Comparing Bachs

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the origins of the early classical symphony with particular reference to Johann Sebastian Bach's (J.S Bach) "Opus 18 number 4" and his son, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's (C.P.E Bach) "Symphony in D". The author first provides a brief background on the classical period of the 17th and 18th century. The paper then studies J.S. Bach's Symphony, "Opus 18, number 4", stating that it is a good example of the basic structure used during this era. The paper also examines C.P.E Bach's "Symphony in D", comparing it to the senior Bach's work.

From the Paper:

"Affected by the Enlightenment, the early classical symphonies were quite diversified in composition. As each symphony was created for performance for public and social occasions, there were many composers and many symphonies created during this time, financed by their bourgeois and aristocratic clientele. Orchestras were developed as a result, to play these many new pieces. Non-symphonic pieces were also being produced on an individual basis: sonatas being a popular composition for an individual musician."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Benjamin, Thomas. The Craft of Tonal Counterpoint. New York: Routledge. 2003.
• Encyclopedia Britannica. Symphony. Found online at <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article/27481/symphony>.
• Rosen, Charles. The Classical Style. New York: W.W. Norton, 1972.

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