CPE Bach - Four Orchestral Symphonies WQ 183 /H 663-666

Carl Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788)

Four Orchestral Symphonies 

with twelve obbligato parts WQ 183/H663-666

Orchestral Symphony in D major WQ 183 No.1/H 663

Orchestral Symphony in E flat major WQ 183 No.2/H 664

Orchestral Symphony in F major WQ 183 No.3/H 665

Orchestral Symphony in G major WQ 183 No.1/h 666

Kammerorchester "Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach" 

Continuo Michael Christfried Winkler (Harpsichord)

Harmut Haenchen

Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach is an interesting composer, who is hard to fit into any particular category. His music is in many ways unique to him. His musical career started in the late 1740's when his father, the great Johan Sebastian Bach was still alive and composing. He composed the rest of his life, dying in 1788, only three years from Mozart's untimely demise. His music is not only transitional between the baroque period and the classical period, it also is unique and innovative and ultimately influential on many other composers such as Haydn, Mozart and even Beethoven.These four symphonies were written in the 1780's and show Bach's mature style. The Wq. 183 symphonies and the Wq. 182 symphonies are two of the must have sets of compositions if you enjoy C.P.E. Bach's music. The Wq. 183 symphonies differ from the 182 series by being composed for strings, winds and brass, while the 182 is written strictly for strings.Many of the stylistic elements you hear in Bach's music is well demonstrated in these symphonies, such as strong unison passages, contrasting themes, sudden changes in tempo and volume, alot of ornamentation, etc. All in all, this music is very interesting though some might think it an acquired taste.The recordings of these symphonies were originally done to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Bach's death in 1988. Not widely available right now, I am hopeful that in a couple of years with the 300 anniversary of Bach's birth in 1714, that an outpouring of recordings of Bach's unique and interesting compositions will find themselves available for us Bachofiles to enjoy.