Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788), also formerly spelled Karl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, and commonly abbreviated C. P. E. Bach, was a German
Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second surviving son of
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
and
Maria Barbara Bach
Maria Barbara Bach ( – buried 7 July 1720) was the first wife of composer Johann Sebastian Bach. She was also the daughter of his father's cousin Johann Michael Bach.
Life
Maria Barbara Bach was born at Gehren, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, to ...
.
C. P. E. Bach was an influential composer working at a time of transition between his father's
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
style and the
Classical style that followed it. His personal approach, an expressive and often turbulent one known as ' or '
sensitive style
Empfindsamkeit ( en, sentimental style) or Empfindsamer Stil is a style of musical composition and poetry developed in 18th-century Germany, intended to express "true and natural" feelings, and featuring sudden contrasts of mood. It was developed ...
', applied the principles of
rhetoric
Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate parti ...
and drama to musical structures. His dynamism stands in deliberate contrast to the more mannered
galant
The galant style was an 18th-century movement in music, visual arts and literature. In Germany a closely related style was called the '' empfindsamer Stil'' (sensitive style). Another close relative is rococo style. The galant style was drawn in ...
style also then in vogue.
To distinguish him from his brother
Johann Christian, the "London Bach", who at this time was music master to
Queen Charlotte of Great Britain, C. P. E. Bach was known as the "Berlin Bach" during his residence in that city, and later as the "Hamburg Bach" when he succeeded Telemann as
Kapellmeister
(, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...
there. To his contemporaries, he was known simply as Emanuel. His second name was in honor of his godfather
Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesh ...
, a friend of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Bach was an influential
pedagogue
Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken as ...
, writing the ever influential "Essay on the true art of playing keyboard instruments", which would be studied by
Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
,
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
and
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
, among others.
Life
Early years: 1714–1738
C. P. E. Bach was born on 8 March 1714 in
Weimar
Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...
to
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
and his first wife,
Maria Barbara. He was their fifth child and third son. The composer
Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesh ...
was his
godfather. When he was ten years old, he entered the
St. Thomas School, Leipzig, where his father had become
cantor
A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds.
In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...
in 1723. He was one of four Bach children to become professional musicians; all four were trained in music almost entirely by their father. In an age of royal patronage, father and son alike knew that a university education helped prevent a professional musician from being treated as a servant. Carl, like his brothers, pursued advanced studies in
jurisprudence
Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning a ...
at the
University of Leipzig
Leipzig University (german: Universität Leipzig), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 Decemb ...
in 1731 and at
Frankfurt an der Oder
Frankfurt (Oder), also known as Frankfurt an der Oder (), is a city in the German state of Brandenburg. It has around 57,000 inhabitants, is one of the easternmost cities in Germany, the fourth-largest city in Brandenburg, and the largest German ...
in 1735. In 1738, at the age of 24, he obtained his degree but never practiced law, instead turning his attention immediately to music.
Berlin years: 1738–1768
A few months after graduation, Bach, armed with a recommendation by the Graun brothers (
Johann Gottlieb
Johann Gottlieb (February 15, 1815 – March 4, 1875) was an Austrian chemist who first synthesized Propionic acid. He is also known for describing and naming Paramylon.
Biography
Gottlieb was born in Brno as son to a pharmacist. He com ...
and
Carl Heinrich Carl Heinrich (1880 New York City – 1955) was an American entomologist.
Life
He studied Greek and drama at the University of Chicago, he moved to Washington D.C., in 1902, where he worked in business. In 1908, he went to New York to study music ...
) and
Sylvius Leopold Weiss
Sylvius Leopold Weiss (12 October 168716 October 1750) was a German composer and lutenist.
Born in Grottkau near Breslau, the son of Johann Jacob Weiss, also a lutenist, he served at courts in Breslau, Rome, and Dresden, where he died. Until ...
, obtained an appointment at
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
in the service of Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia, the future
Frederick the Great
Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...
. Upon Frederick's accession in 1740, Bach became a member of the royal orchestra. He was by this time one of the foremost
clavier players in Europe, and his compositions, which date from 1731, include about thirty
sonata
Sonata (; Italian: , pl. ''sonate''; from Latin and Italian: ''sonare'' rchaic Italian; replaced in the modern language by ''suonare'' "to sound"), in music, literally means a piece ''played'' as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian ''cant ...
s and concert pieces for
harpsichord
A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
and
clavichord
The clavichord is a stringed rectangular keyboard instrument that was used largely in the Late Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras.
