C.P.E. Bach: Solo Keyboard Music, Vol. 38

Featuring

Miklós Spányi
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach

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Composition History

The 21 Variations on a Menuet by Locatelli, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's most technically demanding set of variations, were composed in 1735, the year he left Leipzig for university.

Instruments

The harpsichord used for this recording was built in 1948 by Gebrüder Ammer, based on 18th-century Saxon-Thuringian models, and features a 16' stop, which was more common in German harpsichords than the 'authentic' movement acknowledged.

Composer Biography

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the composer, attempted to destroy many of his early works, once burning "a ream and more of old works" in 1786.

Performer Biography

Miklós Spányi, the performer on this album, is known for his extensive work on Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's oeuvre, including a complete recording of his keyboard concertos.

Interpretation

Despite Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's lifelong enthusiasm for the clavichord, Miklós Spányi chose to perform these early works on the harpsichord for its particular brilliance.

Compositional Technique

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's early works, such as the Menuet in C major, often feature hand crossings, indicating his fondness for this technique.

Composition History

Many pieces on this album, including some from Anna Magdalena Bach's Clavierbüchlein, were uncatalogued by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and were intended for amateurs or students.