Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Harpsichord Concertos

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
C. P. E. Bach wrote more than 60 keyboard concertos for instruments ranging from harpsichord to piano--and everything in between. And believe me, there were a lot of strange instruments in between. Modern performances, however, generally prefer either the harpsichord or the piano, and the music works very well on either instrument. C. P. E. was the most famous of Bach's sons--more famous than his father, actually, in the 18th century--and his music is extremely expressive and moving. As these exciting performances show, it's highly emotional, quirky, and consistently interesting and unpredictable. He's really a composer worth getting to know. --David Hurwitz

Amazon.com

Bachiana is a sterling collection of concertos by Bach's sons. The most substantial work on this well-filled disc is C.P.E. Bach's Concerto for Harpsichord and Fortepiano from 1788, the year of his death. The two instruments are treated as equals, and the orchestra plays a significant role as well. The first movement offers a unique combination of drama (especially in the forceful orchestral interjections) and piquant wit, also characteristic of the Presto finale. Those movements sandwich a grave Larghetto of austere beauty. It's a deeply personal, perhaps valedictory, work. The other selections have plenty of appeal, too. J.C. Bach's Sinfonia Concertante is a charming work of deceptive lightness. W.F.E. Bach's Flute Concerto opens with a first movement featuring complex textures and moves on to a gently lovely Largo and a delightful Vivace finale. The least known of these four Bachs, J.C.F., contributes a fascinating Concerto for Fortepiano and Viola, notable for fetching interplay between the instruments and the integrated orchestral role. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Good Stuff from the Bach Boys.......2003-11-11

Let's face it. There have been many of these "Sons of Bach" albums, and while they introduce us to the wealth of talent in the Bach family, they often end up just underscoring by how much Johann Sebastian's talent outstripped that of the rest of the clan. I can't say you'll come away from this disc with a new appreciation of Bach's prolific progeny, but I will be surprised if you don't find this is one of the most enjoyable and successful such collections to come along. First, the music. As the notes to this recording point out, Wilhelm Friedemann's concerto is a pretty exciting recent scholarly discovery. I doubt, as the notes suggest, that it has any claim to rival in popularity J. S.'s Suite in B Minor, but I will say this: it is just about the equal of C. P. E. Bach's well-known and admired concertos, with a slow movement that has the tender melodiousness of the best of J. C. Bach, while the outer movements have some of the clever harmonic-melodic twists and turns that C. P. E. is famous for.

Unfortunately, the lone representative here from J. C. is attractive and diverting but not one of his best works. It sounds, as all the lesser pieces by this composer sound, like Mozart without genius. There is better J. C. Bach music around.

But then the work by J. Ch. F. Bach, the least remembered of the Bach sons, is well above what I have heard from him in the past. The Concerto for Fortepiano and Viola is a novel concept, and it is approached with imagination by J. Ch. F. The quality of invention is well sustained in this big work--at almost 26 minutes by far the most substantial composition on the disc. I liked especially the opening movement marked allegro con brio, a successful blend of fire and lyricism. While it is the most striking movement, the others have their moments of beauty and drama too; overall, this is a concerto of great interest.

Last and best is the valedictory concerto of C. P. E. Bach, certainly the greatest of J. S.'s sons. The Concerto for Harpsichord and Fortepiano is an off-beat masterwork in which C. P. E. bids farewell to the harpsichord by playing it off against its young cousin the fortepiano, now in the ascendancy. The concerto is a wonderful exploration of the sonorities of both instruments, and if they were rivals in the music world, here they are instead civilized conversationalists. If you enjoy C. P. E. Bach's strange harmonic explorations and melodies that turn on a dime, here they are in extremely enjoyable abundance. The last movement is a joyous, youthful romp, remarkable coming from the 70-something C. P. E.

If the music is fine, the music making is extraordinary. Musica Antiqua and Goebel always have novel things to say about the novelties they profer, and these performances are no exception. The playing is wonderfully fluid, dramatic when it needs to be (I always love the horns), plangent and tender when that is called for.

Excellent sound rounds out the package: it's close but atmospheric, with great detail as well as timbral realism. I highly recommend this one.

