Brief Summary of the “Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach” Power Point Presentation

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788), son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara, was born in Weimar and raised in a large, musically gifted family. After moving to Leipzig in 1723, he studied at St. Thomas School, where he received extensive musical training from his father. Although he began studying law in Leipzig and Frankfurt, he ultimately chose a musical career.

In Berlin, Bach entered the service of Prince Frederick of Prussia and later Frederick the Great, becoming one of Europe’s leading clavier performers and composing numerous sonatas and concertos. He married Johanna Maria Dannemann in 1744 and raised three children. His Berlin years also included personal challenges, such as gout and the political tensions of the Seven Years’ War.

In 1768, following Telemann’s death, Bach became the music director of Hamburg’s principal churches. There he shaped the city’s concert life, announced major concert series, and continued composing prolifically until his death in 1788. His wife temporarily assumed his duties until a successor was appointed.

The presentation highlights several of his significant works:

• L’Aly Rupalich - one of his “musical portraits,” inspired by François Couperin’s pièces de caractère. Originally titled La Bach, it is written in C major, modulates frequently, and uses a variant of rondo form.

• Quartet in A minor - written near the end of his life for piano, flute, viola, and cello, likely commissioned by Sara Levy.

• Magnificat (1749) - his first major choral composition, consisting of nine movements drawn from Luke 1. It includes solos, duets, arias, and full chorus sections and would have been performed in regular church services, sometimes in Latin on feast days.

The presentation concludes with images of Hamburg’s St. Michael’s Church, references to manuscript sources, and a detailed bibliography of scholarly works and recordings.