Historically, it was mostly used as a practice instrument and as an aid to compositi ...
. During his time there, Berlin was a rich artistic environment, where Bach mixed with many accomplished musicians, including several notable former students of his father, and important literary figures, such as
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (, ; 22 January 1729 – 15 February 1781) was a philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic, and a representative of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the developmen ...
, with whom the composer would become close friends.
In Berlin, Bach continued to write numerous pieces for solo keyboard, including a series of character pieces, the so-called "Berlin Portraits", including "
La Caroline". His reputation was established by the two sets of sonatas which he published with dedications to Frederick the Great (1742) and to
Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg
Charles Eugene (German: ''Carl Eugen''; 11 February 1728 – 24 October 1793), Duke of Württemberg, was the eldest son, and successor, of Charles Alexander; his mother was Princess Marie Auguste of Thurn and Taxis.
Life
Born in Brussels, he ...
(1744). In 1746, he was promoted to the post of chamber musician (') and served the king alongside colleagues like
Carl Heinrich Graun
Carl Heinrich Graun (7 May 1704 – 8 August 1759) was a German composer and tenor. Along with Johann Adolph Hasse, he is considered to be the most important German composer of Italian opera of his time.
Biography
Graun was born in Wahrenbrüc ...
,
Johann Joachim Quantz
Johann Joachim Quantz (; 30 January 1697 – 12 July 1773) was a German composer, flutist and flute maker of the late Baroque period. Much of his professional career was spent in the court of Frederick the Great. Quantz composed hundreds of flute ...
, and
Franz Benda Franz may refer to:
People
* Franz (given name)
* Franz (surname)
Places
* Franz (crater), a lunar crater
* Franz, Ontario, a railway junction and unorganized town in Canada
* Franz Lake, in the state of Washington, United States – see Fran ...
.
The composer who most influenced Bach's maturing style was unquestionably his father. He drew creative inspiration from his godfather Georg Philipp Telemann, then working in Hamburg, and from contemporaries like
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...
, Carl Heinrich Graun,
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...
and
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
later. Bach's interest in all types of art led to influence from poets, playwrights and philosophers such as
Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock
Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (; 2 July 1724 – 14 March 1803) was a German poet. His best known work is the epic poem ''Der Messias'' ("The Messiah"). One of his major contributions to German literature was to open it up to exploration outside ...
,
Moses Mendelssohn
Moses Mendelssohn (6 September 1729 – 4 January 1786) was a German-Jewish philosopher and theologian. His writings and ideas on Jews and the Jewish religion and identity were a central element in the development of the ''Haskalah'', or 'Je ...
and
Lessing. Bach's work itself influenced the work of, among others, Haydn,
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
,
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
and
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...
.
During his residence in Berlin, Bach composed a setting of the ''
Magnificat
The Magnificat (Latin for "y soul
Y, or y, is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. According to some authorities, it is the sixth (or sevent ...
magnifies he Lord
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
) is a canticle, also known as the Song of Mary, the Canticle of Mary and, in the Eastern Christianity, Byzantine tradition, the Ode of the Theotokos (). It is traditionally incorporated ...
'' (1749), in which he shows more traces than usual of his father's influence; an Easter
cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
The meaning of ...
(1756); several
symphonies
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning com ...
and concert works; at least three volumes of songs, including the celebrated ''
Gellert Songs''; and a few secular cantatas and other occasional pieces. But his main work was concentrated on the clavier, for which he composed, at this time, nearly two hundred sonatas and other solos, including the set ' (''With Varied
Reprise
In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any repea ...
s'', 1760–1768).
While in Berlin, Bach placed himself in the forefront of European music with a treatise, ' (''An Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments''), immediately recognised as a definitive work on keyboard technique. "Both Haydn and Beethoven swore by it."