Interesthing evolution to the romantic period.......2003-03-14

After an anthology of the ascendants of J.S.B., Goebel is concernerd about his four sons. The most convincing moment of this Cd is the "Symphonie concertante pour violon et violoncelle", which is elegant and refined. A big surprise: "Le Concerto pour flûte" of Wilhelm Frieedemann is astonishing. It is full of strenght ! The flautist,Verena Fischer,is radiant. The curious concerto of Johann Christoph Friedrich, for " hammerflügel, alto and orchestra" is strange and beautiful. You must hear Robert Hill (formidable at the hammerflügel) hold a dialogue with Reinhard Goebel (alto). This is delightful! The "Concerto pour pianoforte, clavecin et orchestre" of Carl Philipp Emmanuel is the most known piece of this CD. Goebel and his brilliant soloist are palying with a frenzy spirit ! Very stimulating CD !

Tracks:

Con in c, Wq 43 No.4: I. Allegro Assai
Con in c, Wq 43 No.4: II. Poco Adagio
Con in c, Wq 43 No.4: III. Tempo Di Minuetto -
Con in c, Wq 43 No.4: III. Allegro Assai
Con in G, Wq 43 No.5: I. Adagio - Presto
Con in G, Wq 43 No.5: II. Adagio
Con in G, Wq 43 No.5: III. Adagio
Con in D, Wq 43 No.2: I. Allegro Di Molto - Andante - Allegro Di Molto - Andante - Allegro Di Molto
Con in D, Wq 43 No.2: II. Andante
Con in D, Wq 43 No.2: III. Allegretto

Tracks:

Con in C, Wq 43 No.6: I. Allegro Di Molto
Con in C, Wq 43 No.6: II. Larghetto
Con in C, Wq 43 No.6: III. Allegro
Con in E flat, Wq 43 No.3: I. Allegro
Con in E flat, Wq 43 No.3: II. Larghetto
Con in E flat, Wq 43 No.3: III. Presto
Con in F, Wq 43 No.1: I. Allegro Di Molto
Con in F, Wq 43 No.1: II. Andante
Con in F, Wq 43 No.1: III. Prestissimo

Customer Reviews:

I only have the LP.......2005-03-12

I purchased the LP back in 1985 and fell in love with these concertos. C.P.E. Bach's style isn't for everyone. However, I've always found his music original and very entertaining. So different from the curtsey stuff you hear from composers from the "stil galant", Bach really does his own thing. These particular concertos are alot of fun. Composed during Bach's mature period in Hamburg, there is alot of interesting theme development and crazy little runs that Emmmanuel loved to compose. I haven't seen any of these concertos on other releases so this might be a rare opportunity to possess these wonderful concertos.

I welcome feedback on this and all reviews at wstrnlibwarrior@yahoo.com

Van Asperen brings back the sounds of Hamburg.......2001-10-21

Up front, let me say that the performers here (not listed by Amazon at this writing) are Bob van Asperen, soloist and conductor, directing Melante Amsterdam.

This recording from the early 1980s, finally released on CD, presents C.P.E. Bach's six harpsichord concerti, Wq. 43 (Helm 471-6). The timing is rather short weight for a 2 CD set, clocking in at just under 90 minutes (and in the original 1984 issue of this recording, which I chanced upon in a secondhand bookstore in 1998, the whole thing fit on a "double play cassette"). Nevertheless, this is a very welcome addition to the C.P.E. discography, consisting of what appears to be the only complete recording of this set of concertos. The only other disc of this music I have found contains only one of the concertos, Wq. 43/5 (Trevor Pinnock's 1975 recording "Sons of Bach" on CRD, catalog number 3311).

Each of these concertos are clever little works that average about 15 minutes each, sometimes experimenting with cyclical and reprise forms (such as the c minor and G Major concertos), often indulging in the unexpected and in musical wit, in Emanuel's most characteristic style (e.g., the unusual keys of the middle movements, or of the E flat's finale, which launches in f minor before "righting itself" in the home key).

