Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (W.F. Bach)

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784) was the eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach (J.S. Bach) and is renowned as an exceptional keyboard player and composer. He received rigorous musical training from his father, developing exceptional skills, particularly in counterpoint and keyboard performance. However, his life was fraught with difficulties.

Friedemann Bach held positions as a court organist and music director in Dresden and Halle. However, due to workplace conflicts and his strong desire for independence, he lost his positions and spent his later years leading an unstable life without a steady job. As a result, many of his works were lost, and his music did not gain widespread recognition in later generations.

His compositional style is highly distinctive, blending his fatherʼs Baroque influences with elements of the emerging pre-Classical style of the time. He gained fame as a master of improvisation, and his fantasias and polonaises for keyboard vividly showcase his free and bold musical expression. He also composed sacred music and chamber works.

While Wilhelm Friedemann Bach is regarded as a musical genius, his difficult personality and conflicts with society are believed to have hindered his success. His music, with its complexity and individuality, continues to attract attention even today.