Customer Reviews

CPE Bach: Hamburg Sinfonias

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Even though C. P. E. Bach was highly influential and counted among his admirers Haydn and Beethoven (not too slouchy!), his symphonies represent a kind of musical dead end. No composer after him followed his lead in producing what he thought of as music of "affect," but which I would rather think of as music of wit. But Bach's wit is not the genial, tongue-in-cheek wit of a Haydn; it's more the wit of the Metaphysical poets. Bach's language is one of strange and unexpected harmonies and melodic turns. In fact, as music critics have pointed out, he is the most adventurous composer harmonically before Schubert.

And Bach's strangest, most striking music comes in these Hamburg Symphonies and the four so-called Orchestral Symphonies Wq 183. Unlike the later symphonies, however, the Wq 182 symphonies are scored not for winds and strings but for strings alone. In a way, this seems to enhance the lightening-quick play of wit, and I admire both sets almost equally.

In this Naxos recording, everything seems to go right. The orchestra is highly responsive, zipping along with glee or exploring the melancholy music of Bach's slow movements with equal success. Christian Benda, a descendant of the 18th-century Czech composer Jiri Benda, is a fine conductor who understands the music of this period well. Add to the package a clear, resonant recording, and this is a find for lovers of the pre-Classical era.

These symphonies are virtually unknown to most concert-goers. They are wonderfully fresh, charming works. One wonders why they are not more often performed!

I think on Carl Philip Emanuel as the most brilliant music from the
great Johann Sebastian's sons. He composed really great music and his
catalogue of works is really wide. However, his works are still unfairly
unknown, and perhaps excepting the great cello concerti, the rest of his
works are novelties for most of ears. This CD shows great performances
os late-baroque symphonies by this composer and i can recommend this as
an excellent introduction to C.P.E Bach music legacy. A safe recommendation.

Este cd nos trae una excelente versión de las seis sinfonias para cuerdas Wq.182 de unos de los más talentosos hijos del gran maestro Johann Sebastian Bach. Este gran compositor fue tecladista de uno de los reyes que impulso la música como ningún otro: el rey Federico el Grande de Prusia, un excelente flautista y gran mecenas, que contrató a Carl Philipp en su gran melómana corte. Estas obras para cuerdas muestra una calidad sorprendente por la belleza de sus melodia y el trabajo maravillosos del contrapunto que heredó de su padre. Verdaderas joyas de la música.
La Capella Istropolitana dirigida por el maestro Christian Benda nos deja una maravillosa y pulcrísima interpretación de estas obras donde la calidad de este conjunto de cámara es verdaderamente asombroso. Bellísimo disco.

C.P.E. Bach: Hamburg Sinfonias Nos. 1-6 is a recording by Naxos under the direction of Christian Benda and played by Capella Istropolitana. In the booklet we also get well-written linernotes by Allan Badley as well as short biographies of Christian Benda as well as Capella Istropolitana. CPE Bach's sound is very similair to that of both Haydn and Mozart and Mozart was influenced by CPE Bach. 5/5.