Van Asperen and his forces play with verve and a good sense of the style; they are clearly quite at home in Emanuel's "empfindsam" vein. A few oddities about the set are easily borne, such as the retention of the order of the original 1984 release (for some reason, the concertos were placed in the order 4, 5, 2, 6, 3, 1, instead of the way C.P.E. published them; surely this could have been rectified in the CD reissue), or van Asperen not playing continuo during concertos 4 and 5, but only the solos (compare Pinnock's recording of no. 5, where the continuo is played under the "tutti" portions throughout; perhaps van Asperen was busy using his hands to direct the Melante players?).

Customer Reviews:

A Musical Marriage.......2003-11-04

The Barbirolli Society and Dutton Laboratories have reissued yet another brilliant session by the great British conductor Sir John Barbirolli. "Oboe Concertos Volume 2" finds JB with wife Evelyn Rothwell again making beautiful music together. The three Concerto performances by Haydn, Marcello and Corelli (from 1957, 1969 and 1968 respectively) are the highlight of the disc, which also features six chamber pieces. This is music that Barbirolli likely would not have played were it not for Evelyn, but it is a testament to their love that they found the perfect pieces to perform and share together. Like other releases in this series, the recordings have been digitally remastered from the original sources superbly by Michael J. Dutton. Barbirolli Society CDs are certainly a treat, but they don't stay around very long. Buy this JB title while you can!

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First Volume of a Valuable Complete Edition

Bach: Keyboard Concertos Vol.1

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000016M5
Release Date: 1995-10-24

Tracks:

I. Allegro Di Molto
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro Assai

Customer Reviews:

First Volume of a Valuable Complete Edition.......2007-05-24

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714 - 1788): The Complete Keyboard Concertos Vol. 1 containing 1. Concerto in G major H. 405 (Wq. 3); 2. Concerto in A minor H. 403 (Wq. 1); 3. Concerto in E flat major H. 404 (Wq. 2). Performed by Miklós Spányi, harpsichord; Concerto Armonico (7 violins, 2 violas, cello, double bass and harpsichord); directed by Miklós Spányi and Péter Szüts. Cadenzas improvised at the recording sessions (December 1994 at the Angyalföld Reformed Church, Hungary). First issued in 1995 as BIS CD-707. Total playing time: 61'52".

This is the first volume of a long series of BIS recordings documenting the complete works for harpsichord and strings by the second son of Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel. The notes in the CD booklets are provided by members of the team at the University of Maryland who are working on a complete edition of Emanuel Bach's works. Miklós Spányi has decided on the basis of his musical intuition which keyboard instrument to use in each instance - on this first volume we hear a copy of a large harpsichord by the North German instrument-maker Hieronymus Hass. Spànyi has carefully compared the autograph manuscripts with later revisions by the composer himself (copies to be found in the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in Belgium).

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach was, in the eighteenth century, the one people meant when they spoke of "Bach". He was born when his father was 29 years old, spent his youth learning the musician's trade with his father in Leipzig (where H. 403 and H. 404 were written) and, at the age of 20, moved to Frankfurt an der Oder in order to study law (but where he also took charge of musical activities and where he wrote and presumably first performed H. 405). In 1738 he moved again, this time to Berlin where he became harpsichordist at the Court of the future King of Prussia, Frederick (the Great) and where he published his famous theoretical treatise "Essay on the True Way of Playing the Keyboard". In 1768 he was called to be director of church music in the city of Hamburg, where he remained until his death. Altogether he wrote 64 works for keyboard and strings, but also many works for clavichord or harpsichord solo, for pianoforte, a good deal of chamber music, songs and sacred vocal works. His life spanned most of the 18th century, and his name is usually associated with the musical version of "Sturm und Drang" (infelicitously translated as "storm and stress") or "Empfindsamkeit" (sensibility).