By 1780, the book was in its third edition and laid the foundation for the keyboard methods of
Clementi Clementi may refer to:
People
* Aldo Clementi (1925–2011), Italian composer
* Cecil Clementi (1875–1947), British colonial administrator and Governor of Hong Kong
* Cecilia Clementi, Italian-American scientist
* David Clementi (born 1949), Brit ...
and
Cramer Cramer may refer to:
Businesses
* Cramer brothers, 18th century publishers
* Cramer Systems, a software company
* Cramer & Co., a former musical-related business in London
Other uses
* Cramer (surname), including a list of people and fictional ...
. The essay lays out the fingering for each chord and some chord sequences. Bach's techniques continue to be employed today. The first part of the ''Essay'' contains a chapter explaining the various embellishments in work of the period, e.g.,
trills,
turns,
mordent
In music, a mordent is an ornament indicating that the note is to be played with ''a single'' rapid alternation with the note above or below. Like trills, they can be chromatically modified by a small flat, sharp or natural accidental. The ter ...
s, etc. The second part presents Bach's ideas on the art of
figured bass
Figured bass is musical notation in which numerals and symbols appear above or below (or next to) a bass note. The numerals and symbols (often accidentals) indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones that a musician playing piano, harpsic ...
and
counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...
, as well as performance suggestions and a brief section on
extemporization
Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
, mainly focusing on the
Fantasia
Fantasia International Film Festival (also known as Fantasia-fest, FanTasia, and Fant-Asia) is a film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. Regularly held in July of each year, it is valued by both hardcore ...
.
Bach used for his performances instruments (clavichord and fortepiano) made by
Gottfried Silbermann
Gottfried Silbermann (January 14, 1683 – August 4, 1753) was a German builder of keyboard instruments. He built harpsichords, clavichords, organs, and fortepianos; his modern reputation rests mainly on the latter two.
Life
Very little is know ...
, at that time a well-known builder of keyboard instruments. In the recent years one of the models of pianos that Bach was playing, Gottfried Silbermann 1749, was used as a model for making modern piano copies.
Hamburg: 1768–1788
In 1768, after protracted negotiations, Bach was permitted to relinquish his position in order to succeed his godfather
Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesh ...
as director of music (') at Hamburg. Upon his release from service at the court he was named court composer for Frederick's sister, Princess
Anna Amalia. The title was honorary, but her patronage and interest in the
oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...
genre may have played a role in nurturing the ambitious choral works that followed.
Bach began to turn more of his energies to ecclesiastical and choral music in his new position. The job required the steady production of music for
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
church services at the
Michaeliskirche (Church of St. Michael) and elsewhere in Hamburg. The following year he produced his most ambitious work, the oratorio ''
Die Israeliten in der Wüste
''Die Israeliten in der Wüste'' (The Israelites in the Desert) is an oratorio by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
Background
While known mainly for his works in other genres, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach also composed several oratorios during his caree ...
'' (''The Israelites in the Desert''), a composition remarkable not only for its "great beauty" but for the resemblance of its plan to that of
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...
's ''
Elijah
Elijah ( ; he, אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My God is Yahweh/YHWH"; Greek form: Elias, ''Elías''; syr, ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, ''Elyāe''; Arabic: إلياس or إليا, ''Ilyās'' or ''Ilyā''. ) was, according to the Books of ...
''. Between 1768 and 1788, he wrote
twenty-one settings of the
Passion, and some seventy cantatas,
litanies
Litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Judaic worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes through Latin ''litania'' from Ancient Greek λιτανεία (''litan ...
,
motet
In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the pre-eminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to Margar ...
s, and other liturgical pieces. In Hamburg he also presented a number of works by contemporaries, including his father, Telemann, Graun, Handel, Haydn,
Salieri
Antonio Salieri (18 August 17507 May 1825) was an Italian classical composer, conductor, and teacher. He was born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, and spent his adult life and career as a subject of the Habsburg monarchy ...
and Johann David Holland (1746–1827). Bach's choral output reached its apex in two works: the double chorus ''Heilig'' (''Holy'') of 1776, a setting of the
seraph song from the throne scene in
Isaiah
Isaiah ( or ; he, , ''Yəšaʿyāhū'', "God is Salvation"), also known as Isaias, was the 8th-century BC Israelite prophet after whom the Book of Isaiah is named.
Within the text of the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah himself is referred to as "the ...
, and the
oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...
