This site introduces unknown Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach).
The Keyboard Concerto Wq. 23 (H. 429[427]) by Emanuel Bach is a work composed in 1748, representing one of the quintessential keyboard concertos from his mid-Berlin period. The first movement begins with a bright and lively theme, where the solo and tutti engage in a dialogue, with a technically demanding solo part adding color to the music. The second movement is an adagio based on the empfindsamer Stil, centered around introspective and emotional melodies, imbued with deep expressiveness within its tranquility. The third movement is characterized by a light and dance-like rhythm, highlighting the elegance and bright character of the galant style.
This concerto excels in the balance between solo and tutti, with the solo part containing many free and creative elements. Wq. 23 is particularly structurally accomplished among Emanuel Bachʼs keyboard concertos, demonstrating a further refinement of his compositional technique. This work occupies an important position, foreshadowing his later development into a freer and more expressive style.
The Concerto in D Minor has been felt by many to possess an intensity of expression comparable to a fantasia. Composed in 1748, it is one of the works completed during a highly productive period just before the onset of wartime turmoil, during which he completed 20 concertos in just a decade. The piece became widely known when it was published in the renowned early 20th-century series "Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst" (Monuments of German Music), and for a long time, it was the only available keyboard concerto by Emanuel, making it the most famous of his concertos since the 19th century.
This concerto is characterized by its key of D minor and its musical character, often compared to Mozartʼs concerto in the same key [No. 20]. Particularly in the first movement, it features melodies with wide leaps reminiscent of the opera seria style and persistent minor key harmonic progressions. Similar characteristics are observed in the third movement, which begins with sudden dissonance, but the solo part presents its own distinct expression, carrying forward elements prepared in the second movement. This results in a strong expressive effect, maintaining harmonic instability and a lack of clear harmonic definition.
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