The three concertos on this first volume are youthful works - the correct place to begin when studying his output, but definitely only a place to start! H. 403 and H. 404 sound, not surprisingly, quite similar to Johann Sebastian Bach's harpsichord concertos, and although booklet-authoress Rachel Wade argues that the style here is "in keeping with the style he later became known for", it is, I feel, the baroque-ness of these pieces that any lay listener will hear. It is with H. 405 that the somewhat eccentric personality of Carl Philipp Emanuel breaks through - not so much in the keyboard, I felt, as in the strings, where one can already hear some of the surprising jumps and leaps that were to be his "trademark" in later years.

Miklòs Spányi and his Hungarian team (leader: Péter Szüts) take the music at a slightly slower pace than they might perhaps have chosen, and the strings tend to sound a little "thick" at times, despite the relatively small ensemble. But a comparison of H. 405 with the recording made three years later by Ludger Rémy and his "Les Amis de Philippe" for the German label cpo makes it plain that it is possible to perform this music with more clarity and verve and to make the development from father to son a good deal more transparent.CPE Bach: Harpsichord Concertos.

C.P.E. Bach: The Complete Keyboard Concertos, Vol. 14

Average customer rating:

One I keep returning to.

C.P.E. Bach: The Complete Keyboard Concertos, Vol. 14

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000A1ILOG
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Customer Reviews:

One I keep returning to........2006-11-02

I had not heard much of CPE's keyboard works until I bought this disc. I found it at first a little irritating - some strong repeated motifs seemed to boom out in a few of the movements - but then I became fascinated by the unusual melodies and developments. The pieces are have a strange balance between the orchestra and the tangent piano - while the general playing seems a little too loud, the keyboard part nevertheless manages to push itself to the fore regularly.
Overall the performances are very good, and while I'm not sure if some poeple would criticise the sound balance, I like it just how it is.

It seems as though Spanyi and his concerto have managed to maintain the fine quality through the several discs in this set - to quote a Classics Today reviewer: "Another fine entry in a very important series of recordings."

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Bach: Keyboard Concertos Vol. 9

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004RJNG
Release Date: 2000-03-15

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Adagio Sostenuto
III. Allegro Assai
I. Andante Ed Arioso
II. Cembalo Solo
III. (Andante Ed Arioso, Continued)
IV. Cembalo Solo
V. (Andante Ed Arioso, Continued)
VI. Allegro
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Arioso
III. Allegro Spirituoso
I. Larghetto
II. Allegro
III. Alla Polacca

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Bach: Keyboard Concertos Vol. 8

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ASIN: B00000J2RQ
Release Date: 1999-05-01

Tracks:

Concerto in G major, H. 444 (W.34): I. Allegro di molto
Concerto in G major, H. 444 (W.34): II. Largo
Concerto in F major, H. 443 (W.33): I. Allegretto
Concerto in F major, H. 443 (W.33): I. Allegretto
Concerto in F major, H. 443 (W.33): II. Adagio
Concerto in F major, H. 443 (W.33): III. Allegro assai
Concerto in B minor, H. 440: I. Allegro di molto
Concerto in B minor, H. 440: II. Adagio
Concerto in B minor, H. 440: III. Allegro

CPE Bach: Harpsichord Concertos Wq 30, 37 & 38 /Les Amis de Philippe * Remy

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Complete Liberty

CPE Bach: Harpsichord Concertos Wq 30, 37 & 38 /Les Amis de Philippe * Remy
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach , Les Amis de Philippe , and Ludger Remy
Manufacturer: Cpo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001S08
Release Date: 1995-11-21

Tracks:

Concerto In f major Wq 38: Allegro Di Molto
Concerto In f major Wq 38: Poco Adagio
Concerto In f major Wq 38: Allegro
Concerto In B Minor Wq 30: Allegro Di Molto
Concerto In B Minor Wq 30: Adagio
Concerto In B Minor Wq 30: Allegro
Concerto In C Minor Wq 37: Allegro Assai
Concerto In C Minor Wq 37: Andante Ed Arioso
Concerto In C Minor Wq 37: Presto

Amazon.com

C. P. E. Bach wrote more than 60 keyboard concertos for instruments ranging from harpsichord to piano--and everything in between. And believe me, there were a lot of strange instruments in between. Modern performances, however, generally prefer either the harpsichord or the piano, and the music works very well on either instrument. C. P. E. was the most famous of Bach's sons--more famous than his father, actually, in the 18th century--and his music is extremely expressive and moving. As these exciting performances show, it's highly emotional, quirky, and consistently interesting and unpredictable. He's really a composer worth getting to know. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Complete Liberty.......2000-09-06

