The ever-expanding catalogue of Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach on Brilliant Classics (most of it contained in a 30 CD box, BC94640), now reaches his music for clarinet, which has received much less attention on record than his orchestral or keyboard works but is no less melodically fertile and formally inventive than his better-known music. The clarinet was in its infancy when Bach began to write for it, late in life, having left his position in Berlin as court composer to Frederick the Great, and taken over the directorship of the five principal churches in Hamburg after the death of his godfather, Georg Philipp Telemann (who, as ever, got there first when it came to exploring the potential of new instruments, with various works including a lovely and doleful duet-concerto for two clarinets in D minor).
Works:
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Bach, C P E: Divertimento in G, H642
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Bach, C P E: Duo for Two Clarinets, Wq. 142 (H636)
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Bach, C P E: Quartet (Trio) for Flute, Viola, Cello and Keyboard in A minor, Wq. 93 (H537)
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Bach, C P E: Sonatas (6) for clarinet, bassoon & keyboard, Wq. 92 (H516-21)
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Bach, C P E: Violin Sonata in G minor (BWV 1020), (H542.5)