CPE Bach served as accompanist at the Berlin court for Crown-Prince Frederick of Prussia, but moved to Hamburg in 1768 after years of frustration and humiliation.
Cultural Impact
The 'folia' (also known as 'La follia' or 'Folies d'Espagne'), a theme used by CPE Bach on this album, originated as a tempestuous 15th-century Portuguese dance and has inspired composers for centuries, including Liszt and Rachmaninov.
Composer Biography
Johann Gottfried Müthel, considered JS Bach's last pupil, was a reclusive musician who claimed he could compose only when in a "serene state of mind," leading to a small body of work.
Composer Biography
CPE Bach, son of Johann Sebastian Bach, was so renowned in the late eighteenth century that "the 'great Bach'" referred to him, not his father.
Instruments
The Müthel variations on this album, though titled for harpsichord, are better suited for a large clavichord or fortepiano due to their dynamic demands, making them some of the earliest works suitable for the early German piano.
Composer's Artistic Vision
CPE Bach, a composer, performer, pedagogue, and theorist, advised musicians to "Play from the soul, not like a trained bird."
Compositional Technique
CPE Bach's 'empfindsamer Stil' (ultra-sensitive style) is characterized by moodiness, rhapsodic elements, and unexpected turns, reflecting a highly personal and dramatic mode of expression.
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