These Harpsichord Concertos by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) are lively and bring a smile to my face. Even the adagio, although slow and reflective, are far from sombre. And the final movements are always uplifting, even if in the "sad" key of C minor. The use of short silences are accentuated by a burst of sound from the orchestra in the Allegro of the F Major concerto, for example. The notes, as is typical of the label, are extremely helpful. Complete with biographical material as well a thorough analysis of each piece. Here is what I learned. First, that these are the beginnings of the Concerto as we know it. For example, regarding the B minor Concerto, Ludger Remy writes, "Counterpoint and affect occur in close connection and produce a harmonic musical microcosmos of what was truly unheard-of [r]ight around 1753." Second, CPE Bach was interested in developing tension between the solo instrument and the orchestra. Remy explains, "Many of the most interesting modifications he made arose from his efforts to heighten the tension between the orchestra and the keyboard instruments so as to let the two compete with one another." I enjoy this CD because not only is it fun, I learned quite a bit. If you are interested in the beginnings of the Concerto as we know it or if you are interested in music that is lively and fun, this CD will be interesting to you.

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Ardent Advocate
brilliant
Splendid, Lively performances of Badly Neglected Masterpiece
Magnificent performances unearth CPE masterworks

CPE Bach: Harpsichord Concertos

Manufacturer: Cpo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Vivaldi: Complete Cello Concertos

ASIN: B00000FYAB
Release Date: 1998-12-01

Tracks:

Con in D Wq 45 H.478: Allegretto
Con in D Wq 45 H.478: Andantino
Con in D Wq 45 H.478: Allegro
Con in G Wq 3 H.405: Allegro Di Molto
Con in G Wq 3 H.405: Adagio
Con in G Wq 3 H.405: Allegro
Con in G Wq 44 H.477: Allegretto
Con in G Wq 44 H.477: Andantino
Con in G Wq 44 H.477: Allegro
Con in g Wq 32 H.442: Allegretto
Con in g Wq 32 H.442: Un Poco Andante
Con in g Wq 32 H.442: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Ardent Advocate.......2006-10-29

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788). Four Harpsichord Concertos Wq 3, 32, 44 and 45. Performed by Les Amis de Philippe, conducted from the harpsichord by Ludger Rémy. Recorded in September 1997 and January 1998 in the studios of Radio Bremen (Germany). Total time: 65'17". cpo 999 566-2.

Johann Sebastian Bach's second son, Carl Philipp Emanuel, was, in his day, considerably more famous and more popular than his illustrious father. He learned his trade as a boy under the tuition of Johann Sebastian before he studied law in Frankfurt an der Oder and then moved as a professional chamber musician to the court of Frederick the Great in Berlin. After many years there, in which he was kept humble by being paid far too little, he finally moved to Hamburg where he took over responsibility for the sacred music of the city after the death of his godfather Georg Philipp Telemann. CPE Bach was very influential in the 18th century, being a leading figure in the "Empfindsamkeit" movement, having friendly relations with literary personages such as Ramler - and no less than a Joseph Haydn confessed to having meticulously studied Emanuel's works while a young man in Vienna.

Ludger Rémy has long been an ardent advocate of Emanuel Bach. The current CD offers a choice of four harpsichord concertos, three of which (Wq 3, 44 and 45) were not particularly well-known in the 18th century; Wq 32, on the other hand, appears to have caused something of a stir with its astoundingly virtuoso harpsichord part following on from Emanuel Bach's treatise on keyboard playing. The concertos span nearly all of Bach's life, Wq. 3 being the first harpsichord concerto he composed after leaving home, while Wq 44 and 45 were the last he wrote (in 1778) and have additional parts for two horns, here beautifully played by Martin Roos and Vaclav Luks. Heard as a whole, the CD offers a valuable portrait of a sadly underestimated musician as well as a brief guide to Empfindsamkeit.

