Search - Johann Christian Bach, Harald Hoeren :: Johann Christian Bach: Six Sonatas for Piano Forte or Harpsichord op 5

Not so light and insignificant

Martha Fuller Clark | Edinburgh, Scotland | 03/11/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Johann Christian Bachs opus 5 sonatas are paradigmatic manifestations of the early classical style, heavily influenced by the Neopolitan cantilena aesthetic, written whilst serving under Queen Charlotte consort of George III these sonatas were designed to explore and showcase the capabilities of the then realitively new pianoforte, and were played in public at the Hanover Square Concert rooms to a fascinated London public on a square piano by Zumpe. Although realatively gallant and simple in style theese sonatas fully divest the strictures of the preceeding baroque style and extoll the virtues of melody contrast and the dynamic juxtaposition of textures then comparitevely new. Unfortunately Mozarts later sonatas seem to loom over theese casting them into cropusular shadow, this is unfair in that Mozarts later sonatas display the fully the panoply of later classicism and were in fact influenced by theese sonatas, Mozart himself was so captured by the melodic and charming vien of theese sonatas that he arranged nos 2,3 and 5 into piano concertos K107. Elegantly played this is a charming collection of classical sonatas not half so light as their reputation would claim."