This site introduces unknown Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach).
I asked ChatGPT4o: "It seems that Emanuel Bach clearly distinguished between compositions requested by others and those created for his own exploration. Did Haydn and Mozart also make such a distinction?"
Emanuel Bach’s clear distinction between "commissioned works" and "compositions for personal exploration" is related to his pursuit of the empfindsamer Stil (sensitive style) and his experimental works, allowing him to engage in creative freedom beyond the conventions and expectations of his time. Similarly, Haydn and Mozart also exhibited this distinction to some extent, although the nature and context differed.
In his early career, Haydn served as a court composer for the Esterházy family, where he mainly composed works to meet the needs of his employer and the court. Many of his symphonies and chamber music (especially string quartets) were created in this context to suit the tastes of the Esterházy family and court events.
However, under the patronage of the Esterházy family, Haydn also enjoyed the freedom to pursue "compositions for his own exploration." For example, his innovations in the form of string quartets and his status as the "Father of the Symphony" were significantly influenced by his musical curiosity. After leaving the Esterházy family, works like the "London Symphonies" reflected both international demand and Haydnʼs creative ambitions.
Mozart, having gained freedom from serving as a court musician or composer, worked as a freelance composer. As such, his works reflect both responses to public demand and his own musical exploration.
Common among Emanuel Bach, Haydn, and Mozart is that while they fulfilled commissions and public demand, they also reflected their musical exploration and creative drive in their works. However, their approaches and backgrounds differed:
Therefore, while each composer had a distinction between "commissioned works" and "personal explorations," the manifestation of this distinction varied according to their environments and historical contexts.
I also asked ChatGPT4o: "Did Beethoven distinguish between compositions requested by others and those created for his own exploration?"
In Beethovenʼs case, the distinction between commissioned works and compositions for personal exploration existed but was not as clear-cut as with Emanuel Bach or Haydn. This is because many of Beethovenʼs works, while responding to external requests or purposes, also deeply reflected his own musical exploration and philosophy. Below is a detailed explanation:
Beethoven often composed in response to patrons, publishers, and concert demands. However, he uniquely integrated his creative exploration into these works.
Beethoven composed many works without specific commissions, purely driven by his artistic exploration. These works show remarkable innovation beyond traditional forms and genres.
Beethoven often merged commissions with his artistic pursuits, making it difficult to separate the two. This duality is why his works transcend mere functional or entertainment music.
Beethoven’s works reflect both "commissioned works" and "personal explorations," often inseparably intertwined. Even when fulfilling commissions, he prioritized his musical and philosophical explorations, embedding them in his works. This characteristic elevates Beethoven’s music beyond functional or entertainment purposes, making it timeless and profound.