Album insights
Great teachers among musicians are known for inspiring and nurturing individual styles in their students rather than molding them to sound exactly like themselves. Johann Sebastian Bach exemplifies this, where even his pupils who occasionally imitated his style showcased their unique personalities in their best works. Bach's sons, as direct inheritors of his artistic legacy, faced a unique paradox in choosing their own aesthetic paths. Johann Christian and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach took bolder routes, impacting classical and romantic music significantly.
Emanuel, venturing into the court and city services in Berlin and Hamburg, positioned himself at the nexus of thinkers, artists, and writers embodying German enlightenment ideals. His influence extended to piano techniques, notably showcased in his landmark work "Essay on the True Art of Playing the Keyboard." Recognized by Haydn as the "school of schools," this guide encompassed prevailing musical principles and provided detailed instructions for solo, accompanying, and improvisational keyboard playing, even influencing Beethoven's teaching methods.
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's recognition as a foremost composer for keyboard instruments increased over time, overshadowing his reputation as a pedagogue. Despite producing around 400 solo sonatas, fantasies, concertos, and chamber works, his stature as a keyboard composer was undervalued until recently. Notable interpreters have successfully highlighted his importance in both historical and modern piano performances.
The featured sonatas from Bach's "Sonatas and Rondos for Connoisseurs and Amateurs" illustrate his transition from harpsichord to the keyboard of the 18th century. The subtle nuances achievable on these instruments allowed for nuanced interpretations. As seen in the E major Rondo, the tonal variations complement the structural playfulness within the Rondo form, showcasing a heightened artistic spectrum in his works.
In the later collections, Bach's pianistic style emerges distinctly, particularly in the C major Fantasie. Departing from the vocal elements of harpsichord music, his compositions present a rich orchestral experience in a purely instrumental context. The E minor Sonata reveals Bach's keen blend of stylistic influences culminating in a unique expressive language enriched with elements of the sensitive style.
Four keyboard acts from Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s repertoire, performed here by Marc-André Hamelin, delve into the genre of character pieces. These works, initially associated with early Baroque harpsichordists, capture the essence of theatrical and literary characters, offering a unique musical portrayal distinct from conventional structures, crafting subtle and light-hearted impressions of various figures.
Setting aside orchestral and vocal models, Bach's cultivation of complex expressions and technical prowess on keyboard instruments earned him a revered place among composers. His ability to make keys "speak" resonated with contemporaries and subsequent generations, inspiring continual reinvention and rediscovery. Esteemed by his peers and poet Klopstock, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s legacy as a pioneering figure in keyboard music remains an enduring source of inspiration and admiration for musicians and audiences alike.