Johann Anton André came from a family of musicians in Offenbach and was the third son of Johann André (1741-1799), who founded the famous music publishing house in 1784, is mentioned in Goethe's "Dichtung und Wahrheit" (Poetry and Truth) and decided early on to turn to music instead of his father's silk factory. His son Johann Anton (1775-1842), unlike himself, received a solid musical education and is said to have been an excellent pianist at the age of eleven. Even at the age of twelve, he wrote piano sonatas with obbligato violin. After his father's death, he took over the music publishing house and in 1800 bought up Mozart's estate, which is said to have come about through Haydn's mediation after the publisher Breitkopf & Härtel had expressed no interest. This was to become the most important precursor of the Köchelverzeichnis.
Despite his activity as a publisher, André wrote numerous compositions of all genres under the influence of Haydn and Mozart.
It is a mystery why this trio has remained unnoticed until now, since it offers everything the flutist's heart desires. The concluding Polonaise is a witty piece and, towards the end, a true flutistic firework that is sure to send listeners into the greatest raptures. All in all, the trio is very playable, although some passages need to be practised, such as the 32nd figures in the Adagio con moto, since the basic tempo is clearly set by the "con moto".
The first printing is reproduced here almost unchanged, which speaks for the quality of the music publisher André. Articulation and dynamics are largely consistent in the parts, which is rather an exception in first printings around 1800.
