This album presents many of the featured works as premieres on the modern piano, with the orchestra using modern instruments with baroque bows to create a new sound.
Composer Biography
The four Bach sons featured on this album — Carl Philipp Emanuel, Wilhelm Friedemann, Johann Christian, and Johann Christoph Friedrich — all received their initial musical education from their father, Johann Sebastian Bach.
Historical Context
In the mid-18th century, the Bach family profoundly influenced the entire Central European music scene, with the sons developing their individual personalities in the new 'Style Galant'.
Cultural Impact
During his lifetime, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach was more famous than his father; if one spoke of 'Bach', it was Carl Philipp Emanuel who was meant.
Performer Biography
Pianist See Siang Wong, described as a 'subtle painter of sound', has performed in over 30 countries and his interpretation of Schumann's Piano Concerto was a favorite in a blind comparison by Swiss Radio jurors.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The 'Style Galant', embraced by Bach's sons, was a departure from strict polyphony, aiming to simplify music with shorter phrases and more pronounced motifs, moving away from 'baroque grandiloquence'.
Instruments
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and his father, Johann Sebastian Bach, were familiar with the new 'Forte-Piano' instruments, which were revolutionary for their ability to play both loud and soft.
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