Is this work truly by a Bach? And if so, which Bach? This is one of three "Bach" flute sonatas of questionable attribution; the earliest surviving copy was made by Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel, who may simply have been serving as his father's copyist. Particularly in the first two movements, it doesn't seem quite as mature as Bach's other flute sonatas, which could mean that a less experienced composer wrote the music, or simply that Bach was finding his way in a genre that was new to him. Indeed, it may have been written as early as 1718, with Bach delivering the solo flute part to one of his sons or another student, who was asked to provide a continuo part as a compositional exercise.

The work falls into four movements, in something of the chamber sonata style but without explicitly naming any dance patterns until the end. The brief first movement is officially a Presto, although it begins with a more measured introduction. The flute plays nonstop throughout, and when it launches into the cadenza-like Presto proper, the continuo players may reduce their part to a single, suspenseful, long-held chord. It's immediately clear that the flute part of this sonata could easily stand alone. Next comes an Allegro, a bright little perpetual-motion piece with a chugging accompaniment. The first theme, played twice, is answered by a related tune, also repeated. The serene and delicate Adagio often sends the flute into the upper reaches of its range, though without exceeding the Baroque flute's natural compass, as Bach requires in his E minor and B minor sonatas. Finally, a pair of graceful minuets show up; typically for this format, the second is capped by a terse repeat of the first.

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