The tribune independent of Michigan. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1935, 1934-04-28
Master Musicians
BY George Matthews
ENAMEL BACH


None OF the sons of Bach inner
tied the commanding genius of
their father although four OF them
showed talent above the average
of musicians OF their day, and one
OF them distinguished himself ana
exercised an important influence
upon the subsequent course or pi-
anoforte music.
Gho--Qpa --sesa-- of paoh who 10 r.
commonly considered as having
left a mark upon the later course
OF music was Carl Phillip Emanuel
Q714-17SS), third son, common
" known as the Berlin or Ham
hurp Bach. His father intended
him for a philosopher. ana hau
him educated accordingly IN the
Leipsic and Frankfort UNIVERSE
ties. but his love for music and the
thorough grounding in II he had at
home eventually determined him
! in this direction. While in the
Frankfort University he conducted
n singing society. which naturally
led to his exercising himself in
composition. Presently, he gave up
law for music, and going To Ber-
lin. he obtained an appointment
as Hammer Musiker" to Freder-
ick the Great, his especial busi-
ness being that OF accompanying
the King in his flute concertos'
The seven years having put an
end. to these duties. he migrated TO
Hamburg, where he held honorable
amendments as organist and con-
ductor until his death. He wrote
In a tasteful but somewhat super
fetal style; and while MS compo-
sitions bear favorable comparison
with those OF other musicians OF ms
time. they were by no means o,
n commanding nature like those OF
his father. There were. howevr
two reasons for this, wholly asidt
from the question OF less ability II
the Younger composer. One o
these Is TO be found in the fre'
form which he began to develop
Sebastian Bach, his father, had tn'
advantage OF writing his creates
works in a form which had beer
nrenared for him. without havinl
haan exhausted. The technique o
fuge had been created before M
time. but It's possibilities III III
direction of freedom and spontan
eItv had never been illustrated y
any marked degree. Bach proceed
cd IN do this for the fuge form
and Il may be added. he did
with such amplitude that no com
noser has been able TO write
free and original fuge since III
son recognizing both that the rug
had been exhausted as Tree ar
form. and feeling no doubt Una
somethlng more intultively INTEL
elbie than fuge was possible, a,
dressed himself composition
tha free style, in which the NEAR
~ producing effects had not y
heen mastered. The thematic vi
az material had been acquired,
waa easily Inferable from the tug
hut the proper manner OF contras
inc chat material with other, ca
cuiated 10 relieve the attenti.
and nj the same time, intensity u
interest remained for later expo
ers. The missing contrast was
lyric element, but II was not un
the next generation OF compose
that Il came pianoforte music
satisfactory form. Accordingly I
sonatas OF Emanuel Bach sou
dry and superficial. and while tn
are interesting as the reno
models upon which Beethoven
casionaIly built. they do not rep
study for the purpose Of pub
performance. There is little he's
in them. AS literary musicia
Bach deserves TO be remember
For his work upon "The True A