CPE Bach

Donald Macleod tells the story of the loss - and later rediscovery - of CPE Bach’s music

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach was many things in his lifetime: composer, virtuoso harpsichord player and improviser extraordinaire, author, businessman – publishing his own music – biographer – of his father and other members of his family, and teacher. This week we look at CPE Bach's music and reputation in the light of the sensational rediscovery of much of his archive in 1999. Throughout the episode we'll hear recent recordings of this 'new' music. We’ll learn about CPE’s musical crowd-funding, his emotive Empfindsamer style, his life in Hamburg, and how the discovery has changed the way Bach and his music is seen in 2019.

Music featured: L'Aly Rupalich, Wq 117 No 27 Keyboard Concerto in D minor, Wq 23 Heilig, Wq 217 Flute concerto in D Major, Wq 13 Solfeggio in C Minor, Wq 117 No 2 Free Fantasie in F sharp minor, Wq 67 Licht der Welt, von Gott gegeben, H 811 (Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe) Rondo II in D Minor, Wq 61 No 4 Flute Sonata in A minor, Wq 132 Solfeggio in C Minor Symphony in D Major, Wq 183 No 1 Fantasia No. 2 in C Major, Wq 59 No 6 Wer ist so würdig als du; Ach, ruft mich einst zu seinen Freuden, H 805 (Nun danket alle Gott) Sonata in C Minor, Wq 78 Morgengesang am Schöpfungsfeste, W 239 Magnificat anima mea Dominum, Et misericordia eius, Gloria Patri et Filio, Sicut erat in principio (Magnificat, Wq 215) Quartet in D Major, Wq 94 Rondo in A minor Wq 56 No 5 Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen, Wq 240 (Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu) Leite mich nach deinem Willen, H 835 Cello Concerto in A major, Wq 172 (2nd mvt) Symphony in B minor, Wq 182 No 5 Sonata in C major, Wq 55 No 1 (Für Kenner und Liebhaber) Double Concerto for harpsichord and fortepiano in E Flat major, Wq 47

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Iain Chambers for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for CPE Bach https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006fff

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z