Album insights
In 1774, composer Johann Friedrich Reichardt noted that the reference to Bach's unique way could only mean Johann Sebastian from today's perspective. However, back in 1774, a quarter-century after Johann Sebastian Bach's passing, his music was overshadowed and seemingly insignificant. Apart from England, where Johann Christian, the youngest son, reigned, mention of "the great Bach" typically referred to Johann Sebastian's second son, Carl Philipp Emanuel. Acknowledged by Haydn and Mozart, he was widely considered one of the era's greatest composers.
Emanuel Bach, born in Weimar and raised in Leipzig's musically vibrant environment, quickly progressed on the harpsichord. Initially engaged as a harpsichordist at Frederick the Great's court, he composed numerous gallant pieces for the passionate flutist monarch. While creating frivolous works for pleasure, he earned a reputation for his "eccentricities". Later in Hamburg as Kantor, he produced tailored odes and cantatas, unleashing his genius in symphonies and piano works, among the century's most original.
Emanuel Bach's personal works epitomized the sentimental style reacting to the Enlightenment's rationality. Similar to literary figures like Richardson and Sterne, his music advocated touching hearts and evoking passions. His sonatas and orchestral works uniquely blended sighing motifs, disruptive outbursts, bewildering harmonies, and pauses, making his music truly distinctive in the 18th century.
During his thirty years in Berlin, Bach wrote personalized sonatas and fantasies alongside functional pieces. He crafted daring symphonies and harpsichord concertos, many intended for knowledgeable audiences in Berlin's concert societies. Emanuel's concerts, along with Johann Christian's melodious works, bridged Vivaldi's ritornello structure to Mozart's classical concertos. Labeling these as mere transitional works would undervalue their brilliance and originality.
Speculating on performers of Bach's cello concertos, one might consider the Italian cellist Carlo Graziani or the Bohemian Ignaz Mara. Through compelling movements like the rapid Allegro assai and tumultuous Andante, Bach juxtaposed lyricism with turbulence, typical of his idiosyncratic style. He showcased intricate dialogues, rhythmic irregularities, and sudden contrasts, demonstrating a versatile and inventive approach in his music.
In the later Cello Concerto movements, characterized by elegiac themes and lyrical interruption, Bach navigated between emotional depth and musical complexity. His mastery was evident in the Gigue-inspired G minor finale, featuring intricate rhythms and playful interactions between soloist and orchestra. The soaring Adagio in G minor highlighted Bach's nuanced expression, blending poignancy with sharp contrasts, a hallmark of his musical finesse.
Emanuel Bach's Cello Concerto in A major, his last, opened with a spirited Allegro, intertwining arpeggio motifs and playful exchanges between soloist and orchestra. In the melancholic Largo con sordini, mesto, Bach delivered a poignant dialogue between muted orchestra and poignant cello, evoking heartfelt expressions reminiscent of his father's works. The G minor Adagio further showcased Bach's ability to infuse emotional depth and introspection into his compositions, culminating in captivating yet unpredictable resolutions.
Throughout the Cello Concertos, Bach's innovative blend of lyrical grace and dynamic intensity reflected both a pursuit of beauty and a challenge to convention. With each movement, he wove a tapestry of emotions, from exuberant playfulness to profound introspection, cementing his legacy as a master of expression and inventiveness.
(Original content: Viola Scheffel ©)