This site introduces unknown Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach).
ʼLa Borchwardʼ is a work composed by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and its title is likely named after a specific individual, Ernst Samuel Jakob Borchward. This person was from 18th-century Berlin and is said to have served as a court advisor (Hochfürstlich Brandenburg-Bayreuthischer Hofrat und Resident) for the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.
The piece is in the typical form of a polonaise, with a majestic and symmetrical structure, exuding an elegant atmosphere. It features the rhythm and melodic lines characteristic of a polonaise, possessing the nature of a dance while also conveying a high level of musical sophistication.
This work is believed to have been composed in the 1760s, initially for keyboard instruments, and may have been arranged later to include melodic instruments. Like many of Bachʼs character pieces (pièces de caractère), it is equipped with musical features that depict specific people or personalities.
ʼThis dignified and symmetrical polonaise was named after Ernst Samuel Jakob Borchward (1717-1776?), a native of Berlin. He was also a poet and composer, frequently interacting with the literary and musical circles of Berlin.ʼ
For an overview of Wq. 117 as a whole, see Character Pieces Wq. 117 .