The six symphonies on this recording were commissioned in 1773 by Baron Gottfried van Swieten, the Austrian ambassador in Berlin, who was in contact with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's music is characterized by sudden pauses, surprising harmonic progressions, melodic embellishments, and abrupt dynamic transitions, all within a clear formal structure.
Compositional Technique
The Hamburg symphonies of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach are considered 'subversive' music due to their extreme contrasts, heightened expression, impulsivity, and eccentricity.
Cultural Impact
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's fame during his lifetime far surpassed that of his father, Johann Sebastian Bach, and he greatly influenced composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Critical Reception
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Hamburg symphonies are unique among his generation for having a continuous performance tradition from his era to the present day.
Composer Biography
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the composer, replaced his godfather Georg Philipp Telemann as director of music and cantor of the Johanneum in Hamburg.
Composer Biography
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the composer, was the second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and served as harpsichordist for Frederick, Crown Prince of Prussia, for nearly 30 years.
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