Works for Violin and Harpsichord, Vol. 1 by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Urtext edition by Jochen Reutter, with interpretive notes by Dagmar Gluxam. Published by Wiener Urtext.
Until the Romantic Era, the music of German composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-88) was even more renowned and celebrated than that of his father, Johann Sebastian; Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven were all strong admirers. He was a preeminent composer in the empfindsamer stil (sensitive style) and sturm und drang (storm and stress) movements, key transitional styles between the Baroque and Classical periods. His strikingly original music also anticipated major stylistic traits of the Romantic Era, with its deep expression and harmonic and rhythmic freedom. Today, he is particularly well-known for his keyboard music, concertos, string symphonies, and chamber music with strings.
CPE Bach wrote many works for the violin, most of them violin sonatas, often called trio sonatas. The "trio" in the name refers to the number of voices and not necessarily the number of instruments; here, one voice is given to the violin and two to the harpsichord. His sonatas show some of his most idiosyncratic, experimental writing, with stunning harmonic and rhythmic shifts and thoroughly original lyrical writing. Look no further than the Sinfonia in D Major, Wq 74-a sonata in practice but with orchestral-style textures and sound. This is Vol. 1 of two in the collection of works for violin and harpsichord from Wiener Urtext. Intermediate-advanced level, Grade 4.
CONTENTS:
- Sonata in D Major, Wq 71
- Sonata in D minor, Wq 72
- Sonata in C Major, Wq 73
- Sinfonia in D Major, Wq 74
- Sonata in D minor, Wq 145 (Early and late versions)
- Sonata in B minor, Wq 143
- Sonata in G Major, Wq 144
- Sonata in A Major, Wq 146
- Sonata in C Major, Wq 147