''
Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu
''Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu'' (The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus) is an oratorio by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach to a text by Karl Wilhelm Ramler on the subject of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. The first documente ...
'' (''The
Resurrection
Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, which ...
and
Ascension of Jesus'') of 1774–1782, which sets a poetic
Gospel harmonization by the poet
Karl Wilhelm Ramler
Karl Wilhelm Ramler (25 February 1725 – 11 April 1798) was a German poet, Berlin Cadet School master.
Ramler was born in Kolberg. After graduating from the University of Halle, he went to Berlin, where, in 1748, he was appointed professo ...
. Widespread admiration of ''Auferstehung'' led to three 1788 performances in Vienna sponsored by the Baron
Gottfried van Swieten
Gottfried Freiherr van Swieten (29 October 1733 – 29 March 1803) was a Dutch-born Austrian diplomat, librarian, and government official who served the Holy Roman Empire during the 18th century. He was an enthusiastic amateur musician and is bes ...
and conducted by
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
.
Bach married Johanna Maria Dannemann in 1744. Only three of their children lived to adulthood: Johann Adam (1745–89), Anna Carolina Philippina (1747–1804), and
Johann Sebastian "the Younger" (1748–78). None became musicians and Johann Sebastian, a promising painter, died at the age of 29 during a 1778 trip to Italy. Emanuel Bach died in Hamburg on 14 December 1788. He was buried in the
Michaeliskirche in Hamburg.
Works
Keyboard Works in the 1722 "Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach"
March in D major, BWV Anh. 122, Polonaise in G minor, BWV Anh. 123, March in G major, BWV Anh. 124, Polonaise in G minor, BWV Anh. 125
Symphonies
Among Bach's most popular and frequently recorded works are his symphonies. While in Berlin, he wrote several string symphonies (
Wq. 173–181), most of which were later revised to add parts for wind instruments. Of these, the E minor symphony, Wq. 178, has been particularly popular.
In Hamburg, Bach wrote a major set of six string symphonies for
Gottfried van Swieten
Gottfried Freiherr van Swieten (29 October 1733 – 29 March 1803) was a Dutch-born Austrian diplomat, librarian, and government official who served the Holy Roman Empire during the 18th century. He was an enthusiastic amateur musician and is bes ...
, Wq. 182. These works were not published in his lifetime (van Swieten, who had commissioned them to be written in a more "difficult" style, preferred to retain them for private use), but since their rediscovery, have become increasingly popular.
However, Bach's best works in the form (by his own estimation) are assuredly the four ''Orchester-Sinfonien mit zwölf obligaten Stimmen'', Wq. 183, which, as their title suggests, were written with obbligato wind parts that are integral to the texture, rather than being added on to an older string symphony. The first symphony (D major) in the set has been particularly popular, seeing a continuous performance and publication tradition all the way through the 19th century, which makes it the earliest such symphony. Some of its more unusual features have been taken as characteristic of Bach's style: the work, although it is in D major, begins ''on'' a D major chord, which then turns into a D dominant-seventh chord, outlining ''G'' major. In fact, there is no cadence on D major (D major is not "confirmed" as the key of the piece) until the beginning of the
recapitulation, quite late in the piece.
Concertos
Bach was a prolific writer of concertos, especially for keyboard. Like his father, he would often transcribe a concerto for various instruments, leading to problems determining which came first. For instance, the three cello concertos (Wq. 170–172), which are cornerstones of that instrument's repertoire, have often been considered to be transcriptions of the harpsichord versions, but recent research has suggested that they might be originally for cello.
According to Bach, his finest keyboard concertos were the ''Sei concerti per il cembalo concertato'', Wq. 43, which were written to be somewhat more appealing, and somewhat easier to play. His other concertos were written for
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range.
A ...
, flute, and organ. Bach also wrote for more unusual combinations, including an E-flat major concerto for harpsichord piano. Additionally, he wrote several sonatinas for one or more keyboards and orchestra.
