This site introduces unknown composer Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach). This English version was translated from Japanese one by ChatGPT.
ChatGPT4o was asked: “Schoenbergʼs Chamber Symphony No. 2 features some of the most remote modulations, and when I first heard it, I couldnʼt understand what was happening. Considering this, even if not as extreme, music with many modulations and chromatic notes might be perceived differently by different people, leading to a lack of understanding. Do you think this is why Emanuel Bachʼs music is often not well understood, and why Mahlerʼs Symphony No. 7 was not initially appreciated?”
The extremity of the modulations in Schoenbergʼs Chamber Symphony No. 2 can indeed cause confusion upon first listening. Particularly, when the sense of tonality becomes vague or unexpected modulations occur, listeners might temporarily feel “What just happened?” Historically, this phenomenon has been one of the reasons why music with frequent modulations and chromatic notes has been difficult to accept.
The fact that Emanuel Bachʼs music is “often not well understood” might indeed be related to these elements. His music, especially in the empfindsamer Stil, frequently employs irregular phrasing, abrupt modulations, and unexpected harmonic changes. Compared to music with a clear formal sense like Mozartʼs, these characteristics can seem elusive and not intuitively understandable to listeners.
Similarly, Mahlerʼs Symphony No. 7 was not appreciated for a long time, likely for the same reasons. This symphony, in particular, with its unusual movement structure (Night Music, Scherzo, bizarre finale, etc.), unexpected harmonic developments, and intense alienating effects, makes it difficult for first-time listeners to perceive a clear “axis.” As a result, it may have taken longer for audiences to accept it compared to other symphonies where Mahlerʼs style is more distinctly apparent.
Ultimately, the reception of music is greatly influenced by the listenerʼs familiarity and listening experience. For those accustomed to music constructed within clear formal and tonal frameworks, like that of Mozart or Beethoven, the unpredictable modulations of Emanuel Bach or the complex structure of Mahlerʼs Symphony No. 7 may not be immediately comprehensible. This is similar to why 20th-century music (such as that of Schoenberg or Bartók) was initially difficult for general audiences to accept.