was integrating the flute into his sacred cantatas (e.g., BWV 8, 94, and 99) during this exact window, using technical figures similar to those found in BWV 1034.
The sonata follows the four-movement Sonata da chiesa (Church Sonata) form: Adagio ma non tanto - Allegro - Andante - Allegro.

Shigenori Kudo

Richard Siegel (harpsichord), live performance at Yamaha Hall in 2010.

1. Adagio ma non tanto, 2. Allegro, 3. Andante, 4. Allegro

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Emmanuel Pahud

Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord), Jonathan Manson (cello).

1. Adagio ma non tanto, 2. Allegro, 3. Andante, 4. Allegro

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Bach Johann Sebastian

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer who is regarded as one of the most important composers in the history of music. Among most of his popular works – instrumental works for violin (Sonatas and Partitas), cello Suites, keyboard works (Goldberg Variations, The Well-Tempered Clavier) numerous organ compositions (e.g. Toccata and Fugue in D minor), numerous instrumental concertos for keyboard, violin and various instruments (Brandenburg Concertos) as well as some profound vocal music works: Mass in B minor; St. Matthew Passion etc.
J.S.Bach was born in Eisenach as part of The Bach family of musicians. Orphaned at the age of 10, young Johann Sebastian lived with his oldest brother Johann Christoph for five years. During the following years he worked at several protestant churches and as a Kapellmeister at the Prince Leopold court in Köthen (1717-1723).
In 1723 he was appointed as cantor at St. Thomas, the principal Lutheran church in Leipzig (after G.P.Telemann declined to relocate to Leipzig). Even though he was mostly perceived as organist at his time, he gained honorary appointment at the court of Frederic Augustus, King of Poland in Dresden.