Chamber music
Bach's chamber music forms something of a bridge between stereotypically Baroque and Classical forms. On the one hand, he wrote trio sonatas and solo sonatas with basso continuo (including ones for harp and viola da gamba); on the other, he wrote several accompanied sonatas for piano, violin, and cello, which are more or less early
piano trio
A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music. The term can also refer to a group of musi ...
s, and three very popular quartets for keyboard, flute, and viola. Bach also wrote one of the earliest pieces for solo flute, a sonata that is clearly influenced by his father's
Partita in A minor for solo flute
The Partita in A minor for solo flute, BWV 1013, is a partita in four movements composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Its date of composition is uncertain, though on the basis of its advanced playing technique, which is more demanding than in the flu ...
,
BWV
The (BWV; ; ) is a catalogue of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was first published in 1950, edited by Wolfgang Schmieder. The catalogue's second edition appeared in 1990. An abbreviated version of that second edition, known as BWV2a ...
1013.
Keyboard sonatas
Bach was a prolific writer of keyboard sonatas, many of which were intended for his favored instrument, the
clavichord
The clavichord is a stringed rectangular keyboard instrument that was used largely in the Late Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras.
Historically, it was mostly used as a practice instrument and as an aid to compositi ...
. During his lifetime, he published more collections of keyboard music than anything else, in the following collections:
* ''Sei sonate per cembalo che all' augusta maestà di Federico II, re di Prussia'', 1742 ("Prussian" sonatas), Wq. 48.
* ''Sei sonate per cembalo, dedicate all' altezza serenissima di Carlo Eugenio, duca di Wirtemberg'', 1744 ("Württemberg" sonatas), Wq. 49.
* ''Achtzehn Probe-Stücke in Sechs Sonaten'', 1753 ("Probestücke" sonatas), Wq. 63.
* ''Sechs Sonaten fürs Clavier mit veränderten Reprisen'', 1760 ("Reprisen" sonatas), Wq. 50.
* ''Fortsetzung von Sechs Sonaten fürs Clavier'', 1761 ("Fortsetzung" sonatas), Wq. 51.
* ''Zweite Fortsetzung von Sechs Sonaten fürs Clavier'', 1763 ("Zweite Fortsetzung" sonatas), Wq. 52.
* ''Sechs Leichte Clavier Sonaten'', 1766 ("Leichte" sonatas), Wq. 53.
* ''Six Sonates pour le Clavecin à l'usage des Dames'', 1770 ("Damen" sonatas), Wq. 54.
* Six collections of ''Clavier Sonaten für Kenner und Liebhaber'', 1779–87 ("Kenner und Liebhaber" sonatas), Wq. 55–59, 61.
Much of Bach's energy during his last years was dedicated to the publication of the "Kenner und Liebhaber" collections (which also include fantasias and rondos, see below).
Wq. 64:1–6 are six
sonatina
A sonatina is a small sonata. As a musical term, sonatina has no single strict definition; it is rather a title applied by the composer to a piece that is in basic sonata form, but is shorter and lighter in character, or technically more elementar ...
s for keyboard, and Wq. 65:1–50 are fifty further keyboard sonatas. The Sonata in E-flat major, Wq. 65:7, is based on ''Solo per il cembalo'', , No. 27 in
the second Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach.
Other keyboard works
Easily Bach's best-known piece is the ''
Solfeggietto
Solfeggietto (H 220, Wq. 117: 2) is a short solo keyboard piece in C minor composed in 1766 by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. According to , the work is correctly called ''Solfeggio'', although the ''Solfeggietto'' title is widely used today. Owens ...
'', Wq. 117/2, to the point that the introduction to ''The Essential C.P.E. Bach'' is subtitled "Beyond the Solfeggio in C Minor". Several of Bach's other miscellaneous keyboard works have gained fame, including the character piece ''
La Caroline'' and the Fantasia in F-sharp minor, Wq. 67. Bach's fantasias, in particular, have been considered to show him at his most characteristic: they are full of dramatic silences, harmonic surprises, and perpetually varied figuration.
Bach published three major collections of miscellaneous keyboard works during his lifetime: the ''Clavierstücke verschiedener Art'', Wq. 112 of 1765, and the ''Kurze und Leichte Clavierstücke'' collections, Wq. 113–114 of 1766. The former includes songs, fantasias, dances, sonatas, fugues, and even a symphony and concerto for solo piano (Bach was later to publish an entire collection of keyboard versions of his symphonies).
He also wrote a set of six sonatas for the organ of
Frederick the Great
Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...