The harpsichord concertos of Emanuel Bach are being published in their entirety by the label BIS with Hungarian keyboardist Miklós Spányi, whose efforts are greatly to be respected. But a comparison of Wq 3 demonstrates that Rémy definitely has the edge, with faster tempos, a smaller string section and a clarity that seems "just right". cpo's engineering is, as usual, excellent, the notes (written by Rémy himself) are first-class.

brilliant.......2006-06-05

Let me tell how I, by the pure coincidence, discovered the whole "think", C.P.E. Bach and Ludger'o Remy. The other day, going to sunday shopping and listening to some public broadcast in my car, I happened to capture only the Andante and closing Allegro of E-Bach's Symphony in "e" in Remy's "vision". Slightly stressed by verve playing,I couldn't help, of course, waiting too long to have one of these CD's. Hmm.., a scent of a Rococo made me buy concertos, instead; so, I chose one, with winds. Of course, there is a strong reason for it: Mr. Remy made his orchestra so vivid and stylish that I really enjoyed all parts of music: solos, an accompany and a tutti.

Compact, explosive orchestral passages, with sudden changes in tonalities, plus emphasized drama in cembalo's solos- isn't it enough? This time, in Remy's arrangement, there are much, much more surprises: E-Bach's lucid extremes in tempos and dynamics in dialogues between a cembalo and a "tutti" are all here and make this music totally adorable. Also, musicians are fully charged with specific humor of a period that they depict, and Remy really is an ingenious virtuoso of his instrument. "Oh", I almost forgot- "Corni" (Horns), are fantastic: they, I think, leap tones instead of making them hand adjusted, which creates a special effect that I like very, very much (it also has intriquing effect to the listener's imagination). "I think, I am able now, to understand, at least partually, why Haendel had so much dispute to keep his horns, badly out of tune, for which I found adorable, in his operas?"

Simply, this CD is magnificant and, in a way, it completes or just opens a new pool for my personal research- enjoyment in music.
(Hope my poor English didn't bother you).
Mirro

Splendid, Lively performances of Badly Neglected Masterpiece.......2004-08-26

I've been collecting the keyboard concertos of CPE Bach. Remy gives very lively interpretations of these works, in comparison to Miklos Spanyi(on BIS), who tends to take a slower, more ponderous pace. But both approaches have their merits, and CPE Bach is a grossly, and shamefully neglected composer who really ranks along with Gluck as the greatest composers in between Bach/Handel and Haydn/Mozart. He is no 'transitional' composer, but one who writes in a distinctive style of his own. His works have real depth. No wonder he is held in such high esteem by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.

Magnificent performances unearth CPE masterworks.......2000-10-02

This splendid recording, one of two available at this writing from Remy/Les Amis de Philippe (the other covers Wq. 30, 37, & 38), covers a wide span of C.P.E. Bach's concerto writing--from the early Wq. 3 (H. 405, originally written in 1737 and revised in 1745) to his last solo keyboard concertos, Wq. 44-45 (H. 477-8, dating from 1778). The recordings of these works by Maestro Remy and company were obviously a labor of love--Remy transcribed the scores from original manuscripts in the Berlin State Library as they are still unavailable in any printed edition--, and the devotion shines through the performances.

Wq. 3 is perhaps the most vivid of the scores heard here, with its sudden contrasts of dynamics and its defiantly non-cantabile thematic material. All are worth hearing, as is Remy's other disc of CPE concertos. (I have not yet heard his disc of CPE's symphonies, but that is definitely on my "to-buy" list.) The liner notes in both discs, written by Remy, are excellent as well. What better refutation of the 19th century's dismissal of Emanuel as an insignificant figure (cf. Schumann's approving quotation of Mendelssohn's put-down "it was as if a dwarf had appeared among the giants") could there possibly be than Remy's spirited undertaking, which literally brings this music back to life? Highly recommended.

C.P.E. Bach: Complete Keyboard Concertos, Vol. 10
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C.P.E. Bach: Complete Keyboard Concertos, Vol. 10

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2001-05-29

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