This is one of those sonatas, B Minor - Wq 76, that would really lose the sonic effect when played on a modern piano. Ordinarily I dislike the sound of the harpsichord but when a piece showcases its better qualities the effect can be stunning:
Making my morning... Cello Concerto in A Minor, Wq. 170 David Adorján - cello Bach Collegium München Christopher Hogwood - conductor
A coworker came up to me today with " You're a C.P.E. Bach guy, right?" He had heard a piece on the radio but didn't know the name or movement, but he knew the cellist was Steve Isserlis. Google came in handy: C.P.E. Bach Cello Concerto in A Major, Largo Not bad.
C.P E. Bach Sacred Choral Music If you're fond of choral music and C.P E. you can't go wrong with this 5 cd set (at a nice price, too). Available on Spotify for streaming.
C.P.E. Back Cello Concerto/ Symphony in G, H. 648 (2018, Harmonia Mundi) Jean-Guihen Queyras Ensemble Resonanz Riccardo Minasi Recommended. (On Spotify, Apple Music)
I may have to check this one out. It's not expensive, but I do need to wait for both my credit card and wife to cool down first.
Thanks for the reminder! Intermittently making a playlist of my favorite movements from the 5 disc set.
A must-own, if not most-listen (imo) - Sonatas for Keyboard & Violin Laurence Cummings, Clavier Adrian Butterfield, Violin (2004, Atma) full album playlist
Very good talk between three musician/scholars about the music of C.P.E. Bach and his influence on the major composers of his day - In German w/English subs.
The Complete C.P.E. Bach (2018, Hännsler Classic) A misnomer of a title, to be sure, however with 1,0005 tracks, 54 CDs - 26 of which are comprised of piano solo works, interpreted by Ana-Marija Markovina, it's the most complete package of C.P.E. that I've encountered. Here is Markovina on her contribution which was ten years in the making - The rest of the box set is comprised of various symphonies, sonatas and concerti, most of which are given solid interpretations and very good sound quality. Streaming is probably the best way to approach the set, initially, however not every major music platform will allow you stream it. I'm guessing the size is prohibitive. Highly recommended for C.P.E. admirers.
I'm a big fan of JS Bach but only stumbled upon CPE about a week ago whith this album of works for Violin & Keyboard performed by Tamsin Waley-Cohen & James Baillieu. I really like it and think I should explore more of him in the future, so this thread comes in handy.
Bach. Incredible. Personally Ill listen to any of the Glenn Gould work. He was an absolute genius.look no further than his interpretation of the goldberg variations. Astounding
I fell into CPE by mistake, and not via his dad. Early in my classical journey I was driving along listening to classical radio and they played a flute concerto by a yet unknown to me composer, Franz Anton Hoffmeister, that I fell in love with. So I trotted right into my nearest CD store with a large classical section and found it. It just happened to be paired with another flute concerto... by CPE Bach. As luck would have it, I fell in love with that one as well. Well that of course led to to greater exploration!
Symphonies & Concertos Alperman, Bruns, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (2001, Harmonia Mundi) If you can secure a copy of this CD, please do; though it's currently streaming on several platforms. It's a good introduction to C.P.E. and contains a fine sampling of symphonies and concerti with spendid sonics but at a decidedly brisk pace. The Symphony in E Minor Wq. 178, a favorite, benefits from this approach (imo):
C.P.E. Bach Chamber Music with Transverse Lute Helianthus Ensemble "The three quartets on this disc, written in 1788, the last year of his life and apparently without commission, can thus be considered the pearls of the composers chamber output, and one of the finest fruits of a period of creativity in which he was able to express precisely what he wanted without constraints." On Spotify
Very glad to see this thread. I'm a huge fan of CPE Bach, and love hearing about more interpretations of his works. My current favorite is Francois Chaplin's Keyboard Sonatas on piano.
4 Symphonies (1-4) (1990, Erato) Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra Ton Koopman Symphony No.1 in D major, H.663 Wq.183 Koopman, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana
I read a few months ago that a new recording of CPE Bach's symphonies is scheduled for release in the autumn, on Harmonia Mundi if memory serves.
Interesting. Can't go wrong with the 2 CD series by Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin from the 90s on that label. Thanks.
