C P E Bach – Cello Concerto in A Minor Wq 170 (1750)

A different Bach – today, a son of JS.

Carl Philip Emmanuel was known as the ‘Berlin Bach’ and then the ‘Hamburg Bach’ (his brother, Master of Music to Queen Charlotte, was known as the London Bach). He wrote a very important work called “Essay on the true art of playing keyboard instruments” which was used by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and others.

We’re listening to the first of his three cello concerti. It opens in sturm und drang mode (storm and stress) – familiar in Haydn symphonies, and like the Nelson Mass we heard a while ago. There’s a C major Andante which has a dialogue between soloist and orchestra, and then finishes with a March as the finale.

This performance is by the wonderful Voices of Music:

CPE Bach’s Cello Concerto in A Minor Wq 170 (1750)