Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Bach, Carl Philipp Emmanuel

Bach, Carl Philipp Emmanuel, second son of the great Sebastian Bach, and born in 1714, was commonly named Bach of Berlin. He was chapel-master to the Princess Amelia of Prussia. His father was his only master in music ; but it appears that he acquired from Hasse's operas his fine vocal taste in composing lessons, so different from the dry and laborious style of his father. He modestly gave as a reason for choosing a style of his own, or at least for differing from that of his instructor, that he was aware, if he had followed his father's method, he never could have equalled him. In the year 1767, he was chosen director of' music at Hamburg, in which town he resided many years, and died there in 1788. Emmanuel Bach declares that, of all his works, those for the clavichord or piano-forte are the chief in which he indulged his own feelings and ideas. His principal wish was to play and compose in the most vocal manner possible, notwithstanding the great defect of' all keyed instruments, except the organ, in rot sustaining their tone. To make a harpsichord or piano-forte sing is, indeed, not easily accomplished, as the ear must be tired by too thin a harmony, or stunned by too full and noisy an accompaniment. In his opinion, music ought to touch the heart ; and he never found that this could be effected by running, rattling drumming, or arpeggios. If Haydn ever looked up to any great master as a model, it seems to have been Emmanuel Bach. The bold modulations, rests, pauses, free use of semitones, at d unexpected flights of Haydn, remind us frequently of Emmanuel Bach's early works, more than of any other composer. But in writing for violins, it must be confessed that Haydn surpassed his model in facility and invention. Emmanuel Bach's, compositions consist of symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and much church music. In the whole, there are more than fifty different published works, of his composition, some of which were printed after his decease.