This site introduces unknown Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach).
Emanuel Bachʼs Keyboard Concerto Wq. 13 (H. 417) is a work composed in 1744, representing one of the key keyboard concertos from his early Berlin period. This piece employs the traditional ensemble of solo keyboard instrument and strings (two violins, viola, and bass), yet it expresses Emanuel Bachʼs unique originality and the characteristics of the empfindsamer Stil.
The first movement is characterized by a theme with a clear structure and a solo part that skillfully develops it, unfolding music full of vitality. The second movement features a quiet and introspective expression, with a melody rich in emotion typical of the empfindsamer Stil. In the third movement, a lively and dance-like rhythm and elegant melody unfold, highlighting the grace of the galant style.
This work excels in the harmony between the solo and tutti sections, with the solo part given an improvisational freedom. Wq. 13 is particularly notable for its expressiveness and formal completeness among Emanuel Bachʼs keyboard concertos, occupying an important position that suggests development in his later works.
In the third movement of the Concerto in D Major H. 416 (W.13), each soloist section begins by varying the theme of the opening ritornello, clarifying the relationship between the tutti and soloist sections and aiding in understanding the overall structure of the movement. On the other hand, in the first movement, instead of repeating the tutti theme, a new soloist theme is presented, which reappears repeatedly, leading to the structure of the three solo sections. [BIS CD 768]