's sister
Anna Amalia.
Music for mechanical instruments
Mechanical instruments such as the
music box
A music box (American English) or musical box (British English) is an automatic musical instrument in a box that produces musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc to pluck the tuned teeth (or ''lamellae'') ...
and
musical clock
A musical clock is a clock that marks the hours of the day with a musical tune. They can be considered elaborate versions of striking or chiming clocks.
Elaborate large-scale musical clocks with automatons are often installed in public place ...
were popular at the Prussian court, and C. P. E. Bach wrote thirty original compositions for these instruments, grouped together as Wq. 193. At that time, Bach was court musician to King Frederick the Great at Potsdam; the King, who was intrigued by mechanically reproduced music, had mechanical organ clocks built for the City Castle of Potsdam and for the
New Palais.
Choral works
Throughout his lifetime, Bach worked on the ''
Magnificat in D'', Wq. 215. J. S. Bach was alive to hear it in 1749, and C. P. E. continued to revise and perform it as late as 1786. The work clearly shows the influence of J.S. Bach's own
Magnificat
The Magnificat (Latin for "y soul
Y, or y, is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. According to some authorities, it is the sixth (or sevent ...
magnifies he Lord
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
) is a canticle, also known as the Song of Mary, the Canticle of Mary and, in the Eastern Christianity, Byzantine tradition, the Ode of the Theotokos (). It is traditionally incorporated ...
, including the striking resemblance of the ''Deposuit'' movements in both works.
His other important choral works include the ''Heilig'' (German Sanctus), Wq. 217, which he performed together with the ''Credo'' from his Father's
Mass in B minor
The Mass in B minor (), BWV 232, is an extended setting of the Mass ordinary by Johann Sebastian Bach. The composition was completed in 1749, the year before the composer's death, and was to a large extent based on earlier work, such as a Sanctu ...
, the oratorios ''
Die Israeliten in der Wüste
''Die Israeliten in der Wüste'' (The Israelites in the Desert) is an oratorio by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
Background
While known mainly for his works in other genres, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach also composed several oratorios during his caree ...
'', Wq. 238 and ''
Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu
''Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu'' (The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus) is an oratorio by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach to a text by Karl Wilhelm Ramler on the subject of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. The first documente ...
'', Wq. 240, and
21 Passions.
Unpublished works
Many of C.P.E. Bach's compositions and original manuscripts were stored in the archive of the
Sing-Akademie zu Berlin
The Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, also known as the Berliner Singakademie, is a musical (originally choral) society founded in Berlin in 1791 by Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch, harpsichordist to the court of Prussia, on the model of the 18th-century ...
where Bach lived from 1738 to 1768. This archive was packed during the Second World War and hidden to preserve it from Allied bombing, captured and sequestered by USSR forces in 1945, thus long believed lost or destroyed during the war.
The archive was discovered in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
,
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
, in 1999, returned to
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
in 2001, and deposited in the Staatsbibliothek. It contained 5,100 musical compositions, none ever printed for the public, including 500 by 12 different members of the Bach family.
Legacy and musical style
Through the later half of the 18th century, the reputation of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach stood very high, surpassing that of his father.
[ Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven admired him and "avidly" collected his music.][ Mozart said of him, "Bach is the father, we are the children."
His work is full of invention and, most importantly, extreme unpredictability, and wide emotional range even within a single work, a style that may be categorized as '']empfindsamer Stil
Empfindsamkeit ( en, sentimental style) or Empfindsamer Stil is a style of musical composition and poetry developed in 18th-century Germany, intended to express "true and natural" feelings, and featuring sudden contrasts of mood. It was developed ...
''. It is no less sincere in thought than polished and felicitous in phrase. His keyboard sonatas, for example, mark an important epoch in the history of musical form. Lucid in style, delicate and tender in expression, they are even more notable for the freedom and variety of their structural design; they break away altogether from both the Italian and the Viennese schools, moving instead toward the cyclical and improvisatory forms that would become common several generations later.
He was probably the first composer of eminence who made free use of harmonic color for its own sake. In this way, he compares well with the most important representatives of the First Viennese School. In fact, he exerted enormous influence on the North German School of composers, in particular Georg Anton Benda
Georg Anton Benda ( cz, Jiří Antonín Benda, italic=no, link=no; 30 June 17226 November 1795) was a composer, violinist and Kapellmeister of the classical period from the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Biography
Born into a family of notable musician ...
