Biography
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Born
8 March 1714
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Born In
Weimar, Thüringen, Germany
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Died
14 December 1788 (aged 74)
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788) was a German composer active during the transitional period between the Baroque and Classical eras. He was the fifth child and second surviving son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. Often referred to as C. P. E. Bach, he was a key figure in the development of a new musical style distinct from that of his father.
C. P. E. Bach was a prominent representative of the empfindsamer Stil, or 'sensitive style', which emphasised expressiveness and emotional nuance in contrast to the more structured and formal characteristics of Baroque music. His keyboard compositions displayed qualities that anticipated the expressive ideals of Romanticism. His organ works were often aligned with the lighter galant style that influenced early Classical music.
He was known as the "Berlin Bach" during his time working in Berlin, and later as the "Hamburg Bach" after his appointment as Kapellmeister in Hamburg, a position previously held by Georg Philipp Telemann, his godfather and a friend of his father. During his lifetime, he was typically referred to simply as Emanuel.
In addition to his compositions, C. P. E. Bach was an important teacher and theorist. His treatise "Essay on the true art of playing keyboard instruments" was studied by later composers, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. His contributions to performance practice and musical form made him a significant figure in 18th-century music.
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