This site introduces unknown Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach).
Solo works in the 18th century symbolize the transition from the Baroque tradition to the Classical era, composed for a wide variety of instruments. Against the backdrop of advancements in performance techniques and instrumental technology, solo works saw significant progress in both form and expressive capabilities.
During the Baroque period, unaccompanied instrumental works and solo pieces with basso continuo were common. Notable examples include Bachʼs Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin and Suites for Solo Cello. These works are characterized by their contrapuntal structure and high technical demands, forming the foundation for 18th-century solo compositions.
Keyboard solo works evolved alongside the transition from the harpsichord to the fortepiano. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bachʼs keyboard sonatas embody the Empfindsamer Stil (Sensitive Style), featuring delicate emotional expression and free-form structures. Additionally, Mozartʼs piano sonatas combined lyrical beauty with refined formal design, bringing Classical keyboard solo works to completion.
In violin solo works, composers like Tartini and Locatelli expanded the instrumentʼs possibilities with virtuosic caprices and sonatas. In the latter half of the 18th century, Mozart composed sonatas for violin and fortepiano, emphasizing a dialogical relationship between solo and accompaniment. Solo works for wind instruments such as the flute, clarinet, and bassoon also increased during this period.
18th-century solo works highlighted individual performance technique and musical expression, becoming an important genre for both composers and performers. Their development paved the way for 19th-century Romantic solo works and solo concertos. As a genre symbolizing the transition from the Baroque to the Classical era, these works hold a significant place in the history of 18th-century music.