, Bernhard Joachim Hagen
Bernhard Joachim Hagen (April 1720 in or near Hamburg (?) – 9 December 1787 in Ansbach) was a German composer, lutenist and violinist. He was the last important composer of lute music in 18th-century Germany.
Life
Little is known about his ...
, Ernst Wilhelm Wolf
Ernst Wilhelm Wolf (baptised 25 February 1735 – 29 or 30 November 1792) was a German composer.
Life
Wolf was born in Grossen Behringen in Thuringia, today part of the Hörselberg-Hainich municipality. His elder brother Ernst Friedrich was a co ...
, Johann Gottfried Müthel
Johann Gottfried Müthel (January 17, 1728 – July 14, 1788) was a German composer and noted keyboard virtuoso. Along with C.P.E. Bach, he represented the Sturm und Drang style of composition.
As far as is known, he was the first to use t ...
, and Friedrich Wilhelm Rust
Friedrich Wilhelm Rust (6 July 173928 February 1796) was a German violinist, pianist and composer. He hailed from a renowned musical family in Germany. He was the father of the pianist and organist Wilhelm Karl Rust and the grandfather of Thomask ...
. His influence was not limited to his contemporaries and extended to Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...
and Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (18 or 19 November 17865 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and critic who was one of the first significant composers of the Romantic era. Best known for his opera ...
.
His name fell into neglect during the 19th century, with Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann (; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...
notoriously opining that "as a creative musician he remained very far behind his father"; others opined that he was "a somewhat feeble imitator of his father's style". All the same, Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...
held him in high regard and edited some of his music. By the early 20th century, he was better regarded but the revival of C. P. E. Bach's works has been chiefly underway since Helmuth Koch's recordings of his symphonies and Hugo Ruf's recordings of his keyboard sonatas in the 1960s. There is an ongoing project to record his complete works, led by on the Swedish record label BIS. In 2014, the Croatian pianist Ana-Marija Markovina
Ana-Marija Markovina (born in Osijek, 24 April 1970) is a Croatian classical pianist. She lives in Cologne with her husband, the psychologist , and their daughter.
Life
Ana-Marija Markovina was born in Osijek, Croatia. She received her first ...
, in cooperation with the Packard Humanities Institute
The Packard Humanities Institute (PHI) is a non-profit foundation, established in 1987, and located in Los Altos, California, which funds projects in a wide range of conservation concerns in the fields of archaeology, music, film preservation, an ...
, the Bach-Archiv Leipzig
The Bach-Archiv Leipzig or Bach-Archiv is an institution for the documentation and research of the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Bach-Archiv also researches the Bach family, especially their music.
Based in Leipzig, the city where ...
, the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig
The Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Leipzig (german: Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig) is an institute which was founded in 1846 under the name ''Royal Saxon Society for the Sciences'' (german: Königlich Sächsische G ...
and Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
released a 26-CD box set of the complete works for solo piano on the German record label Hänssler
Hänssler-Verlag is a German music publishing house founded in 1919 as Musikverlag Hänssler by Friedrich Hänssler Senior (died 1972) to publish church music. The company is now based in Holzgerlingen. Since 1972 Hänssler Verlag has also publish ...
Classic, performed on a modern Bösendorfer
Bösendorfer (L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH) is an Austrian piano manufacturer and, since 2008, a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation. Bösendorfer is unusual in that it produces 97- and 92-key models in addition to instrument ...
grand piano.
The works of C. P. E. Bach are known by "Wq" numbers, from Alfred Wotquenne
Alfred Wotquenne (; 25 January 186725 September 1939) was a Belgian musical bibliographer, best known for his catalogues of the works of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Christoph Willibald Gluck.
Biography
Wotquenne was born in Lobbes, Hainault, Be ...
's 1906 catalogue, and by "H" numbers from a catalogue by Eugene Helm (1989).
He was portrayed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner
Wolfgang Georg Louis Liebeneiner (6 October 1905 – 28 November 1987) was a German actor, film director and theatre director.
Beginnings
He was born in Lubawka, Liebau in Prussian Silesia. In 1928, he was taught by Otto Falckenberg, the directo ...
in the 1941 biopic of his brother '' Friedemann Bach''.
The street Carl-Philipp-Emanuel-Bach-Straße
Carl-Philipp-Emanuel-Bach-Straße is a street in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany.
Named after the 18th-century German musician and composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, ''Carl-Philipp-Emanuel-Bach-Straße'' is indeed one of the longest street names in t ...
in Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt (Oder), also known as Frankfurt an der Oder (), is a city in the German state of Brandenburg. It has around 57,000 inhabitants, is one of the easternmost cities in Germany, the fourth-largest city in Brandenburg, and the largest German ...
is named for him.
In 2015 the Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Museum was opened in Hamburg.
Anniversary year 2014
2014 marked the 300th anniversary of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's birth. All six German Bach cities—Hamburg, Potsdam, Berlin, Frankfurt-on-the-Oder, Leipzig, and Weimar—hosted concerts and other events to commemorate the anniversary.www.cpebach.de
Official Anniversary Website for Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
References
Notes
Sources
* , a complete edition of his music, has been in progress since 2005 and is somewhat more than halfway finished as of 2014.
*
* .
*
*
*
Attribution
*
Further reading
* ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language ''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and theo ...
'' (2001) contains a biography and list of his compositions.
*Oleskiewicz, Mary. "Like Father, Like Son? Emanuel Bach and the Writing of Biography," in ''Music and Its Questions: Essays in Honor of Peter Williams'', edited by Thomas Donahue (Richmond, Virginia: Organ Historical Society Press, 2007), 253–279.
*Oleskiewicz, Mary. "Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and the Flute", ''Flutist Quarterly'' 39/no. 4 (Summer 2014): 20–30.
*Oleskiewicz, Mary, ed. ''J. S. Bach and His Sons'', vol. 11 of Bach Perspectives, Illinois University Press, 2017. See also th
Web companion
which shows images of historical keyboards he played, and places where C. P. E. Bach performed, at the Prussian Court.
*Schulenberg, David. ''The Music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach'' (Rochester: University of Rochester Press, 2014).
*Schulenberg, David
Chronological list of all of C.P.E. Bach's Works
External links
*
Performances of some works
at Musopen
Musopen Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Tarzana, California, launched by Aaron Dunn in 2005. It aims to "set music free" by providing music to the public free of charge, without copyright restrictions.
Mission and charit ...
A Tribute to Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
sketch of the composer's life with extensive references
of C. P. E. Bach's oeuvre (French)
Website of the edition ''Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: The Complete Works''
* ''Greater Boston Arts''
*
''Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – The Complete Works''
Packard Humanities Institute
The Packard Humanities Institute (PHI) is a non-profit foundation, established in 1987, and located in Los Altos, California, which funds projects in a wide range of conservation concerns in the fields of archaeology, music, film preservation, an ...
, published for the 300th anniversary year, 2014
''Ensayo sobre la verdadera manera de tocar el teclado'', spanish version of the ''Versuch'' (Eva Martínez Marín ed.), Ed. Dairea, Galapagar, Madrid, Spain, 2017
*
Piano Sonatas by CPE Bach played by Taisia Hadizadeh
o
YouTube
* Trio sonata in C minor, H. 579, first edition, Sibley Music Library
Sibley Music Library is the library of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY. It was founded in 1904 by Hiram Watson Sibley in honor of his father Hiram Sibley and is said to be the largest university music library in the US.
History
The lib ...
Fantasia e fuga in C minor, H. 75.5
for keyboard instrument, Sibley Music Library
* , played by Eckhart Duo
Early fortepiano after the Silbermann model C. P. E. Bach played in Potsdam
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel
1714 births
1788 deaths
18th-century classical composers
18th-century German composers
18th-century German male musicians
18th-century keyboardists
Carl Philipp Emanuel
Composers for pipe organ
European University Viadrina alumni
German classical pianists
German Baroque composers
German Classical-period composers
German harpsichordists
German Lutherans
German male classical composers
German male classical pianists
German music theorists
Leipzig University alumni
Musicians from Leipzig
Musicians from Weimar
Oratorio composers
People educated at the St. Thomas School, Leipzig
Pupils of Johann Sebastian Bach